Aqua rando en Corse

Sometimes it takes a few years for a plan to come together. I think it was during our second trip to France that I first heard about “Aqua Rando” (short for Aqua Randonnée, literally: Water Hiking) where people don wet suits and swim/slide/hike down narrow alpine streams and gullys. I kind of imagined it being like whitewater rafting—without the raft.

Our previous trips to France never allowed enough free time to consider doing one, and I wasn’t sure if we’d get around to it this trip either. On our last day in Porto Vecchio, I was flipping through the various brochures we’d picked up, and thumbed through one for Canyon Corse—the next day we’d be driving to Bastia and they were located on the way. We called and signed up.

corsica canyoning aqua rando landscape
Where we’d be canyoning: les aiguilles de Bavella

We showed up the next morning for a three hour course through Pulischellu canyon. I thought maybe there’d be a few slides and a lot of in-stream hiking, but it turned out to be quite the opposite.

corsica canyoning aqua rando hiking
Hiking to the start of the course

After a 30 minute hike in bathing suits and climbing harnesses, we arrived at the start: a 9 meter natural slide into a frigid alpine pool. From there we were belayed down a slide/waterfall, jumped off a 4 meter high cliff face, slid down all manner of rocks, did some “freestyle” jumps, and at the very end, slid on our backs, headfirst into a torrent of water that shot us off a cliff with a 3 meter drop. It was a non-stop adrenaline rush.

Justin laying in a stream before canyoning (aqua rando) in Corsica
Cooling off in the wetsuit

A sports and fashion photographer tagged along (it being his off-season) so we got some pretty wild shots of our time. Here are a few of my favorites.

Justin jumping of a 4 meter cliff in Corsica
Four meter jump off a cliff = completely terrifying
Justin sliding down a rock face in Corsica
Our guide unzipped my wetsuit just before sending me down
Justin jumping of a 3 meter cliff in Corsica
A three meter jump, still scary
Justin getting shot off of a 3 meter cliff in Corsica
Getting shot off a 3 meter high cliff (and posing for the camera)

5 Comments

Julie

I love your scary face!!!!! we need to find a spot to do this in US with you guys!!!!! We miss you…..

I screamed like a baby all the way down. Glad you enjoyed. And agreed: need to seek out some aqua rando stateside.

<3ng all your adventures. I can see DD and I making your blog our travel guide in the near future. :) where are the photos of stephanie?

Geli

;-)))) … yes you look great !! perfect action photos..ha..ha..

Glad you’ve been enjoying. I believe Stephanie posted her jumping pic to Facebook, but it just happened that the shots of me were, well, a little more over the top ;)

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