PADDLER 24
PADDLER 24
Instagram : martin _ trahan _ canoeist
I ’ m used to long country crossings of several months in America , but it was my first long expedition on European soil . It was a journey steeped in history , covering 1,500 km over 40 days , to discover a country of incredible beauty and meet its people . I ’ ve found meaning , answers , a quest , a dream along the water , a journey to the heart of France , but above all , a journey of self-discovery . On each of my expeditions , my favourite day is the first one .
It ’ s the culmination of many hours of preparation , sacrifice , and confirmation that the dream has come true . Finding an available teammate for such a long period was no easy task . I decided to pay for Joris ’ expedition expenses , allowing him to be by my side . I feel privileged to have had the support of Esquif / Canoë Diffusion , who arranged the transportation of my canoe and equipment by container / boat to France .
DAY ONE : DISASTER AVERTED
The first day of the expedition was drawing to a close , and we were tired . We took the opportunity to stop on the shore to check out a potential camping site . When leaving a canoe unattended , two rules always apply : tie it up or secure it by mounting it on the bank , and ensure you don ’ t leave anything lying on the spray deck . Rather than listening to my little inner voice , I trusted my teammate , who had just said confidently that the canoe was well-supported on the rocks .
What we had forgotten was that we were between two hydroelectric dams and that the water level was subject to rapid rise . What had to happen finally happened . The strong current swept away our canoe , our gear , my wallet and my passport . We stood on the shore , wet , almost naked and unable to believe what had happened . With over 20,000 km of canoeing experience , this mistake should never have happened .
Fortunately , we were able to borrow a canoe from a nearby club . We set off searching for our boat with another two hours of sunshine ahead of us . We were relieved to find it drifting 6 km further . That ’ s how we named our canoe Le Solitaire ( The Loner ). When I ’ m asked if I lost any equipment during this misadventure , I reply that I only lost part of my ego and pride .
THE RHÔNE RIVER
The adventure began on the Rhone River at the border between Switzerland and France . Its powerful current carried us on its back for over 400 km but was unfortunately too often slowed by the reinforced concrete of the many hydroelectric dams we had to portage to continue our progress . However , we were quickly reconciled by the wilder sections that followed , by our passage past picturesque medieval villages whose charms we fell under , and by the vineyards for which the region is famous . France ’ s rich heritage kept us dreaming half-awake , seduced by its architectural beauty .
ARDÈCHE AND CHASSEZAC RIVERS
The journey continued with the mythical 70 km ascent ( going upstream ) of the Ardèche and Chassezac rivers in chestnut country . The Ardèche River is lovely and certainly one to capture the imagination . Its crystal-clear water , pebble beaches , erosion-sculpted caves and gigantic cliffs dazzled us with their uniqueness . It was soothing to paddle in such magnificent surroundings . The scenery passed by slowly , meditatively .
Nevertheless , our second day on the river was gruelling , as we constantly had to battle violent , face-whipping winds gusting to over 100km / h at times . I ’ ve never paddled in such difficult conditions in my life . At times , the canoe would pitch and become almost impossible to control . We paddled upstream , and when the current was too strong , we pulled and lined the canoe . Frequently , our feet slipped on the soapy rocks , which made it impossible to get a good foothold . The laughter grew louder as the gruelling day came to an end .
Over the past few years , France has been plagued by episodes of severe drought affecting the entire country , with a considerable impact on water levels . Water tables empty , rivers dry up , and sometimes all that ’ s left is the remnants of a once vibrant body of water . When we reached the Chassezac River , our fears were confirmed – the river was dry in places . THANKS TO :
Esquif , Kokatat , Bending Branches , North Water , Peak Refuel , Happy Yak , MSR , SealLine , Exped , Helinox , Lowa , Vaude , Leki , RAB , Pelican Case
At times , we had to move stones to divert a thin stream of water to slide the canoe into it , which was getting considerably damaged with each rubbing . We could feel our backs weakening from pulling our heavy canoe loaded with food and equipment . We wondered whether we could continue our journey in such difficult conditions the next day . That evening , I was looking up at the stars before the sky became covered with grey clouds heralding more gloomy weather and spotted a few shooting stars in the distance . I found myself making a wish , “ God , please make the water level rise during the night . Lord , have mercy .”