Corsica Winter Camp 1

Anyone who has ever been kayaking in Corsica in winter will want to come back again and again. The autumn and winter rain fills the rivers, the sun is warm and the strawberries are ripe. The best thing about this time of year, however, is that you have the rivers all to yourself.

The days are shorter in november and December than in spring, so we make the most of every minute of daylight at this time of year. On the long evenings, there will be enough time to sit together and cook a good meal. As usual, our base will be the Ernella campsite, but we will be staying in the rooms here and using the campsite's kitchen and dining room as a group.

Vali and Bernie will be present as kayak instructors at all Corsica Winter Camps. If there are more than two courses, many more people from our team will be motivated to paddle with you in Corsica at this special time of year.

At this camp we offer an F1, F2, Creek 1 and Creek 2 Course . Please click on one of the courses below to find out more details about the course content and prerequisites.

Learn to move independently and safely on WW II!

In this course, you will gain confidence on class II whitewater. The aim is that by the end of the course you will be able to ride with your friends, even without "better riders", on class II whitewater sections.

Our Corsica Camp has four beautiful class II whitewater river sections in the immediate vicinity of the campsite. Many more can be reached within a short drive. So we spend the days here practising by the river and in the sun instead of in the car.

Course content
Exercises
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

Repetition of basic techniques on the lake as learned at Beginners Course
Flow theory
Recognizing and using different currents on the river
Expand dynamic movement using weight positioning and upper body rotation.
Eddying technique using forward stroke and draw stroke
Control of the kayak by proper edging and blade pressure
Introduction to belaying with a throwbag (Basic Kit)

Rope ferry across the river (traversing)
Breaking out
Combinations of several sweeping waters or different obstacles
Quick changes of direction
Punching stones

Tavignano
Vecchio
Golo
Asco
Other rivers depending on the water level.

To be able to take part in Advanced 1 Course , you must

Be able to swim confidently
Be in overall good health.
have first experience in a kayak, e.g. after our Beginners Course Level 2.
be at least 14 years old (we also offer youth courses ).

Consolidate and deepen the basic techniques
Be able to drive independently class II whitewater

WW intensive course including roller training!

Do you feel at home on class II whitewater and would finally like to enter more difficult waters? Or are you already a frequent visitor to class III whitewater but would like to be a bit more confident? Then this is the course for you. We'll show you how much fun more gradients and more water pressure can be if you simply rely on the current and your technique.
In this course, we focus on using the current, estimating lines and navigating tactics in a group, as well as on good technique. The aim of the course is to develop routine in class III whitewater .

The Corsican rivers offer us a lot of white water in the medium and lower levels of difficulty in addition to the - often more difficult - sections. On this course, you will learn a lot of technique and also get to know Corsica and its river pearls.

Course content
Exercises
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

Flow theory
Recognizing and using different currents on the river
Expand dynamic movement using weight positioning and upper body rotation.
Eddying technique using forward stroke and draw stroke
Control of the kayak by proper edging and blade pressure
Scouting: Assessing dangers, choosing lines
Navigation tactics in the group: communication and safety posts
Boofen

Driving impact cushions
Breaking out
Punching stones
Sweeping water combinations

Tavignano
Vecchio
Golo
Asco
Travo
Taravo
Other rivers depending on the water level.

To be able to take part in Advanced 2 Course , you must

Be able to swim confidently
Be in overall good health.
paddle safely class II whitewater
be at least 14 years old (we also offer youth courses ).

Be able to drive independently class III whitewater

Your way to WW IV!

Ride your line with ease and a dry spraydeck! At class IV whitewater you can only hit your line if you work with the flow. That's why at Creek 1 Course we look closely at the flow and use it. We analyze the currents and define exactly which weight shift and which pull on the paddle are necessary to precisely ride your chosen line. At the same time, you will learn how to boof and control steps and rollers.

Corsica is one of the best kayaking areas in the world for beginners. Thanks to the countless steps and waterfalls and the low water force, you can gain your first experience in heavy white water on Corsica without any great risk.

Our Creek 1 courses teach you how to move safely and independently on class IV whitewater !

Course content
Exercises
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

Be aware of movement sequences: upper body posture and paddle use
Analyze complex lines
Timing: precise edge changes and stroke sequences
Boofen
Use flow elements and river obstacles for your own line
Navigation tactics in the group: communication and safety

Driving impact cushions
Boofing over steps and rollers
Turning maneuvers in rollers
Driving sweeping water combinations
Scouting and securing

Vecchio
Asco
Golo
Fium Orbo
Tavignano
Solenzara
Travo
Taravo
Other rivers depending on the water level.

To be able to take part in Creek 1 Course , you must

Be able to swim confidently
Be in overall good health.
safely class III whitewater (e.g. Untere Ötz, abseiling section of the Soča, Brandenberger Ache: Wiesklamm, Loisach).
master the Whitewater Roll (at least 80% roll-up rate).
be at least 14 years old.

WW IV independently and safely.
Getting pressure on the paddle blade at the crucial moment.
Drive lines precisely.
Finding sensible places to boulder and implementing a sequence of movements with the right timing.

Creeking perfection course!

If you feel comfortable on class IV whitewater , can confidently hit your lines and no longer have any major deficits in your kayaking technique, then this is the right course for you. It's all about moving fluidly in difficult white water.

Ride your lines with little effort and lots of style. We'll show you how it all works and give you valuable tips that will help you on heavy white water and massively increase the fun factor.

Safety is of course also an important topic in this course. But don't worry - we won't be standing around pointlessly on the bank with the throw bag at every spot. Instead, we'll think about what kind of safety device makes sense where and why and then implement it as quickly as possible. After all, we want to paddle!

Course content
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

At Creek 2 Course , we assume that you have mastered all the technical skills required to navigate WW IV safely and independently. During the course, we deal with tactical considerations and put the finishing touches to your technique. The program includes, for example

Analyze lines and drive precisely
Finding the fast line
Leanboof
Landing steps safely
Minimize effort through efficient paddling style
Maximize pressure on the paddle blade at the decisive moment

Vecchio
Asco
Golo
Fium Orbo
Restonica
Solenzara
Travo
Taravo
Other rivers depending on the water level.

To be able to take part in Creek 2 Course , you must

class IV whitewater can drive with confidence.
have experience in safety.
safely eskimotieren.

Navigate heavy white water with ease.
Assess locations correctly and organize access.
Independently create a safety concept for heavy driving.

There are still places available!

Key data and arrival

Meeting point
Accommodation
Services
We present
Prices
Arrival

We meet on the first day of the course at 09:00 at Camping Ernella (directly on the river Tavignano).

Our base camp is located at the "L'Ernella" campsite (between Corte and Aléria on the N200) right at the entrance to the Tavignano Gorge. We can get in and out directly at the campsite. Most of the Corsican rivers can be reached quickly by car from here. The campsite has rooms, all of which we have already reserved for the whole week. If you still want to stay in a tent or your car, that is of course also possible.

One-week kayak course with one rest day. We usually have our rest day on the fourth day of the course.
Rental equipment (optional - with transportation to Corsica and back)
Airport shuttle (optional)

Kitchen
Common room

Course fee per person

€ 850

Rental equipment (optional)

€ 200

By car:

We recommend the ferry line "Corsica Ferries" for the crossing. Corsica Ferries offers crossings from Toulon, Nice and Livorno. The advantage of Corsica Ferries is that this ferry line also offers several daily crossings in the low season. You can find the exact ferry schedule and online booking here: Corsica Ferries.

By airplane:

There are two airports in Corsica (Bastia and Ajaccio). Our camp can be reached from Bastia airport in about an hour. From Ajaccio airport it takes about 2 hours to reach the camp. Unfortunately, you can't get to the campsite by public transport from either airport. We therefore recommend that you either hire a car at the airport or have us pick you up at the airport. Please let us know as early as possible if you need a shuttle from us!