Packrafting 2021: Videos

2021 has been an exciting packrafting year with at least one fun & scenic paddling trip every single month of the year! Most trips have resulted in a video, although not all, due to occasional laziness on my part. Next to close-to-home trips in the Flemish and Walloon parts of Belgium, I have also been using my raft further away, i.e. in Sweden, Finland and Norway.

Interesting to note is that in June we decided to buy a second Alpacka Classic packraft, basically replacing the Intex K1 inflatable kayak that we have used quite a bit in 2020. This second packraft makes it possible for Masha and me to make packrafting trips together without constantly having to worry about leaks and other issues…

Below is an overview of all the packrafting videos that I shot during the course of 2021.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

Made a nice trip on Semois between Vresse and Les Hautes Rivières (France), but unfortunately no video…

November

December

Packrafting / Kayaking Semois

In the month of May, Masha and I spend an absolutely gorgeous weekend paddling the river Semois from Bouillon to Vresse-sur-Semois. We camp in Poupehan and use a packraft (me) and cheap inflatable kayak (Masha) to float down the river.

With brilliant sunshine, intense spring colors and a flow of no less than 26 m3/s in Bouillon, conditions couldn’t possibly be better.

Report > Belgium 2021: Ardennes

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Packrafting 2020: Videos

2020 has been an utterly strange year, but that hasn’t kept me from making a variety of paddling trips (generally by packraft, but occasionally also by inflatable kayak). In retrospect, there have been paddling activities every month of the year, except in April and November, due to the corona situation.

January

February

March

April

Corona lockdown…

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Corona acting up again…

December

France 2020: Drôme

During the second half of July, we make a last minute family trip to the Drôme and Archèche regions in the south of France. Next to regular sight-seeing we also have some hiking, canyoning and paddling on the program.

The picture story below zooms in on relaxed paddling on the Drôme river and laid-back canyoning in the Toulourenc gorges.

Report > France 2020: Drôme

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France 2020: Ardèche

During the second half of July, we make a last minute family trip to the Drôme and Archèche regions in the south of France. Next to regular sight-seeing we also have some hiking, canyoning and paddling on the program.

The picture story below zooms in on packrafting and kayaking on the Ardèche river.

Report > France 2020: Ardèche

Paddling IJzer

A little family trip by packraft and inflatable kayak on the river IJzer from Roesbrugge to Stavele. Back on foot to fetch the car.

Kayaking Leie – bis

Two days after my previous after-work solo kayaking trip on the river Leie, I again take to the water and paddle 12 km from the public jetty of Sint-Martens-Latem to the entrance to the Bourgoyen nature reserve, on the outskirts of Gent, passing Afsnee and Sint-Denijs-Westrem in the process. Weather is as beautiful as last time, and the atmosphere is still of a southern riviera.

Kayaking Leie

A 10.5 km after-work solo kayaking trip on the river Leie, from Leiepark Deurle to the public jetty of Sint-Martens-Latem. Beautiful weather, scenic riverscapes, and posh riverside mansions.

Paddling Rekkelingebeek

Tucked away under a weeping willow on the shores of Oude Leie in Bachte-Maria-Leerne, is the entrance to a little creek by the name of Rekkelingebeek. Evert and I have had our eyes set on it for some time, so when Evert checks in for an impromptu after-work paddling trip (canoe / inflatable kayak on this occasion), it doesn’t take long for us to decide to explore this little hidden gem.

The most challenging part of the trip is probably the very beginning, as we meet several series of fallen trees. As usual, a bit of acrobacy is needed to get passed. Soon after however, the creek widens and we enter a picturesque pastoral landscape. We observe several kingfisher specimen, as well as other more common water birds, such as coot and grey heron.

Approximately halfway, we reach another obstacle: a strange-looking curved tree that acts as a narrow gateway to the other side of the creek. We manage to get through, although only just about.

Not far from the well-known Filliers jenever distillery, we cannot proceed further and turn back to Oude Leie. In the meantime, sun has sunk and we are treated to a rather spectacular colorful evening sky.

Paddling Dender

Another sunny trip on the river Dender, this time with part of the family in a 2-person kayak and myself in a packraft. I again place a bike at the take-out in Pollare in order to fetch the car left behind at the put-in in Schendelbeke.