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Kayak excursions at the Island of Elba
Examples of half day and full day excursions
HALF DAY EXCURSIONS
Programme example:
Marina di Campo – Lacona
Distance: 9.8 km.
Time: about 5 hours.
Interest: photographic, geological, biological.
We leave from Marina di Campo beach. We head along the left side of the gulf with its granite and orthoclase rocks and pass between the coast and Porto Caccamo island. The kayak allows us to pass among the rocks that show above water at high tide, meaning that we can enjoy splendid colours and perfumes. Continuing we get to the enchanting Ischia cove with its two small pebble beaches stuck between the pink granite rocks. Further ahead we find the “Rota” where a series of small coves dug into the black rock invite us to stop for a swim.
We cross Fonza gulf and round Priolo point from where, a pleasant paddle through the rocks takes us to Longio, characterised by extremely white granite rocks which exalt the turquoise colour of the sea. The Valle dei Re behind conjures up past Island legends. This area is particularly rich in fish and we often meet shoals of small fish that jump above the water surface to escape their predators.
Rounding Punta le Mete, leaving on the right Triglia rock, first we get to Ripa Nera and then to Cala al Fico, with splendid limestone crystals set in the rocks that fall straight down into the sea, then we arrive at Grotta dell’Acqua: this small grotto contains a fresh water spring an important place for sea birds who go there to quench their thirst. Thanks to the canoes being silent and compact we can enter the grotto to see the animals who, with spectacular and acrobatic flight, enter the cavern.
A few hundred metres from the grotto is the Coralline rock, an enormous sheer sided 70 metres granite column. Rounding Coralline we go towards Lacona, a stretch of sea which is particularly transparent and rich in marine life, where we often meet local cormorants fishing; these elegant sea birds fish by diving deep under the water.
We find a delightful beach hidden among the rocks and inaccessible to boats and dinghies an ideal stopping place for our canoes, here we can swim and rest in the shade of another comfortable grotto.
Leaving the Paradiso beach, we coast along the Cala dell’Inferno, here there is one of the biggest seagull colonies on the island; the sea bed, in this stretch, is rich in posidonia oceanica (a sea grass), a good habitat for scorpion fish, octopus and moray eels. Rounding Punta della Contessa, with second world war military positions behind, we finish our excursion on Lacona beach, where the minibus will be ready to take us back to our homes.
FULL DAY EXCURSIONS
Programme example:
Marina di Campo - Procchio
Difficulty: challenging, for experts
Time: 10 hours
Distance: 47 km
Interest: photographic, geological, biological
We leave from Marina di Campo beach in the morning, setting our route in a south-west direction to Galenzana gulf.
In the gulf there is the “bagnolo”, a rock which at low tide emerges completely out of the sea. Leaving Galenzana, important for historical remains, we flank the “Grotta del Bue Marino”.
We continue towards the west, and find ourselves in front of the “Grotta del Vescovo”, easy to visit with our Kayaks. After a few hundred metres the rocky coast gives way to a series of small beaches which invite us to stop for a swim.
Starting out again we get to a stretch of cream-white coloured coast, here we discover the “Grotta Azzurra”, one of the biggest grottos on Elba. Heading forward we arrive at Cavoli gulf, and the small sandy Seccheto beach.
White granite is our companion until Fetovaia beach, then rounding the Point, we catch sight of a long series of black beaches of the Tombe area: here a stop is a must to rest on the beach and admire the islands of Pianosa and Montecristo. Our next objective is the Scoglio dell Ogliera (rock), where we find, only a few metres deep, the wreck of a ship sunk in ’74.
Having past the villages of Pomonte and Chiessi, we get to Punta Nera (the most westerly point of the Island): now granite gives way to crumbly stratified rocks. We paddle along the coast for about an hour and get to the white Patresi lighthouse and then to Capo Sant’Andrea, a white promontory and an important reference point for navigators of the past.
We are on the North side of the Island and the environment has completely changed: the coast is covered with lush vegetation, and far off to our left we see the Island of Capraia and in front of us all the North side of the Island of Elba, which on the horizon can be confused with the Tuscan coast. We are paddling in a stretch of sea where it is easy to sight whales.
These animals often come near and it is exciting to admire them as they silently and elegantly swim a few hundred metres from the coast, there presence being signalled by jets of water.
After leaving the imposing Nasuto rock behind us, we sight Marciana Marina’s Tower, built in 17th century. Passing in front of the town, a superb view opens up before us embracing all the northern slope of Monte Capane massive, a fascinating place with green chestnut trees, and the medieval boroughs of Poggio (339 m asl) and Marciana (350 m asl) which evoke past times.
On rounding the Punta della Crocetta the coast becomes softer and greener. After the Scoglio della Paolina (rock) we end our excursion on the large Procchio beach.
Info: +39 0565 978005 -
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Sea kayak excursions 
