01. Sea Kayak

For who loves the sea and excursions in kayak, for who loves boarding along the rocky coasts, search among the falaises and discover beaches or small creeks inserted in the maquis there aren’t any doubts: his preferred landing is the Elba island.

From Marina Campo to Procchio
From the wonderful beach of Marina di Campo steer south westward to the Galenzana Gulf direction. The “bagnolo” is a bank that during the ebb tide comes completely out from the sea, it doesn’t create problems to our canoes that slide agile and fast in a few of water.
Doubled Bargella Point we coast the Bue Marino Cave and then the Vescovo Cave in which it’s possible to entry with kayaks. Crossed Poro Cape the high and rocky coast leave the place to come stones small beaches that invite you to take a plunge. The granite cliff is white and right there appears the Azzurra Cave: crystal clear sea and extraordinary plays of light.
Crossed the Cavoli Gulf, the Seccheto sandy beach, we discover the white and scenographic sandy shore of “caraibica” fetovaia. Doubled the point, the Elba like always, astonish us: from the black and white with a long series of beaches of Tombe, then the Ogliera rock with the sunken wreck on a crystal depth a few meters deep. On the horizon float other islands, the close Pianosa and the unmistakable cone of Montecristo.
At the back of Pomonte, marine village built where in ancient times stood a Roman harbour, stands out the Capanne Mount and the green vineyards of the Poio valley contrast with the granite glares.
Now we are on the western side: the white cliffs of Chiessi, the “finger” of Corsica so far and so close, Nera Point, the most west point of the island.
The hard granite leaves the place to rag and stratified rocks. After the lighthouse of Polveraia Point, among the little caves and surfacing rocks we paddle to Zanca and to S. Andrea Cape, important point of reference for the sailors of the past. The north coast of the Elba receives us with its luxuriant maquis, in the distance Capraia and the continent, maybe the puff away of a whale for the luckiest. It isn’t rare that this wonderful cetaceans approached to a few hundreds meters from the coast, exactly in this tract.

Leave back the imposing cliff of Nasuto we parade in front of Marciana Marina ( a stop is required!), with its tower and up there the chestnuts of Capanne. After having doubled Crocetta Point we circumnavigate the Paolina rock and we end our excursion on the big sandy shore of Procchio.

From Marina di Campo to Lacona
From the beach of Marina di Campo we paddle toward the left side of the gulf and slide among the coast and the small island of Porto Caccamo: the kayak by sea with its reduced draught is the only boat that can pass “unhurt” among the semisurfacing rocks.
It’s stable, very easy to lead it and thanks to its watertight peaks it permits to stow a dry cloths change and supplies for a frugal picnic on the beach.
But we start again our excursion. The sea is emerald and the maquis spices invade the air. Here there is the enchanting Ischia small creek with two little stones beaches placed like precious stones in rose granite. Forward we meet Rota, a follow one another of microinlets excavated in the black rock.
Through the Fonza gulf and doubled Priolo point we reach the Logio, where the white of the granite exalts the emerald of the sea. The overlooking Re valley evokes old legends of the past of the island. Doubled Mete point and leaving on the right the Triglia rock or before Ripa Nera and then Fico Creek where wonderful granite crystal make the sheer rocks precious. Less forward there is a little cave in which there is a source of fresh water, destination of many marine birds.
We continue to the Coralline bank ,a huge granite column that sunk till 73 metres in a sea rich in life and of an exceptional clearness, where often elegant cormorants plunge “ flying” underwater looking for preys. The nice Paradiso beach, inaccessible to boats and rubber boats is the ideal landing for a bath or a stop in the shade of a beautiful cave. After there is Inferno creek which gives shelter to a big seagulls colony and a depth rich in posidonia, ideal habitat for many fish species. Doubled Contessa point, to the back of which pick the military posts of the second world war, our excursion ends on the soft sandy shore of the beach of Lacona.

*Activities in collaboration with "Emozioni Mediterranee".