Saturday, April 15, 2006
River bathing - it's almost warm enough now
People who are used to bathing in the Atlantic in August usually find the Mediterranean comfortably warm from around mid-May onwards.
But what about the rivers and streams? One of Corsica's unique assets is the large number of rivers, streams and mountain pools deep enough to bathe or even swim, but taking a dip in the mountain streams in May may prove a little too chilly even for the foolhardy. It's worth remembering that the water in these streams at this time mainly consists largely of melted snow!
But a few weeks of sunshine will change all that and the braver walkers and tourists will no doubt be stripping off and preparing to take a dip in the Fangu or the Tavignano any time from now onwards.
When I take the plunge, I sometimes take a face mask and snorkel: it's surprising how much there is to see. In the Fangu I've seen groups of young trout preparing to assault the next set of rapids; in the same river I've seen rare fresh-water blennies hiding under stones. I've also seen eels in some of the rivers in the East. It's all there for you to enjoy - but do remember to take every scrap of rubbish away with you when you leave your chosen picnic and river-bathing spot.
But what about the rivers and streams? One of Corsica's unique assets is the large number of rivers, streams and mountain pools deep enough to bathe or even swim, but taking a dip in the mountain streams in May may prove a little too chilly even for the foolhardy. It's worth remembering that the water in these streams at this time mainly consists largely of melted snow!
But a few weeks of sunshine will change all that and the braver walkers and tourists will no doubt be stripping off and preparing to take a dip in the Fangu or the Tavignano any time from now onwards.
When I take the plunge, I sometimes take a face mask and snorkel: it's surprising how much there is to see. In the Fangu I've seen groups of young trout preparing to assault the next set of rapids; in the same river I've seen rare fresh-water blennies hiding under stones. I've also seen eels in some of the rivers in the East. It's all there for you to enjoy - but do remember to take every scrap of rubbish away with you when you leave your chosen picnic and river-bathing spot.
# posted by Derekthered @ 10:38 AM 
