SENDING GABON'S WHITEWATER
Walking in Olaf Obsommer’s footsteps from an original scouting mission in Gabon about ten years ago, the SEND crew, led by Adrian Mattern and featuring Dane Jackson, Bren Orton, and Kalob Grady, decided to travel to Western Africa this past January to hunt for virgin whitewater. While Olaf mostly scouted on his original mission, the SEND boys didn’t travel that far to stay on land, but to run big water and waterfalls. Having David Sodomaka, Olaf Obsommer, and David Arnaud to document the trip meant they came back with good stories, successful descents, amazing photos and footage. A film about the mission is planned for release in the next months.
Words: Adrian Mattern | Photograhy: David Sodomka
WINTER WONDERLAND IN GALICIA
El Niño has been big on the news in 2023, the storm cycle bringing lots of weather changes around the world, speeding up global warning, breaking the wind patterns, and filling the rivers of Northern Portugal and Spanish Galicia with tons of water! The season in this pure whitewater paradise kicked off in mid-October and has been constantly on for over four months and counting. The winter of 2023/2024 marks one of the best kayaking seasons in the history of this region, which is rising in popularity as a travel destination and local training ground. When the storms are in full swing, paddlers can enjoy the big volume sections of the Deza, Cabe, Vez, and clean creeks such as the upper Verdugo, Parada, Paivo, Varosa, Cabril, and Cabreiro. When the rain
