The Poly HOME TRIP REPORTS CONTACT THE POLY MEMBERS AREA USEFUL KAYAKING RESOURCES SPONSERSHIP
ALASKA
AUSTRIA 1999
BHUTAN 2002
FUTALEUFU | CHILE
COSTA RICA 2003
COSTA RICA 1995
ICELAND
IDAHO - Salmon River
LADAKH
MOROCCO
NEPAL 2003
NEW ZEALAND 1998
NEW ZEALAND 2000
NORWAY 1998
OREGON 2000
SLAVE RIVER | BC
TURKEY 1999
UGANDA | THE WHITE NILE
THE ZAMBEZI
 

Morocco - March 2004
Trip Dates: 20th March-1st April 2004
Flight: Heathrow to Casablanca 

Team Members:  Frazer Pearce, Adrian Healy, Tamsin Gay, Helen Barclay, Fi Houston and Stevie Hanson

Team Photo

Morocco - grade 3 boating with grade 5 scenary just about sums it up. Throw in several potential multiday trips and some of the friendliest and most helpful people in the world and you're on to a winner. Especially as this is only 4 hours flight away from the UK and the season is Easter.

   
Oum al Rbia  
Tamsin on the Sources Oum al Rbia Local transportation
   
Ahensal  
Stevie contemplating packing Civil engineering

Tamsin surfing at the camp spot
  Helen enters the gorge
   
Ouzoud  
Guidebook photo ...with kayaks
Stevie running not the biggest Awesome
   
Scenary  
   
   
   
   
River
Grade
Distance(km)
Time(hrs)
Oum al Rbia
II/III 
7
2
Oum al Rbia
III/IV(V+)
15
5
Oum al Rbia
II/III(III+)
25
4
Ahensal
III/IV
30
2days/(8hrs)
Ouzoud
Yes(no) 
3
3
El Abid
II/III 
8
2
 
River summary:

Logistics:

Flew to Casablanca from Heathrow with Royal Air Maroc, no problems with boats either direction, booked a landrover with driver;
Company: Rediscover (www.rediscover.co.uk) Booked with: Andy Scase, Tel: 08707 406 306 Fax: 08707 406 316 andy@rediscover.co.uk Local contact: Susan Haddouche.  Tel: 04 882 1015.  They were professional and excellent. Cost around 100UKP/day including fuel. Long wheelbase landy could take 7(plus driver) at a push, ideal for 6 with space for kit.
Good map: Hildebrandt's Roadmap of Morocco ISBN 3-88989-283-3 http://www.hildebrandts.de (has several minor roads you need marked)
Guide: Marokko, Franz und Marlen Riegel, Pollner Verlag 1990, ISBN 3-925660-11-9 (kayak guide in german but quite comprehensive).
Maroc: Oueds du moyen atlas, Canoe & Kayak Magazie, 1978 onwards (7 parts in french)

Additional river notes:
As always river information is buyer beware. Grades are ours, real and on the day.

Oum al Rbia

Flow: 20m²/s
Grade: II/III
Distance: 7km
Date: 21st March 2004
Paddlers: Frazer, Adrian, Helen, Tamsin, Fi, Stevie
Time: Start 16:00 Finish 18:00
Duration:  2hrs
Geology/Features: Arable land interspersed with cuttings through old lava flows.
Put in: Cafe on river left (road right) just before you get to El Borj
Take out: Obvious lay-by river left, just after big red/white transmitter

Oum al Rbia

Flow: 10m²/s
Grade: III/IV(V+)
Distance: 15km
Date: 22nd March 2004
Paddlers: Frazer, Adrian, Helen, Tamsin, Fi, Stevie
Time: Start 11:30 Finish 17:00
Duration:  5hrs
Geology/Features: Lots of III drops packed together with a couple at IV-. One portage (river left), bit of a slog up the bank. Few km of gorge at the end.
Put in: Sources Oum al Rbia
Take out: Tanefnit (second bridge from top)

Oum al Rbia

Flow: 15m²/s
Grade: II/III(III+)
Distance: 25km
Date: 22nd March 2004 + 23rd March 2004
Paddlers: Frazer, Adrian, Helen, Tamsin, Fi, Stevie
Time: Start 17:00 Finish 19:20, plus 13:00 to 15:00
Duration:  4hrs
Geology/Features: Bimble through Arable land with one narrow constriction through a lava flow close to the end.
Put in: Tanefnit (see above)
Take out: Cafe on river left (road right) just before you get to El Borj

Ahensal

Flow: 25m²/s
Grade: III/IV
Distance: 30km
Date: 24th-25th March 2004
Paddlers: Frazer, Adrian, Helen, Tamsin, Fi, Stevie
Time: Start 13:00 24th, finish 17:00 25th
Duration:  2 days (7hrs on river/lake)
Geology/Features: Awesome scenary / canyons. III/IV for first 12km, then easing though narrow canyons. Last 6km flat across lake (2.5 hours)
Put in: Tilougitte
Take out: Near to barrage (right as facing it from lake) up landy track.

Ouzoud

Flow: 5m²/s
Grade: Yes(no)
Distance: 3km
Date: 26th March 2004
Paddlers: Frazer, Tamsin, Fi, Stevie
Time: Start 11:30, finish 15:00
Duration:  3hrs
Geology/Features: 3km packed with yes/no pooldrop. Most 15ft-ish, one at 30ft, lovely piecemeal or seallaunch. Most scenic put-on in the world ?
Put in: Cascade d'Ouzoud
Take out: see El Abid below

El Abid

Flow: 5m²/s
Grade: II/III
Distance: 8km
Date: 26th March 2004
Paddlers: Frazer, Tamsin, Fi, Stevie
Time: Start 15:30, finish 17:30
Duration:  2hrs
Geology/Features: 8km easing from pretty gorge to agricultrural meanders.
Put in: see Ouzoud above
Take out: Tabia - village with communication mast, river left