Corsica is quite mountainous (the ridge has mountains 2650m and more above sea level) and they rise quite quickly, so the 30 km trip with its switch-backs took quite some time to traverse. Our first stop an hour after setting out (at lunch time) was about at the 10 km mark, and we found people jumping off a cement jut over a natural pool in the river's course. We all jumped (the boys more than once) but unfortunately, this was D's first day of illness so he wasn't up to his normal self. M more than made up for it!
The pool below had lovely clear water and when I put on goggles I was able to see right to the bottom (about 3 m below the surface at the deepest part). It sloped up to a small sandy beach and M had a great time grabbing a rock and sinking to the bottom, like a diving belt or pearl fisher. When I looked around with goggles, I saw small eels and little schools of see-through fish here. It wasn't too cold, either...the water was 20 degrees or so--still very refreshing.
Our next stop, at the 20 km mark was even more of a find...again natural pools of water, but this time, with three waterfalls. One had a gently sloped rock that had been smoothed by the water...it made a perfect waterslide and we all had a turn at going down the chute into the emerald pool below (unfortunately, my husband's bathing suit did not survive, but we didn't notice until he was back in town--ooops!)
Now since we were higher up into the mountain, the water here was MUCH cooler--about 17 degrees or so...but recall that this was a hot vacation and the air temp was around 31 in the shade, so we still didn't mind the difference much. I am convinced I was a mermaid in an alternate universe's life--water therapy is so essential for me. As you can see here, I'm in my "element".
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