This question was sent to me by email. These rowers wrote me the following message about traveling the Danube in a boat that’s too big and heavy for portaging around the dams. Theirs is an ocean rowing boat, which I later found out are almost as big as a small sailing yacht, with indoor sleeping spaces and all. When writing the response, I thought of turning it into a mini blog post to help fellow Danube travelers. Their message: Are the locks downstream of Ulm operational? Hi , We are curious about the locks downstream of Ulm on the Danube.Continue reading
Danube
Kayak Trip Day 75: Ruse to Tutrakan – New Kayak Sail + 1000 Kilometers Paddled
This kayak day happened on the 4th of July, 2024. We paddled away from the city Ruse where we had stayed for 10 days. It was more than 60 kilometers to Tutrakan, also in Bulgaria. Though we’d initially planned a two-night stop in Tutrakan, we ended up shortening it to one night because of the weather forecast. Contents1 Departing Ruse After 10 Days of Rest2 Kayaking Beneath the Giurgiu–Ruse Danube Bridge3 The Blue Kayak Sail Era Has Commenced4 Lunch in Ryahovo5 Continuing to Tutrakan + Shipping Lane Confusion6 1000 Kilometers Paddled!7 Sailing to Tutrakan + Douchebag Boat8 Arriving in Tutrakan9Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 74: Svishtov to Ruse – the Southernmost Point of the Danube
This paddle day happened on Monday the 24th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Svishtov to Ruse in northern Bulgaria. Nearby Svishtov is the southernmost point of the Danube River. In Bulgaria’s fifth-largest city Ruse, we’ll take more than a week to recover from all the paddling. Contents1 Departing Svishtov for Ruse2 Southernmost Point of the Danube + Vardim Island3 Headwind + Batin Island4 Dikili Tash Significant Rock5 Cliffs, Caves, and Islands Before Ruse6 Arriving in Ruse7 Ten Days of Rest in Ruse8 Helpful article? Consider buying me a craft beer!9 Feel free to share this post with your buddiesContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 73: Nikopol to Svishtov – Headwind to Belene Island + Attempted Side Quest
The kayaking trip from Nikopol to Svishtov on the Bulgarian Danube happened on the 22nd of June, 2024. At roughly 40 kilometers, it’s one of our shorter paddle days in recent times. Contents1 Departing Nikopol to Svishtov + Vending Machine Coffee2 The Rock Church of Saint Stephen3 Headwind + Weaving Islands4 Belene Island + Side Quest5 Paddling Around Belene Island6 Svishtov Ferry + Landing in Svishtov7 Our Stay in Svishtov8 Fun read? Consider buying me a cup of tea!9 Sharing this article makes me feel appreciated 💗 Departing Nikopol to Svishtov + Vending Machine Coffee My alarm went off atContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 72: Oryahovo to Nikopol – Summer Solstice + 80 Kilometers
The longest day (so far) of our kayaking trip down the Danube happened on the 20th of June, 2024. We paddled over 80 kilometers in one day on the Bulgarian side of the Danube between the towns of Oryahovo and Nikopol. Contents1 Dawn in Oryahovo2 Sunrise on the Danube3 A Lunch Break in Baikal + Deciding on Nikopol4 The Iskar Confluence + Corabia + Chopped Forests in Bulgaria5 The Failed Shortcut around Calnovăț Island6 Olt Confluene + Approaching Nikopol7 Arriving in Nikopol8 Our Stay in Nikopol9 Enlightening post? Consider buying me a beer!10 Exercise your free will and share thisContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 71: Lom to Oryahovo – of Mouse and Man
This kayaking day happened on Tuesday the 18th of June, 2024. We paddled from Lom to Oryahovo in Bulgaria on the Bulgarian – Romanian border section of the Danube. We had a long lunch break in Kozloduy. Contents1 Departing Lom2 A Boring Start + Over Halfway3 A Tiny Rescue + Meeting a Fellow Paddler4 Extended Lunch in Kozloduy5 Paddling the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant Channel6 The Final Stretch to Oryahovo7 Arriving in Oryahovo8 Our Two-Night Stay in Oryahovo9 Fun read? Consider buying me a bag of cat food!10 Save or share? You’re my favorite person Departing Lom I woke upContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 70: Vidin to Lom – A Broken Kayak Sail
This paddle day happened on Saturday the 15th of June, 2024. We kayaked down the Bulgarian side of the Danube from Vidin to Lom, with Romania to our left. Contents1 Leaving Vidin + Saying Goodbye to Nimi2 Headwind Around Bogdan Island3 A Coffee Break in Ratiaria4 The Great Leap Eastwards to Lom5 Weaving Romanian and Bulgarian River Islands6 A Break in Paradise7 Arriving in Lom8 Our Stay in Lom9 Gained something from this article? Consider buying me a sparkling water!10 Yearning to share this post? I won’t stop you Leaving Vidin + Saying Goodbye to Nimi Our alarm went offContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 69: Calafat to Vidin – Border Crossing from Romania to Bulgaria by River
This kayak day happened on Sunday the 9th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Calafat in Romania to Vidin in Bulgaria on the Danube River. Though both countries are in the EU, they weren’t completely part of Schengen at the time. That’s why we needed to deal with bureaucracy and get a new ship manifest for Zucchini. Contents1 Leaving Romania by Boat: Lazy Saturday in Calafat2 Kayaking from Calafat to Vidin3 Arriving in Vidin: Baba Vida + City Beach + Cat!4 Bulgarian Water Police: Welcome to Vidin!5 Packing Up Zucchini + Meeting a Small Cat6 Six Days in Vidin7 Useful read?Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 68: Iron Gate II Dam to Wildcamping Calafat – 74 Kilometers by Kayak
This kayak day happened on Friday the 7th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Comoara Istrului on the Gogoșu Branch of the Danube past the Iron Gate II hydroelectric power plant to Calafat. The Iron Gate II (Romanian: Porțile de Fier II – Serbian: Đerdap II) dam is the last (mandatory) Dam on the Danube before the Delta. Though we intended to go camping for one night and then kayak to the Romanian city of Calafat the next day, we ended up doing the whole distance in one go. This was a whopping 74.4 kilometers. Our previous distance record wasContinue reading