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
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Kayak Trip Day 80: Cernavodă to Hârșova – Third Leak + Swimming Cows
This kayak day happened on the 15th of July, 2024. We kayaked from Cernavodă to Hârșova with a very leaky left air chamber and quite a strong headwind. Contents1 Leaving Cernavodă for Hârșova… THIRD LEAK!2 Kayaking Out of the Danube–Black Sea Canal3 Cernavodă Nuclear Power Plant Hot Water Canal4 Pumping Up Again and Again + Dunărea and Capidava5 Headwind at Topalu6 Shortcuts and Bathing Cows to Hârșova7 Island Channels8 Arriving in Hârșova9 First Swim in the Danube10 Our Two-Night Stay in Hârșova11 Good read? Ponder buying me a cocktail!12 Wish to share or save for later? You do you (thankContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 78: Ostrov to Rasova – the Danube at Dawn + Headwind in Romania
This Danube kayaking day happened on Wednesday the 10th of July, 2024. We paddled from Ostrov to Rasova in Romania. Contents1 Leaving Ostrov for Rasova2 Sunrise on the Danube3 Reentering the Danube Shipping Lane4 The Bala / Rău Split: Last Chance for Borcea Branch5 Our Luck Ran Out6 The Island Shortcut Before Rasova7 My Wrist Hurts + Arriving in Rasova8 Two Nights in Rasova9 Good read? Consider buying me a cold drink!10 Feel free to share this article, if you wish Leaving Ostrov for Rasova With Zucchini down by the river and the dogs barking at every noise, I didn’tContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 77: Silistra to Chiciu and Ostrov – Goodbye Bulgaria, Hello (Again) Romania
We paddled from Bulgaria to Romania on the Danube on Tuesday, the 9th of July 2024. We started our morning in Silistra on the Bulgarian side where we had checked out of the country the day before. Then we had to cross the Danube to Chiciu in Romania to legally check in per kayak there. This happened a few months before both Bulgaria and Romania fully joined Schengen. But our destination of the day was a small village called Ostrov a little further downstream. Contents1 Silistra Immigration by Kayak2 Leaving Bulgaria for Romania3 Romanian Immigration in Chiciu/Călărași4 Borcea: the BranchContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 76: Tutrakan to Silistra – Broken Kayak Sail + Heatstroke
This kayak day happened on the 5th of July, 2024. After only one night, we left Tutrakan to kayask to Silistra on the final stretch of the Bulgarian Danube shared with Romania. After this, the Danube will flow only through Romania, followed by a quick touch on Moldova and Ukraine before emptying in the Black Sea. Contents1 Leaving Tutrakan for Silistra2 A Shortcut Around Kosuy Island at Pozharevo3 Navigational Error + Sandwich4 The Second Blunder5 It Gets WORSE6 Lunch, Finally7 Silistra TV Tower on the Horizon + Pelican Shipwreck8 Break on Chaika + Silistra’s Truck Ferry to Chiciu9 Arriving inContinue 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 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