We took out the kayak from the Danube above at the Iron Gate on the 8th of August last year and today we take it back below. The fifty-fifth lift lasted 9 months.
We miscalculated something. Last year we got home very quickly from Orsova to Budapest. We thought that we can keep this time for the way back as well, so if we leave at 1 am we can arrive to Orsova at 7 am - however we forgot the one hour time difference. Furthermore, we could not keep the start time. It was a few minutes past three o'clock, when we left the premises of Vitéz Kürtős at Joseph Street in Budapest. We also had to quickly stop at Szeged, to bring some chocolate chips to the Vitéz Kürtős stand at the Wine Festival. As a result of the above mentioned, it was already past 11 am when we arrived at The Iron Gate and we left the boarding station at Gura Văii on the Danube at quartet past 11 am.
The weather forecast was not very encouraging, they predicted warm, but rainy weather. It was raining almost all the way down here, the sun only came out when we passed at Karansebes and stopped for breakfast. We ate our sandwiches next to a very quickie restaurant. The contrast was huge between the main building, the timber building and the rustic fence on which crows were sitting and clashing. The one on the left side on the picture below sideways approached to the other, then poke him and flew away.
It was raining when we started today, but we already know after 1,900 kilometers it did not really bother us on the water. It will, when we start to prepare our tents for the night or when we wake up in the morning and our recently washed clothes will not have the chance to dry.
This seems now when I am writing these lines, will not happen, since we have a pleasant wind blowing at the Ostrov Mare Island, so it might be dry the clothes before the storm gets here.
Although on the weather radar screen I do not see them coming yet, the storm alerts of the Iron Gates 2 is warning for this, as I heard from the second border guard duo with whom we met in person today. As last year, when we entered from Serbia to Romania, apparently now they also monitor our way with cameras, binoculars with keen interest. The first officers we met at Szörényvár (Drobeta Turnu Severin) we were waving to them as they looked at us through binoculars from the border post. They waved back. A little further down we saw a VW Transpotert twice, as also observed us. And then the second time when we stopped to rest at a village called Crivina a white Dacia Logan arrived with two border guards. They asked for our papers, recorded our data and we had a very good conversation about our tour down the Danube. As the previous border guards they also were extremely friendly and wished good time and good luck on our journey.
The second border guard duo appeared on the island just before midnight.
When I got out of the car with the head lights to see if the clothes dried, not far from us the lights of a car lit up. Soon after two light sources came closer, as they arrived they introduced themselves and asked if I would not mind if they look at my documents. I did not mind. Unfortunately, mine was not enough for them and they asked for my companions’ document, I had to wake up the already sleeping Gaspar and Sztoji to get their ID cards. The border guards this time were interested for every detail of our trip, and they wrote down everything into their copybook. Three pages filled with the guy while his colleague held the flashlight. When I answered all of their questions they also wished us good luck and a good trip.
Today we can be satisfied with our way. Despite could we paddle the 63 kilometers that has been scheduled for today we started after noon. We took the first third of paddling in cloudy weather, sometimes it rained a little, but then for the second part we had to take on the sunscreen, because the sun came out. For the last 20 kilometers the clouds came out again, and the sun is almost ducked behind the hills, where we ended up on the island, where Sztoji was waiting for us. We had a wild champing in the night. I took a bath in the Danube, it was particularly pleasant, Sztoji and Gaspar tried the inflated shower. Then we had dinner. Now it’s time for a good sleep. Unfortunately it started to rain, Gaspar also came out of the tent and we gathered the clothes. We hope they will have time in the morning sunshine to dry completely.
One more thing: On the main page, under the Twitter box Vitéz Kürtős Team map could be found. It always shows the current section, the most important points are visible, but in a larger window you can find the Vitéz Kürtős Team’s geographical aspects. Although the map is still quite incomplete, it might be interesting to browse.
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