Yesterday thought, if we were at the Feteşti bridge, we will paddle form the Borcea branch to the main branch at Cernavoda.
In the evening, we watched John Varga’s series, the Blue ribbon of Europe, about the area where we were. That is why Gaspar suggested go to Cernavoda, because then we could see the spectacular limestone cliffs in front of Harsova. Then we calculated the map, and it was only a couple more kilometers of paddling. We took the kayak on the car, and drove up to the path of the Sun (Autostrada Soarelui - Bucharest - highway between the Black Sea).
We put the kayak back on water at foot of the Saligny bridge. Designed by Romanian engineer Anghel Saligny. It was opened in 1895, and it was Europe longest and the world third longest bridge. The bridge is now listed building, not in use since 1987, but in 1977 on the way to the sea I crossed it by train.
After the bridge a of boats and barges are parking. From here starts the Danube - Black Sea Canal, which significantly shortens the descent from the Danube to the sea, avoiding the Delta. The canal was opened in 1984, but to the name a lot of bitterness sticks. At the construction many of political prisoners and religious and national minorities were working on it, apparently not of their own accord.
The shipping industry is taking place in the Cernavoda branch, which is slightly longer than the Borcea. So we jumped a few kilometers ahead, we started to paddle at the panes of 300. The only thing I did not know that if this distance is measured on the Sulina branch, where we're going, or at Chilia. But this will turn out after tomorrow.
We agreed to meet at Harsova with Sztoji. That is the distance of about two-thirds of the day, so we stopped once more before to eat, relax right after Ghindăreşti. At this stage there are voids in the trees, almost everywhere here anglers watched their fishing rods. Sometimes we saw families playing, cooking and resting in the background. We found an empty place, where we parked our kayak next to a fishing boat.
On this part of the Danube it seemed the river is not flowing. After the rest it was flat like an infinity pool with no one no splashing in it. But the feeling is deceptive because of its dimensions, the GPS showed that the water flowing at a rate well above 3 km / h.
The last town is Ghindăreşti before Harsova, where the Danube is flowing nest to a largish rock. The top of a rock Lipovan cross was built. The Lipovan Russian Orthodox Old Believer, especially fisheries ethnic group, which emigrated about two hundred years ago from Russia and settled in the Danube Delta.
The most spectacular part of this section of the Danube is located just before Harsova. The Danube River at Calarasi flowing to the east hits the Dobrogea crystal ruin and forced to change direction. Just find its way to the sea around more than 150 kilometers north. It is covered by the millions of years superimposed sedimentary blanket, but here they were taken to the surface and they are quite spectacular. The locals know this too, several campers could be seen near the rocks.
Three kilometers below we docked again. Sztoji was waiting for us under a rock, since Harsova was built on a high place. Its strategic importance has also been recognized by the Romans and known and they built here a stronghold called Carsium. During the Turkish occupation this place was a major economic, political and commercial center. Under communism, the city regressed, the port was neglect. It also occurred to me by passing it, when the crane was used for the last time, shown below.
After Harsova the two branches of the Danube briefly reunites. On this short section was built the last Danube Bridge, which spans between Giurgeni and Vadu Oii across the river. Remember, the first bridge was at Donauechingen, a few meters after the Brigach and Breg rivers confluence, from the point where the Danube is called the Danube.
The Vitéz Kürtős Team needed 36 days to do these 2,541 kilometers between the two bridges.
Route details on the Endomondo:
Day 36: http://app.endomondo.com/workouts/533242693/188839
Note: We turned the logger on 7 kilometers after Cernavoda.
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