In the Danube Delta

At the Beggining of the World

The article could also be retitled At the End of the World, because Sulina has been considered as the last station of civilisation on the Black Sea coast.

A map of the Danube Delta showing our track: yellow-1st day; green-2nd day; blue-3rd day; orange-4th day; red-an overland track by Andreia, a girl whom we met with in the Letea forest.

Though the truth is that the Danube Delta is the youngest part of the continent, still under creation. Here we can experience nature in it’s primeval form. Seeing it from this inverted perspective, Sulina is the first outpost of civilization in an area, which has been under creation  in a period of last ten thousand years. Before then there were only gulfs, where arms of ancient Danube River or Istros (as the river was called by ancient Greeks) emptied their waters. At the days of the Greek geographer Ptolemaios there were seven arms of the Danube River described. Today only three arms are remaining; and the former arms are now filled in with deposits, or became lagunas.

In Sulina, the sun rises early, about 15 min earlier than in Bucharest and full hour before than in Prague, for example. So people, living in Sf. Gheorghe, can seen rising sun well sooner than the rest of Romania, but news from the world reach them after everything else. This was especially valid in the days of Ceaucescu. In today’s world of modern communications it is not thus any longer.

The Danube Delta is a realm of reed. There is not much more to be seen when speaking about landscapes. Besides, one can see only water, lakes otherwise channels, along with steppes adjacent to sand dunes on islands laying on dividing line between fluvial delta and marine-fluvial delta, created some  three-to-four thousand years ago.

Under water there live many species of fish. They aren’t easily seen, though they are central in Delta’s economy, since whole generations of fishermen live there to make living out of fishing.

In the air soar thousands of birds, and, as well as fish, they are the main atraction of present-day Delta.

I have been to this natural paradise twice already, and I said yes to an invitation from Irina Stoenică to join her and other friends on a multi-day excursion in internal Delta.

Since merely myself had some experiences with trips to the Danube Delta we talked with Irina in order to organize the expedition.

In my part I bought five 50-liter polyethylene bags (1EUR each), where to put our baggage, while on a canoe. There was no point of buying special water-tight duffle bags, since no one among us was life-time enthusiast in kayaking or canoeing.

Irina’s task was to arrange for the transportation, renting canoes and much more. It was easier from her end, she lives in Romania permanently and speaks romanian.

                                                     Irina on ferry across the Danube River.

Day the 1st

                                             Landscape in Transilvania seen from a train window.

                                   Pastures everywhere. Those sights are long gone in my country. 

I arrived in Romania aboard a train on august the 16^th in the morning. Irina picked me up in Câmpina and we spent a day in Breaza, gettin’ ready for the trip and waiting for Maria to come in from Braşov.

                                                Irina gave me a lift from Campina to Breaza.

Maria was late, due missing a train at 8 pm, and she hitchhiked all the way from Braşov. We waited for her just next to  the bridge across the Prahova River, in the darkness of a mid-august night. Arriving in Brailă at about 2 am, we slept at Ştefan’s house, our friend in common.

Day the 2nd

At 7 am we were on the go again, this time we went short distance only, just to reach a ferry across the Danube River, connecting Brailă with Smărdan. The stream was wide and we could see Măcin Mountains on the other side of the river.

                                      Group photo on the ferry Brailă-Smărdan.

                                           Looking toward Smărdan.

                                                                             On the ferry.

                                                               Irina behind a steering wheel.

                                Ferry between Brailă and Smărdan was full of cars.

                       After crossing the danube River on the ferry in Smărdan. 

After crrosing the Danube we drove for two more hours to Tulcea where we stopped by Kaufland, where we had to buy food for four days. Knowing there is scarcity of drinking water in the Delta I suggested that each of us had to get at least 10 L of water. At this moment the car was aglomerated with us, our luggage and our rations!

                                       At parking lot after shopping in Tulcea.

                                                         Repacking at parking lot in Tulca.

The port is next to the Tulcea centre, where there was quite difficult to find a free parking lot. To stay close to the port was a necessity, because we had a big luggage. We were navigated to a free space with the help of a local guy, who looked like a retired seaman. I had no idea if we could trust him, he even went with me to the bank to change money!

Meanwhile, Maria and Paul went to buy tickets for a ship to Crişan (23RON each). We had absolutely no time to pay a visit to the headquaters of the Danube Delta Biospherical Preserve to see, if we needed a permit to enter inner Delta as well as to camp there. They even did not reply to an e-mail that Irina sent to them on a previous day from Breaza.

For boarding the passenger ship we need to pack our luggage carefully. It meant that a rucksack went on our backs, a camera bag went over the shoulder, two 5 l cans with water were held in one hand and a bag with food in the other hand. That way we were able to walk from the car to the port and enter onto a ship headed for Sulina.

                                                        At port in Tulcea.

                                                                      Leaving Tulcea.

                                      Romanian flag on a ship. Village of Tudor Vladimirescu in backdrop.

                                                                  Fast boat (nava rapida).

                                                         Tulcea, the gate to the Danube Delta.

The ship was crowded. In addition to passengers there were piles of goods of every kind to be carried to inner Delta. Everything has to be transported by the ship to the Delta’s interior, because there are no roads, which connects with the outside world. We had to walk around to find a small place on a catwalk on the right side. We sat down on a floor with legs dangling in the air.

Later, after Maliuc, where a lot of people got off, we found a place indoors, where we had a lunch, knowing that later we would have no time to eat until we set up a camp in the Delta.

                            The bifurcation: Sfantu Gheorghe canal in backdrop and Sulina canal in front.

                                                           Passengers getting off at Maliuc.

                                                              Group photo on upper deck.

                                                              View from upper deck. Sulina canal.

                                                                                On upper deck

                                             Irina calls Mr. Vasiliu at a canoe rental in Crisan.

                                                            Maria with Catalin on upper deck.

From the ship Irina had called Mr. Vasiliu at canoe rental to announce that we were aproaching Crişan. In Delta, where there are no roads, everything is more complex, especially transport must be arranged well before the actual journey. Everything is scheduled, and if you somehow fall out of the schedule, your phone is your best friend in those cases.

The canoe rental in Crişan was close to the haven, only a couple of min away. Crişan has a lenght of about eight km and consist only of a single row of houses and gardens lined along the banks of Sulina waterway.  Mr. Vasiliu had two canoes ready for us in a garden next to his house. One canoe was yellow, the other one was turquoise. Maria instanly felt in love with the turquoise one, becase her nails were tinted with exactly the same hue. The canoe was also bigger, so two crews were installed immediately on the spot. Girls with Paul went with the turquouise canoe, meanwhile me and Catalin went with the yellow one.

I briefly talked with Mrs. Vasiliu and discovered that she is a French citizen, who got married here in Romania eight ears before. They live in Crişan in summer only, when they can run the rental canoe bussiness. In winters they stay in a city.

                                                                  Maria on a street in Crisan.

                                                   At introduction lesson in paddling at Crisan.

                                                                     Our dear canoes on water.

                                                           Discussing our plans at Crisan.

                                                                     Getting ready for a voyage.

                                            Paul with his camera on motor boat on Sulina canal.

                                                      Girls on motor boat on Sulina canal.

                                                      On motor boat with girla and Catalin.

Mr. Vasiliu introduced us to the secrets of paddling, because almost no one among us has ever did that sport. At our request he arranged for us a transport of our canoes and up the Sulina channel to the mouth of the Dunarea Veche. It was after 5 pm therefore it came handy to get up the river faster by means of motor. It cost us 50RON. From the boat we saw a white stork in proximity. Seeing this, Irina told me that I had a mission to take a photo showing her hugging a stork. I must admit that I have yet to make the image.

Dunarea Veche is old Danube River arm, cut off the Sulina channel in the 19^th century, which forms a letter M, and we were transported to the centre of the M.

                                                            Landing on D.V.

                                                                 Landing on Dunarea Veche.

After the boat left us stranded on the bank of D.V. we reorganized our bagage. Meanwhile a motor boat came through and sent waves toward the bank, where our canoes were parked parallel to the shore. In this way big waves splashed inside the yellow canoe. 

         Canoes parked in wrong way! They need to be parked perpendicular to bank and  incoming waves!!!

Given that lesson we knew that we had always to turn perpendicular to incoming waves.

It was after 6 pm, and we have a long distance to go. We set off on D.V. and headed in the direction of Mila 23, several km away. Before that village there should be a small strait leading toward Trei Iezere Lake. We wanted to arrive at the mouth of the strait before dark, hopping we would find a piece of land there.

                                              Evening on Dunarea Veche. 

Nice view in the turquoise canoe on D.V. With hindsight it occures to me that we should rotate crew members in boats every day! ;-)

                                                                                   On D.V.

After almost two hours of paddling we were not there yet. The sunset was beautiful, though I took no photos, being paralized by the fear, that we would not locate a land by dark. I have heard stories about bilion of mosquitoes blackening the skies after sunset in the Delta.

Fortunately after 8 pm we spot  some land on the left bank, a couple of hundred meters away from an anchored tourist ship. We landed on an island, big enough to accomodate our tents. After erecting the two tents we cooked a diner. At dusk, the hour of mosquito, we managed to sat down on the matraces. It wasn’t so bad with mosquitoes, we could endure the hour outside, with a little help of some burning sticks, which released anti-insect odour. From reading Irina’s journal I recall that only Maria hid herself in the tent under mild attack of insect.

We chatted well after it got dark, and I managed to take a couple of night pictures with my camera fixed on a tripod.

                                                                      The yellow canoe.

                                                                         The turquoise canoe.

Day the 3^rd

As usuall I woke up before sunrise. All was silent outside. I missed the call of frogs, heard here in spring, with the intensity reaching 90 decibels.

                                     Tiny island with our camp in the morning.

                                                        Sunrise at our camp on Dunarea Veche.

                                                                   Water fern-Salvinia natans.

                                                           First pelicans flying overhead.

                                                                          And Paul's version.

                                                                          Butomus umbellatus

                                                      Irina makes a picture of Butomus umbellatus.

By the 7:30 were were on the go again. After short time we found entrance to desired channel. Here all was smaller then on Dunarea Veche. Quite soon we arrived at the bird watching tower, where we landed for a rest and some eat.

                                                              Bird-watching tower called Cazanel

                                   A large group of pelicans seen from the tower.

                                                                     Girls atop the tower.

                                                                          Guys atop tower.

Its quite hard to make lanscape photos in the Delta with ultrawide angle. Its better to use a telephoto.

                                            At short pauze below the tower.

                                                                       Glossy ibis at flight.

From the top of the tower we had a great view toward the T.I. Lake where we located a group of pelicans.

When we arrived at the first lake, water was overgrown with vegetation and reminded us more vegetable soup then water. We navigated our way in a track  of previous passage of boats, where movement was easier. In this parts we saw two Glossy Ibises. I was glad spotting them again after 8 years. Also Squacco Heron was presented here. Gulls and terns were omnipresent.

                                                  Squacco Heron in dense water vegetation.

                                                                A gull landed on fisherman net.

                                              Dense  "vegetable soup" we had to go through.

                                                               Free way in the vegetable soup.

                                                  A carpet of water fern- Salvinia natans.

                                                                  Nuphar luteum and a frog.

                                                                           Pelicans on T.I. Lake.

After the first lake we emerged on crystal clear water devoid of any vegetation. Here we spotted the crowd of pelicans floating here and there not too far away from us. We decided to test their fleeting distance. To our surprise they soon relaxed and our canoes were allowed for pretty close approach of about 100 m, well in the range of our telephotos because the bird are huge (Catalin and Paul had 300 mm, me only 200 mm). 

                                                                On a "safari tour" in Delta.

                                                              Pelicans flying overhead.

                                                            Pelicans flying above T.I. Lake.

                                                              Tourists on a package tour.

                                     Group of pelicans, Bestepe (turkish for Five fingers) hills in background.

After a photo sesion with majestic birds, now flying in the air above us, we started to move toward a new lake, connected with T.I. Lake with short canal. This lake was called La Amiaza, which means "At Noon" in romanian. By wild coincidence we arrived at the lake almost at noon. The other lake was named Lacu Bogdaproste, where we got lost for a while. Somehow we failed to spot the exit to a new strait leading to D.V.. Irina called her mother who navigated us while looking at the Google Earth application. Paul also had GPS device, which showed our track. One interesting thing was that our altitude red -5 m. In this case we did not belive that the instrument reading was correct, though on my map lakes in inner Delta are supossed to be below general sea level.

                                                                Relaxing.

                                                                     A gull, Larus cachinans.

            A floating reed island, named "plaur". Its a landscape feature specific to the Danube Delta.

                      A canal connecting La Amiaza lake with Bogdaproste lake.

                                                            Paddling on Bogdaproste Lake.

                                           Our track through the lake basin.

                                                              Navigating in the Danube Delta.

                                                          Me and Catalin on our yellow canoe.

                                                                   On Bogdaproste Lake.

                                                              Pelicans soaring in the thermic.

                                             Fisherman's nets instaled on Bogdaproste Lake.

                                      Trying to get out of the Bogdaproste Lake.

                                                                          Catalin on our boat.

                                                                       Juvenile pelican.

                                                       Juvenile pelican at flight.

                                                        Approaching D.V.

 We also wanted to take a wash, the crystal water was so inviting. Though we were afraid of not being able to climb back to our canoes. Thus we had hopes to find a good place for having a swim in the upcoming channel.

When we got out of the lake, we stopped at the first good place for a toilette. Even such a thing is not easy in the Delta, firm banks are scarce and in the future it will be only worse, because of erosion created by waves generated by fast motor boats. I remember from my first visit here in 2002, that there weren’t so many motor boats then. Banks receded since that time with surprising pace and I consider this as a serious threat to Delta’s environment. Speed of lateral corrasion is well beyond natural level. Banks created by natural procesess are receding fast and there soon will be a problem to find any piece of good soil along most used waterways.

On this spot we found some empty big freshwater mussels which I believe could belong to species Unio pictorum. Shells of the mollusc were used by painters for mixing colors in them, and that is where its name comes from. Girls (particularly Irina) got excited about them and bring them in full arms to our canoes.

Just before we enter D.V. we found a firm bank suitable for landing our canoes again. Now we could jump in the water and take a swim. The bath was refreshing. Irina and Paul went a little farther toward D.V. Later Paul jumped several times from a log suspended above the water. I and Catalin took some pictures of Maria, who was willingly posing for our cameras on the bank. Here I can show some differenties between my writting and Irina’s journal. Irina’s diary is more personal, describing events which were going in between us. Mine story is more general, describing events from general point of view, and adding some natural history. 

                                               Maria after a bath.

Irina describes things defferently in a beautiful way:  Am intrat în Dunărea Veche, însă (nu mai știu a cui a fost ideea, cred că a lui Paul) ne-am întors puțin, la alt loc cu pământ, pentru a acosta. Scopul: baia mult dorită! Ne-am schimbat în costumele de baie și am intrat mai temători (toare, eu și Maria) în apa recișoară. Era cât pe ce să mă răzgândesc și să mă întorc pe mal, mi se părea rece, iar intrarea era alunecoasă. Dar m-am aruncat și gata. Am înotat, am mers cu Paul mai spre D. Veche.. și la un mom. dat m-a apucat o criză de râs.. Doamne, parcă erau două Irine!! Într-un fel mă gândeam că sunt posedată și mi-era un pic teamă că nu înțeleg de ce râd.. dar nu mă puteam opri. Când mă uitam la Paul, mă apuca râsul. Trebuia să fac pluta ca să îmi revin, râsul îmi lua f multă energie și nu mai puteam înota. Paul a făcut și câteva sărituri de pe buștean..

Am stat o oră și ceva, apoi (f. bronzați și cu cremă albă pe noi) am plecat mai departe, urma drum lung până spre Letea...© Irina Stoenică

                                                                          On D.V. again.

On the D.V. again we turned our canoes to the left in the direction where should be a strait leading to Letea. The old river is much wider then canals with heavier traffic on them. A one place we passed the entrance toward natural preserve Lacu Raducu. On the bank of the strait there was a table showing that the acces to the preserve is forbbiden. I took a picture of the table and we moved on. 

                     Lacu Raducu natural preserve information panel.

Just before we found the right canal, we explored a short strait leading to a lakelet covered with water ferns (Salvinia natans). This species is almost extinct in my country and I really enjoed seeing it everywhere in the Delta. Here Maria show us how it hears to listen to a cow when she is urinating (cum se aude când face vaca pipi). The original idea came from our joint Trascău trip in July. My position at the rear of the yellow boat was disadvantage here, because I had not been watching the complete scene. Luckily Irina took a video of it and I could replay it over and over when I was back home.

                                     Cum se aude când face vaca pipi.

                                                                    Water ferns-Salvinia natans.

                                                                   Catalin on Magearu canal.

                                                                                  On D.V.

                                                                    Paul and girls on D.V.


Quite late we entered the canal Magearu, which leads toward Letea, our next destination. On the way we spot some birds. I was glad to see a roller again. Again I must regret that this species once lived in great numbers in my area and since the 1960’s is gone. 

                                                            Two rollers on Magearu canal.


We also saw a kingfisher. It was a little surprise to learn that it was Irina’s first sighting of the species for ever. The kingfisher is quite common in our parts and I have watched it many times.

Kinghfisher, for illustration I use a picture taken in Moravia/Czech Rep. on the Jihlava River in June 2012.

Sunset caught us still on the go. There were perfect colours, hidden behind  a wall of reeds! Irina was trying to stand up in the canoe, though it was not helping to get better view. For this we had to get much higher. 

                                             Sunset over Magearu canal.

                                                              Sunset over the Delta.

Sometimes a wish is satisfied. Fulfillment of our wish materialized out of grayness soon in the form of bird observing tower ahead of us. Now it was late for watching the sunset. But for the sunrise it would be a perfect place to be at. When our canoe approached shore, I suddenly felt a dissapoitment, seeing a sea kayak there and a tent erected just by the tower. Knowing that land in the Delta appears only in small pieces, I thought that the place is occupied and there would be no room for our two tents. Our canoe started to retreat. Irina called what was happening. I shouted toward her that the land is occupied. Luckilly Irina asked the couple who made an appereance on the bank if there was enough  free place for all of us. “For sure”, was the answer. The darkness was setting on, so we found a perfect large camping place at the right time.

The couple had warned our that the boats can get stolen overnight, so we carried all the stuff farther from the shore.  They also gave us some advices how to make a trip to the Letea forest tomorow.

We quickly installed our two tents a went cooking. After meal we talked about plans for tomorow, and decided to leave early to be in Letea on time for Irina to attend a lithurgy in the church. We also wanted to see to sunrise over the Delta from the tower. 

          Our 2nd camp in the Danube Delta with Milky Way (Calea Lacte) overhead.

By no means we went to sleep early. Irina with Paul stayed outside talking until midnight. Meanwhile I bussied myself by arranging my camera fixed on a tripod next to to tower to take a serie of 80 images for an image with startrails. The whole serie takes about an hour to capture, so I set an alarm on my phone to wake me up so as to bring my camera and tripod back to our tent.

                                                  The result image without startrails added.

                                        The resul image with startrails added.

Day the 4^th

Waking up early and climbing the tower for seeing the sunrise over the Delta. After we waited for tents to dry, though it took a little longer, because there was a single tree and some clouds blocking the sun.

                                               Long wished sunrise seen from above the Delta.

                                                  Our camp near to Letea seen from above.

                                                            Delta in the morning seen from above.

                                       Our camp seen from a ground level.

                                                       Waiting for the tents to dry off.

                                                                  A journey towards Letea.

                                                                             Nymphae alba.

                                                              A voyage toward Letea.

                                                                   Come on! Letea in sight!

                                                                       First native boat.

                                                                  Traditional port in Letea.

                                                                        Church in Letea.

                                             Irina is ready to go to the church.

                                                                         Going to church.

Leaving at about 8 am on the canal toward Letea. When we aproached the village we met with the first typical old wooden black boats of the Delta. It took us about two hours to arrive in the Letea village, just in time for Irina to go to the church. She hurried there to see if there is a lithurgy today (it was Sunday). Meanwhile at the village port we were lucky to find a guy who was able to watch our canoes while we would be inside the church. He himself was waiting for tourists to return from a trip with car to visit the forest. There is regular tourist traffic in between Crişan and Letea. Tourist operators sell packages to interested visitors. We were on our own here so we had to organize things in a different way.

                                                  Our canoes in Letea port.

                                                   Starling-Sturnus vulgaris.

                                                                      Church in Letea.

After that we all went to the church. The priest was talking to believers in words which I didn’t understand much, being a foregneir. I learned what was it all about later in a story written by Irina. I reprint a short interpretation of events in the church  written by her in romanian language:

Așadar am stat toți la slujba care a durat ff puțin, dar care a avut o predică ff frumoasă – mi-a plăcut de părintele, că era așa afectat de ce zicea: avem păcate multe, multe.. foarte multe. Și se întrista pentru păcatele noastre, ale tuturor. Păcate cât datoria datornicului, cele 10.000 de dinari. A spus mai multe lucruri frumoase despre iertare, printre care și că trebuie să iertăm din inima (iar pentru asta, trebuie să avem credință), nu rațional sau ca pe o datorie. La fel e și cu credința, nu e de-ajuns (nu există) dacă e doar rațională: Trebuie să existe un Dumnezeu... Cred că există! Nu știu de ce, de la acest părinte am reținut multe.. (în general uit, deși îmi propun să rețin multe lucruri de folos). A mai zis că și cel care greșește, trebuie să arate multă dragoste, așa cum mama își îmbrățișează/sărută copilul, iar acesta iartă și uită pe loc, totul. Așa să fie iertarea... ©Irina Stoenică

                                                                        After lithurgy on the bank.

After the lithurgy we all gathered in the shadows of willow trees to have a lunch. On the spot we also re-organized our money expenses. Irina kept notes of all common expenses and now we put them in order.

In the church Paul talked to a woman, who offered us to leave canoes at her court for the rest of the day. It was a perfect opportunity, we were afraid of leaving boat alone on the shore on an island.

                                                  Our canoes "parked" inside a court next to a canal.

                                                          Reorganization.

                         Local architecture. Reed is the most important material thing are made off.

                                                           Typical house in Letea village.

                                                      Girls hitchiking. To no avail. Almost no cars were passing by.

                        Only cars with tourists were passing by. Local cars do not even bother to have any plates.

                                                                    Local agriculture.

                                                                Corn field in Letea village.

                                          Zâne al Deltei. Fairies of the Delta.

Afternoon we finally set of for the long expected walk to the forest. On way there we passed through the village. There was no pavement. We walked on sand instead. There were no cars on the streets, unusual view in these days. And tiny houses were painted blue and white. Locals were mainly ucraininans, called Lipoveni. They migrated here a few centuries before in order to avoid religious opressions in their fatherland.

                                              Typical dwelling in the Delta.

We stopped for a while in local shop to get something to drink and went farther. At 2:44 pm we entered in the forest. 

                                                            Entering the Letea forest.

                                                           The oak woodland in the Letea.

                                                                 An oak among undergrowth.

                                                        On dirt road in the Letea forest.

                                                     Keeping on the road, winding through a forest.
 

The Letea forest is considered the only subtropical forest in Romania, with many species of liana. The forest consist mainly of oak. The ground floor is overgrown with dense bushes and passing through forest is not easy. We availed ourselves of dirt roads, winding through the area. Navigating was difficult, because at each intersection we had to chose a road which would lead us in our proposed direction. Actually we were making a big circle through the area. 

                                                                                   Liana.

At one spot we met with another group of tourists from Bucharest, who told us that they were making a traverse of the Delta on foot. For me it sounded extremely interesting idea! I had no knowledge that the Delta can be crossed on foot, using ferry just once in Sulina. People from the group told us that in front of us there was a herd of famous Letea horses, semi-wild horses living without owner in the area. Then we split, thinking that we would never meet again. 

                                                        The Letea horse. They live in the wild.

                                                           They aren't easy to approach.

                                                                     Living in the wild.

                                                                      Always escaping.
 Just a month later by wild coincidence I met with a girl from the group again in the Penteleu mountains. Then I asked her to send me her Delta journal. She send me her notes on the Delta trip and I am thankfull for this. The World is small!

I mounted a telephoto zoom on my camera and we set off to see Letea horses. Being lucky, we spot them soon on the right from the road. We followed them for a while, feeling like hunters. 

                                                                 Stalking wild creatures.

 Later at one moment we abandoned a road in search of sand dunes we were eager to see. We missed the ancient oak forest, which tourists on package tours come to see with cars. But no regret, we were here on foot roaming through a beautifuly wild area. Our trip was far more interesting than any prepaid package tour in the world. Our only schedule to keep was to arrive back in Letea by the dark, since we caried no overnight equipment along with us.

In open area we spot a single flying roller and a white-tailed eagle soaring above the forest in the distance.

That blue spot in the center of the image is a roller (Garulus coracius), (dumbraveanca).

                                             White-tailed eagle-Haliaetus albicilla, (vultur cod alb).

                                                                     And Paul's version.

Quite late in the afternoon we searched for  a place in the shade to have something to eat. It was hot, much hotter was here on sand then on water.

                                                       Late afternoon lunch.

                                                 Sparse vegetation on sand dunes.

                                           Vegetation on sand dunes is sparse.

Later we arrived at the single well in the area. It contained seemingly pure water, though I reminded everyone that safety goes first and not to drink this water. We still had enough of drinking water in a bidon.

                 Clear and cool water in the well. Though was it microbiologicaly pure?

                                                                            At the well.

Finally we arrived at high sand dunes. Paul’s GPS devise red altitude of 11 m asl, a real big mountain in the Delta. Atop we head great view over adjacent landscape and played there with sand blowing in the wind.

                                               The highest hill in the Danube delta, 11 m asl.

                             Female climbers ready for the final asault toward the top.

                                              There must be dinosaurs living somewhere here.

                                                 Maria playing with the sand.

With the help of GPS we kept going to south-west to complete the circle through the forest. We wanted to arrive at about the same spot where we enter the forest, knowing it was the best way we could take. At those moments Irina seemingly got upset with our’s (or Paul’s) navigation skills. I didn’t understand well what she was after. For me all was clear, we both (me and Paul) knew where to go. But try to explain that thing to a woman! ;-)

Just before the end of the forest we spotted an animal. Paul managed to get a shot and we realized tha it was a jackal. Girls thought it was rabbit at first.

                                                              Meeting with horses again.

                                                              A walk through parkland.

                                                                     Semi desert in the Letea.

                                   As all roads once led to Rome, here all roads lead to Letea.

                  Grazing animals keeps vegetation on retreat on the sand dunes.

                                                                                   Jackal.

                                        Paul at the margin of the Letea forest.

This time we had been following a dike, which parallels a canal. Walking atop would be easy if we had not wearing sandals. The dike was overgrown with grass, and some kind of plant which released seeds equiped with short and sharp thorns pointing in every direction (colţii babei),which consantly got stucked in between our feet and sandals. We had to stop frequently to get rid of them!  

                                                     On the dike leading to Letea village.

                                                         Great sunset took place over the Delta.

                                             Paul and his reflection in water.

                                                         At sunset nearby the Letea village.

                                                                   Sunset in the Delta.

                                                                After suset in the Delta.

                                              Magic moments after sunset.

Let's hope that Letea will escape the fate of Caraorman and Sfantu Gheorghe and they never built a concrete harbor here.

                                                                       Magic of the sunset.

Meanwhile a beautiful sunset took place over the Delta. All three guys in our group made many pictures. Irina regreted that she could not take photographs herself, because her camera battery run out of energy in the morning. She had left the battery to recharge in the village. Seeing this I had bought an extra battery for Irina a month later.

Just before we entered in the village, me and Paul spoted a snake and took a photograph of it. Paul said on the spot that it was not a common grass snake (Natrix natrix). Though we couldn’t tell why it was different, because it was very similar. Only back home I discovered that it was Natrix natrix persa, which differs from the common species by two white-yellow paralel  lines on its back.

                                                                      Natrix natrix persa.

The owner of the court where we left our canoes was so kind that allowed us to build our two tents there. We errected them in the semidarkness. We were not alowed to play with fire in between hay stacks so we went on the dike for cooking.

Our usual diner was a pasta with tuna fish and some tea. We sat down on the bank. Paul experienced some problems with his stove (Primus), so I borowed him mine. Paul had to replaced it later (for the 3rd time), because this serial number of stove was defective.

Late at night I discovered that Paul is still missing in our tent. We all three guys slept in one tent and the two girls stayed in the other one. Paul didn’t make appearance by the morning. He went to girl’s tent for a talk with Irina and reminded there for the rest of the night. They talked well until midnight or past it each night. I also have such experiences with girls. I remember talking one night with a girl until 4 am in Muntele Mare. In these days I prefere taking night pictures to talking.

What happend in the other tent we learned in the morning. The description of the events comes from Irina’s diary. She wrote on it in a beautiful way:

Noaptea a fost o aventură.... visam a doua oară că eram în canoe, pe larg, în toiul nopții. Doar că de data aceasta părea totul fff real, și mă ridicasem în fund crezând că sunt în barcă!! Mă răsteam la Paul (în realitate, iar el era confuz și panicat) să vâslească, să facă ceva! Doar eu și Otto munceam să ne salvăm (J)) ), erau valuri mari și nu vedeam bine (barca avea pe ea cortul în care eram de fapt; deci lumea dorme în derivă, doar eu eram trează J)) ). A fost mortal... Paul îmi zicea că nu sunt conștientă, dar nu ajuta prea mult. Până când, m-am mai trezit și i-am spus (după ce mi-a sugerat că nu am sens): Dacă suntem într-un cort acum, da.... nu are sens nimic din ce-am zis. Și m-am liniștit în sf, pt că tare mă consumasem cu vâslitul și salvatul tuturor! (Doamne.. =)) ); asta a fost, deci, în ultima noapte: duminică spre luni...© Irina Stoenică

Day the 5th

In the morning, breakfast in the sun, in plus we got some milk from the lady. I don’t drink milk much, I just took a spoon of it to whiten my black coffee. Packing our equipment, carrying our canoes to the bank in the morning, sayin’ bye bye to Letea with thoughts that we would love to return one day. 

                                                          Breakfast in the court in Letea.

I had thoughts that Letea was lucky to escape the fate of Caraorman in south part of the Delta. In the days of Ceaucescu a narow canal in Caraorman, with willow trees along its banks and a small port, was destroyed. In fact it was rebuilt into an ugly port equiped with monster cranes and concrete blocks of buildings, where has never lived anybody. Ceaucescu wanted to exploate the famous sand dunes of Caraorman. The sand was considered as a basic material for production of glass. Then came the revolution year 1989 which swept central Europe, and all that construction came to a halt. The monster port remains there as a reminder of the previous era. In the 1990 the Danube Delta was declared as a biosphere preserve.

Though the status of the biosphere preserve is not a salvation of the Delta from being rapped again and again. I remember a nice traditional port in Sfântu Gheorghe which was in its orinal state back in 2004. After that the old port was buldozed away an replaced with the concrete harbour, which hostes huge ships with tourist. A new tourist resort was constructed there. The resort has received only a few visitors and today is almost in ruins. Our own visit, seen from this perspective, make none impact on the nature in the Delta. We carried our own water there, and all the rubish we took back to Crişan to be carried away by a ship.

Soon we went past the bird watching tower, where we slept the night before. We were headed towards D.V. The sun was very strong on this day, I think that it was the hottest day we experienced in the Delta. All previous days were a way cooler, perhaps we experienced a cold wave in this period.

                                                             Domestic horse in Letea.

                                            Horses drinking, Letea.

Slowly padling in direction of D.V., exploring side canals, cut in walls of reed, then and now.

                                                    Exploring side canal.

                                                             Exploring on side canals.

                                                                               Mariuca.

                                                                                Irinica.

Finally we entered on D.V.

It was about noon and we could not find a single tree, where to anchor our canoes in the shade. Our patience paid itself by finding a good shadow under a Willow on the right bank. Here we dinned on our rations. Plus I managed to make a pot of coffee on my stove. For the first time ever I made such a think. It was mainly because this time we had laminated boats and not inflatable rubber canoes. I don’t remember well what we ate. For more details consult Irina’s diary.

                                                                          On D.V. again.

                                                                     Cormorant on D.V.

                                                                Turquoise canoe on D.V.

                                                Crew on the turquoise canoe.

                                                                      On Sulina canal!

                                            Huge ship on Sulina canal-mastodontul in words of Irina.

                                                     Girls working hard.

Before getting to Sulina canal we made a competition whose boat would get there first. Me and Catalin were probably better padlers and won the competion by several canoe’s lenghts. Even though there were three padlers in the other canoe. But we knew that the turquoise canoe was far heavier, probably more difficult to maneuvre. Brave girls and Paul!

                                                             Gulls were flying overhead.

Going up the Sulina canal along the left bank (on the right when going up the river). We entered the canal at mile 9 and had to get to mile 12. A lot of work to do. It took us over two hours to get back to the rental in Crişan. Perhaps we had to go up on the other side, where it was supposed to be easier in this direction!

                                                               Landing back in Crisan.

                                                                         Back in Crisan.


 After quickly returning the canoes, we reorganized our luggage. Mr. Vasiliu arranged for us a motor boat, which would get us to Mahmudia over the south part of the Delta in a matter of an hour!

                                                Aboard fast motor boat.

                                                    Inside motor boat.

                                                On upper deck of the motor boat.

                                                                    Rainbow in the spray.

On the motor boat there we enjoyed splendid views over the Delta because of our elevated position. It was also an opportunity to observe what a disturbance motor boats bring to the Delta. We were going at 60 km/hour, leaving big waves behind, not speaking about the noise. When we were to meet with a smaller boat, the captain slowed down, to prevent the small boat would be threatened by big waves.

Passing over lakes Isaac and Uzlina we got to Sfântu Gheorghe canal and then to Mahmudia.

We paid 200 RON for the transport, quite a high price for. But it was necessary, in order to catch a bus for Tulcea.

                                                             Reorganizing at Mahmudia.

                                Ditches along the road were overgrown with canabis in Mahmudia.

                                                              Canabis sativa or Grass.

After reorganizing our luggage for the second time we set off for the bus stop 4 km away. The bus was due to leave in less then an hour. There was no chance to catch it while on foot. Hithchiking was the only chance. By surprise we managed to get a lift. The van stopped by and had enough free space inside for  all of us and our packs as well! We got to Mahmudia in a few minutes and had a time to buy some drinks in a bar just opposite the bus stop. 

                                                                      Finnaly at the bus stop.

                                          We had enough time to have a coffee befor a bus came.

I kept taking photos even on a bus board. I was exhilarated by the journey and wanted to enjoy every moment. In Tulcea I spotted our car from a bus. We were happy to find the car as we left it.

                                                         Inside the bus.

                                                         Aboard the bus for Tulcea.

                                      Bestepe hills seen from he bus window

                                                            Back at Tulcea, by the car.


After loading the car with our equipment we set of for Kaufland to eat mititei (mici) for dinner. The fast food has just been closed down, so we returned to the town center and bought a shaorma and kebab at the kiosk on the main streat.

The last stretch for home was a drive through a night toward Bucharest. At first Irina was driving, and later Paul came to controls. I became so tired that I fall asleep soon next to Maria, who also was sleeping. I wake up just when we entered Bucharest, well past midnight. Greatest credits go to Irina and Paul for driving us safely through the night back home!

 Day the 6th

In Bucharest we said bye to Maria and Catalin. Maria went to sleep for about and hour and then was due to take a bus for Braşov. Later she told me that she was just ten minutes late for her job and she walked in with her pack shouldered.

The rest of us slept until midmorning. After breakfast Irina directed me to get to F64. I wanted to buy me Cokin ND graduated filter kit at a half of the price of that in Prague.

After return we ate something and Irina gave me a ride halfway to the train station. When we were saying hallo to each other, those were moments, when it was difficult to manage not to cry. I hated to leave! If I were a poet I would scream: „One wish alone have I!”(Mai am un singur dor). But those words went unspoken.

The aftermath

Four months later I was returning from Romania again carrying gifts from my romanian friends home. I was reading Mioriţa, a classic romanian poem, a christmas present from Paul. I cried again, this time from happiness that I had an opportunity to meet with such wonderful  people.

In Brno, the 4th of January 2013