The night was restless. We had anchored just off Golubac, at the entrance to the Iron Gate. At this point, the Danube feels more like the sea. The waves were surprisingly high—something rarely experienced for such a long stretch on this river. It felt like a night on a sailing boat. And yet, it was unexpectedly restful—perhaps thanks to the wind finally bringing some cool air.
We spent most of the day simply watching the landscape drift by: steep cliffs and rugged banks.
As the Danube carves its way through the Carpathians, it can stretch up to six kilometers wide. Navigation isn’t always straightforward—depths vary dramatically. Some areas are nearly 50 meters deep, while others are shallow. Our latest challenge: fishing nets marked only with plastic bottles. For those unfamiliar, a net caught in the propeller can mean the end of the journey—so we remain vigilant.
We found a peaceful anchoring spot at the mouth of the Porečka River, on the Serbian side. It was a short travel day, and everyone used the evening to focus on their daily tasks: producing our radio segments, writing this logbook, or preparing tomorrow’s route.
