Danube Delta
Danube delta estuary, with an area of 4340 km2, is the youngest in Europe, an ever-changing land. A powerful river splits here into three branches: Chilia, Sulina and Saint George (Sfintu Gheorghe). Overgrown with reeds of ba-rot and sand patches and a labyrinth of countless canals with blue water, is brown, it is covered with white-flowering nenufarami, create an extremely picturesque landscape. Before the river finally flows into the sea, deposits two tons of silt per second, enlarging the area of the country by 40 m per year. Only a dozen or so percent of the delta's area is suitable for cultivation or construction, the rest are swamps and water. During the flood, there is only left from the dry areas 14 000 ha.
Nowhere else can you find similar fauna and flora. The only large pelican colony in Europe lives here along with 250 other species of birds: a variety of ducks and herons, mute swans, storks, cormorants and songbirds. Migrating bird routes converge at the mouth of the Danube, staying here for winter or summer; no other area on the continent can boast such wealth. Wolves live in the Letea and Caraorman oak forests, wild, otters, foxes, zbiki, gronostaje, deer, hares, raccoon dogs and smaller mammals. Among the fish, the western sturgeons should be mentioned first of all, pikes, zander, carps and flatfish. Of course, there are a lot of insects; Mosquitoes are most troublesome from May to July.
About 10% the delta area is covered by nature reserves, unfortunately – mismanaged. W 1983 r. President Ceausescu approved the Destiny Project 38% Danube delta for agricultural purposes, fish farming and afforestation. In six years, less than half of the plans have been realized. President Iliescu ordered the work to be stopped, as a result of which the ecological balance on these lands was seriously disturbed.
The people of the delta speak their own distinctive dialect. They are famous for their cheerful disposition, courtesy and hospitality. In recent times, this hospitality, seems to, it does not go hand in hand with selflessness, since it turned out, that foreign tourists are a good source of hard currency. In the delta area, besides Romanians, descendants of Russian Old Believers can be found in many villages, who settled here over a hundred years ago, leaving tsarist Russia. There are also descendants of fugitives from the Turkish army and the Lipków family, representatives of a small nationality of eastern origin.
Journey
The most easily accessible to foreign tourists is the middle stream of the Danube, running in a straight line from Tulcea to Sulina (71 km). W XIX w. the banks of Sulina were strengthened, making it the main navigation route.
NAVROM passenger ferries and hydrofoils, a government subsidized carrier, they reach a dozen or so villages and towns in the delta throughout the year. In winter, the number of courses is limited. But neither on board the cruise ship, Neither from a motorboat you can get to know the secrets of nature and charming water nooks and crannies up close – you have to go exploring the delta in a rented boat or canoe and be very careful, in order not to get lost in the tangle of islets and canals. (Merchant shipping and NAVROM passenger ferries forced birds to move deeper into the delta).
In most villages you can rent a boat (fishermen count 15-20 $ in a few hours) or join an organized trip departing from Tulcea. If you don't have too much time, this is the best way to see the less traveled waterways and corners of the delta.
From mid-May to September, Fr. 13.30 "fast” hydrofoils (fast ship) begin their course from Tulcea to Sulina. The journey lasts 1,5 hours, and it costs 6 $.
The slower "classic" ferries run on the same route” (classic ships), stopping in Maliuk and Crisan. They leave daily (in winter north, Wed., pt. and sb.) o 13.30 and after an hour they reach Malik, two to Crisan, and after three and a half they nail to Sulina. The ticket price for first class is 4 $, to the second 3 $.
From mid-May to September, hydrofoils depart daily from Tulcea to Gałacz – o 12.15 (6 $, 3 time.). Courses upstream from Gałacz to Tulcea have been suspended.
Four times a week, the Tulcea-Sulina ferry has a further connection to Mila in Crisana 23 and Caraorman. A smaller ferry arrives alternately on consecutive days to one or another town.
NAVROM also operates lines from Tulcea to Periprava (103 km) and Sfintu Gheorghe (113 km) – 13.30 pn., Wed., pt. and sb., less often in winter. Officially, foreign tourists are not allowed to travel on the northern and southern arms of the Danube, but in practice this is not a problem at all.
Tickets for ferries and hydrofoils are sold at the marina in Tulce from 11.30 do 13.30. In summer, the lines can be long, so better arrive early and position yourself at the right window (each serves a different route). "Classic" ferries” they have first and second grade, but it's not worth sticking out for a first-class ticket in a long line. If the weather is fine, it's nice to sit outside, traveling second class.
You should always check the return times in advance, because it happens, that ferries land less frequently at Tulcea, than they leave it.
Organized trips – From mid-May to the end of September, Agenda de Turism and other travel agencies organize trips to the Danube Delta. The most popular route is from Tulcea south to Mahmudia (20 $ per hour, minimum 4 time.). Depending on the preferences of individual guides, the boats either stick to the monotonous main channel, or they circulate on smaller branches, plunging into reed thickets and forests. Another option is a longer full-day trip, first by bus from Tulcea to Murighiol, and then two or three hours on a small boat in search of a bird colony (35 $ from person). If someone has three days at their disposal, may consider joining the trip from Sulina to Cardon and the legendary dark wilderness in the Letea forest. One day with accommodation costs 50 $.