44 08 00N 27 16 30E  24-25 June

ONE OF THE DAYS THAT WILL STAY VERY CLEAR IN YOUR MIND FOR EWER

Nice sunny early morning, easy clear out from Bulgaria, three officials involved, all stamps and paperworks done in no time. Thank you!

Next kilometre we are in Romania, our friends from Politia de Fronteria is waiting for us in the middle of the river. "Follow us."

Turns out we are criminals, not checking out of Romania, checking in to Bulgaria, although being in EU, not correct. 

"Be happy", no problem for you but this will take some hours, and it did. About 7 hours later we where aloud to continue our trip, no Romania on both sides.

About 6 officials involved, 4 officers, a translator (useless), probably a lawyer ... we didn't do nothing. Except having lunch ... and signing some kind of report that we did something you should not do but still we where excused doing mistakes as EU members????

This was a comedy of marathon simple paper exercise. Hand writing every document. Serous ancient bureaucratic work. With no context.

At the end we  were happy, not paying a single Lei (the local currency). And it seems the where happy doing some serious down to earth paper works.

No bad feelings involved. We had lunch in a good location while they where doing their hand writing, filling in a number of documents.

NEXT - We hit the shallow sand bank

Mr Perkins could not safe us this time. Water filters full of sand and screaming of over heat. Shit, shit ... and more shit. Stuck in the sand and pushed hard further by the current.

4 vessels involved in the rescue operation: to small fishing boats, a over powered "Play Boy" boat and a small ancient tug boat.

These guys altogether worked hard all of them trying to help us. Finally at sun down they actually managed. 

Incredible experience. They wouldn't give in. Thank you guys, you will be in our minds forever, for sure.

FIRST ANCHORING ON THE DANUBE

During this stressful process we at some point also used our second anchor, a Fortress, trying to use our new powerful anchor winch to drag us out of the sand ... almost managed. And suddenly this supposed reliable companion also gave in. More shit.

Anyway by now we trusted the Fortress anchor (according to the US factory to be the best anchor in the world, but you know Americans ...) And for the first time on Danube we anchored in the current, happy and totally exhausted. Unwinding in the deck house with a "Sundowner" and sharing moments of the day.