Danube water levels 2023 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[notamermaid]

Depending on schedule, either tonight or during the morning tomorrow, the modern river cruise ship hull will meet an ocean-going replica vessel of some or our earliest visitors on the continent. The Viking ship Saga Farmann is at Nuremberg where the Zasavica III is headed. Wish someone could take a photo of that sail-past.

 

Do follow the epic journey, very much recommended. The captain has now got a bench, made from wood gifted by a local carpenter, Oregon pine from a Main river resident for a Norwegian ship: https://www.sagafarmann.com/posts/1538

 

notamermaid

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by notamermaid

[KShuman]

I just returned from a Gate 1 Danube cruise from Budapest to Regensburg.  We had no issues regarding river levels so we were thankful.  We also had PERFECT weather so I am remembering May 25 - June 3 as a great time to cruise!  

[notamermaid]

A quick check on Pfelling gauge. Prediction still stands for slowly falling levels. Uncertainty as to what June may still bring for the Danube in Bavaria comes in around the 12th. Rain may stop the trend then. Pfelling now at 332cm. All good. But nature could do with a short shower.

 

notamermaid

 

[BluebonnetTexan]

On 6/6/2023 at 6:58 AM, notamermaid said:

The Zasavica III has picked up the Gentleman II at Regensburg and is now headed to Kelheim where she will enter the Main Danube Canal. Here are some photos of the pushboat and previous hull transports. Notice the additional bow attached to the hull: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:4160846/mmsi:244730011/imo:0/vessel:ZASAVICAIII

 

The Gentleman II´s long journey through Europe brings me to a quiz question. Quite a few of you also embark or have embarked on long itineraries, a very popular one is Budapest to Amsterdam. That means you are on the Danube, the Canal, the Main and the Rhine/a bit more Canal/Waal/Nederrijn and the Canal towards Amsterdam. Correct, yes, but here is the nerdy, über correct question: which two other rivers do you also sail on?

 

notamermaid

 

We were on Viking’s Grand European in 2017, without cheating and looking at a map, I think the answer is The Inn River and The Moselle River. I know we did an excursion on Moselle, just can’t remember if the cruise vessel itself was on it. Am I close?

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, BluebonnetTexan said:

The Inn River and The Moselle River

Thank you for trying. Good choices, but I am afraid it is the wrong answer as regards sailing, but I give you that you can dock on the Moselle and possibly the Inn at Passau, so you are in some ways right, i.e. it is the waters of two other rivers. I am looking for real sailing for longer than a hundred metres. A wide clue: Emperor Charlemagne.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

This is completely wrong but I will have a go the Maas & the Waal.

[notamermaid]

20 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

This is completely wrong but I will have a go the Maas & the Waal.

It is not what I am looking for either. Thank you for joining in. Next clue, connected to Emperor Charlemagne: Fossa Carolina.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Now that is way older than the canal I research how interesting.

[notamermaid]

So, the two rivers. The Emperor Charlemagne planned to connect the Rhine and the Danube water systems in the 8th century. Sounds quite a task, but arguably the Romans managed to solve bigger problems like supplying a city with fresh water and install a sewage system. However, it is a different challenge to connect two rivers via a mountain that flow in opposing directions, especially for shipping. That project was the Fossa Carolina. The way this was meant to happen you can read online. Times changed and the great undertaking was only picked up again in the late Medieval period. Fast forward more centuries (and ignoring the Ludwig Canal and further efforts for this post) and modern shipping puts the idea literally on the map on a huge scale. This is the modern Rhine-Main-Danube-Canal. A canal needs water, first to fill it and then a constant supply. Either you can have a canal near a water supply or you use a river turned canal or a mix. The engineering is fascinating in that like Charlemagne's project, the modern canal uses the Altmühl river again. But it also uses the Regnitz river. Both rivers are not just used for the water supply they are partly the Canal, meaning stretches of them are canalized to the standard of modern shipping requirements.

 

The Altmühl and the Regnitz are the two additional rivers (that are hardly ever mentioned) you sail on from Amsterdam to Budapest and the solution to my quiz question.

 

You can look this up here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhine–Main–Danube_Canal

and more info in German for the statistics and history fans is on this website: https://www.schifffahrtsverein.de/daten-und-fakten/

 

And remember, you are sailing "on top of the mountain" as far as commercial shipping is concerned. The summit elevation in the Canal is 406m above sea level, the highest spot on earth you can reach by a ship from sea according to English Wikipedia. The German Wikipedia says only of Europe. Which is pretty impressive already I would say.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Canal archive]

Fascinating, canals are still used and could be used more to move water to areas in need this happens in England and if we do it it’s got to be done elsewhere around the world. An old idea but still useful. Reservoirs built to supply canals now do double duty.

[notamermaid]

Using a canal system to supply water to areas for the purpose of managing low levels in a river system is what part of the Canal is also used for. Some water that was in the Danube system now gets diverted to the Main and therefore the Rhine system. It helps navigation on the Main.

 

The Rhine-Main-Danube-Canal is impressive but is only the third longest canal in Germany. We have so many waterways. Many of the Northern ones are unexplored territory among foreign river cruisers. Worth checking out for something completely different. Just do not expect anything like the Rhine Gorge or the Iron Gates...

 

It is a pity that almost all English rivers and canals are self-drive, I prefer to be chauffered.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

There are hotel boats as well, small but bijou.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

It is a pity that almost all English rivers and canals are self-drive, I prefer to be chauffered.

 

notamermaid

I'm sure that @Canal archive would be happy to be your chauffeur!  😀

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I'm sure that @Canal archive would be happy to be your chauffeur!  😀

Now there is an idea. That has given me happy thoughts - a canal, a chauffeur, good food and a stop at the local pub at the embankment. Better than mindfulness or other such calming techniques.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

I was asked once how canals worked, my answer they work on alcohol and canal water and in that order, pubs are useful to navigate by. Now considering there are allocated places to turn a narrowboat you can understand navigation is pretty simple and there is such a thing as drunk in charge of a canal boat. Sorry to say however much I’d love to I can’t tiller you as I’ve hung up my windlass.

My husband several years ago now was driving all over the country and flying all over the world so busy and not stopping. I happened to talk to his secretary who had just been on a narrowboat holiday and said how restful it was so I booked a week, we never looked back. It’s an expensive hobby 16 tons of expertly crafted steel doesn’t come cheap but so well worth it. A gentle, relaxing holiday with the odd tad of hard work.

[Canal archive]

P.S. must admit to not being that expert on the tiller but am a wizard at locks and mooring up.

[notamermaid]

Quick look at Pfelling gauge. Stable, with minimal rise. 341cm is good. Hot temperatures with little to no rain in Bavaria.  Slowly falling levels predicted.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The level at Pfelling has fallen faster than predicted. It now stands at 313cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge stands at 311cm. It is Monday so we have a prediction issued. The forecast is for stable to minimally falling levels today, but the further prediction shows a trend towards down with levels under 300cm possible (the margin of error includes levels above that).

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge remains stable at 312cm.  Trend is for stable to minimal fall. Warm to very warm in Bavaria. Scattered showers only, Thursday to Saturday.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

May we see low water on the Danube for the first time this year? The drop in figures at Pfelling is slow but according to the prediction could bring the river below 300cm soon. That would be Thursday. Current level is 308cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The gauge at Pfelling stands at 283cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[rcaruso]

5 hours ago, notamermaid said:

The gauge at Pfelling stands at 283cm.

 

notamermaid

 

Well, we may be looking at a ship swap.  We leave again mid July from Budapest to Amsterdam.  We've never travelled in the summer, so it is as it is.  Thanks for all the posts on water levels.

[notamermaid]

There is a certain element of uncertainty in the gauge at Pfelling in that there appears to be a controlling element in the two locks upstream. Impossible for me to figure out how much and at what time. I guess this last fast drop in figures has something to do with retaining water but I cannot be sure. What we can say is that predictions at gauges further upstream show stable to falling levels over the next few days meaning we will continue to see the lack of rain reflected but whereas on the Rhine the forecast is very reliable, Pfelling gauge has a certain element of "surprise". The dip we saw earlier today has gone and the level is up to 292cm.

 

6 hours ago, rcaruso said:

Well, we may be looking at a ship swap. 

It is feasible. But we will see rain next week so I am hopeful for better levels, at least a reduction of the current trend for falling levels.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Daisi]

Just had a post in my message board... they are on an Avalon ship, boat can't go between Regensburg & Nuremburg. Trying to get more info.