Wien - stranded on the Danube Island

On Wednesday morning (07/05/2017), I spend my time shopping and doing some repairs and maintenance on my equipment. After unsuccessfully trying to upload some pictures over lunch, we set off downstream in the afternoon. The wind is coming from the southwest, so we have to zigzag to the next Danube power plant. After relocating, I set up camp around 8:00 PM on the shore of a Danube backwater created by the Greifenstein dam.

The next morning, we continue our journey. During the relocation, Rango jumps off the boat without my approval and the Clipper takes off with the luggage. Luckily, there is no current in the backwater, so I can easily retrieve our vehicle. The peacefulness seems to be getting to Rango's head, and he becomes more lively.

The wind is favorable, and the tent cover serves as a good sail. We reach Vienna around 4:00 PM. Shortly after, I am stopped and questioned by two uniformed officers. Someone must have thought that we were in need of help and informed the water rescue service. After correcting their impression, we are allowed to continue our journey. Since we have reached today's destination, I treat myself to a coffee break on the Danube Island. There, I am promptly greeted by three students who are excited about our boat tour. They invite us to join them for a beer after I finish my coffee. Gladly!

Back on the boat, I notice that I have lost one of my paddles. I must have secured it carelessly when docking. I quickly give up on the attempt to continue with only one paddle; the inflatable boat with the structure is simply uncontrollable. Just as I am about to dock, a young family on their motorboat approaches me and offers to tow me a bit further. About 500m downstream, there is some kind of harbor where I might be able to solve my problem more quickly. So be it.

Once there, I first put my belongings in a dry place because it starts to rain. After everything is safely ashore and packed, the rain has already stopped. In the meantime, Rango has made contact with a few girls who are bathing and they ask me to let Rango join them in the water. It's worth a try, but he doesn't dare to go further than knee-deep down the steep bank into the water. It's still a sight to behold. It turns out that Rango's ladies are part of a group of chemistry students who are finishing their exam day together. So the evening passes quickly in good company, with beer and pizza. Hannah and Benni spontaneously decide to spend the night on the Danube Island.

The morning starts early in Vienna; the two of them get up around half past five. I can sleep a few more hours on Hannah's couch before I start looking for a replacement for my lost paddle. I find one in the fifth sports store. Since the inflatable boat is still on its place on the Danube Island, we can continue a few more kilometers on Friday evening.