It turned out that the engine problem was mainly due to bad fuel. The Racor filter was full of nasty grey sludge. I replaced the filter and after bleeding the lines a couple times the engine finally cranked back up and the exhaust water is now much clearer. So, I am off early in the morning and I will most likely not be near an internet for the next days. It will mostly be in anchorages.

I might still end up having to drain the entire diesel tank, if the problem reoccurs.

The harbor master, Florian,  did not want to charge me for moorage for the three nights that I was here. He was also the one who came to the boat this morning and suggested that I first check the filter. I had drained the filter only a week or so ago but not replaced the filter. I dragged another 5 gallon Diesel from  a 3 kms away filling station to the boat, with the bicycle. I ran into a very pleasant Australian couple, from near Canberra, Mike a retired Airforce flyer and Vicky a school teacher. They are cruising all of Europe in a camper van that they keep in England during the winters.

The weather has finally turned to warm sunny weather in the mid seventies with cool nights in the low sixties. Buying groceries in the markets and stores is much cheaper than Western Europe. A beer in a restaurant in Calafat is about $ 1.30 , yesterday in Bulgaria I paid about 65 cents.

Sunday afternoon I took the ferry across to Vidin in Bulgaria. This city was founded in 300 BC by the Celts. It is a much bigger city than Calfat and I was looking at it as an alternative to check my engine problems. But the moorage possibilities did not seem to be as good as what I have here in Calafat. I had a reply from my brother in law, Herman, in Holland about the possible causes of the engine problem. He is an expert on large ship diesels but has on many occasions come to my rescue and knows my engine well. He feels that it it is not time yet to exchange the engine and he has given me advice as to what I should be doing to remedy the problem. I have a lead here for a diesel mechanic to assist. Yesterday I managed to restart the engine after several tries but this morning it started up normally. So, there is hope!

There is a whole lot more to do and see in Vidin. It is very nicely laid out along the Danube with promenades and parks. But all is still a bit dilapidated from the isolation and neglect behind the iron curtain. The one picture below shows a minaret in the background. This is the only left of 28 during the Turkish occupation period. But the unusual aspect, that the picture barely shows, is the fact that instead of having a half moon on the top it has a heart shape.

The wait for the return ferry was long but I had a nice conversation with Lucca, 21, and Julian, 20, Romanian students on their way back from an international chess meet. He placed third. Lucca was once European junior chess champion.