Canoe Circuit on the Danube and Main-Danube Canal

The year 2020 was a turning point for many – including Christian Hanika from the Lower Bavarian market town of Bad Abbach. The thirty-something recalls: “It was pretty tough – first I lost the mayoral election, then I lost my job as well.” Who was going to book a DJ during the pandemic? His services as a wedding speaker and professional bride kidnapper were no longer in demand either.

But burying his head in the sand? Not an option for the local councillor and soon-to-be father. “With the Danube right before my eyes, the idea suddenly hit me: canoes, that’s it! More and more people were heading out into nature, and with the natural distance between boats, tours could be run easily even in groups.”

Said and done. The first five start-up canoes were quickly followed by more. By now – with Covid behind us and the demand for outdoor activities still strong – Christian’s fleet numbers eighteen canoes. They’re moored at a specially built floating jetty just outside Bad Abbach, the East Bavarian spa town famous for its sulphur springs and Kaiser-Therme thermal spa.

Most of the boats are bright red, designed for one to three paddlers. They’re not fancy in terms of equipment, but extremely robust – important, since they’re constantly in use and have to withstand the inevitable beginner mistakes and the occasional burst of youthful exuberance.

“What a lot of people like is that you end up back at the starting point.”

Groups of friends of all kinds and families with children are Christian’s main target audience. That said, Kanuerlebnisse Hanika, which won the “Newcomer Prize 2022” of the Kelheim district, is also booked by couples, company teams and solo paddlers.

"What a lot of people like” Christian explains, “is that you end up back at the starting point. There’s no need for complicated transport logistics, no second car and no trailer. And everyone can take as much time as they like for the loop.”

The only restriction: on busy weekends, those who set off at the fixed start time of 10 a.m. should be back by 3 p.m. so that the canoe can be rented out again. But nobody needs to worry about being rushed – the 8.3 kilometres can easily be covered by a moderately experienced paddler in about two and a half hours.

Shorter tours are also offered for school groups. For example, today a class has booked in. That’s why Christian is currently hauling life jackets, paddles and dry bags from a nearby storehouse. Still, he can spare some equipment and two boats for us.

Together, we pull the canoes onto the jetty, tip out rainwater, wipe down the seats and decks, and set them afloat again. The only question left: double paddle or single paddle?

“The double paddle, with a blade at each end of the shaft, is better for beginners because it keeps the boat more stable on course. But you do get wetter, since you’re always scooping in a bit of water. The single paddle takes some practice with the J-stroke. That’s like adding a slap at the end.” Okay then – we should be able to manage that!

Red Buoy? Turn!

“You’ve watched my video, right?” he checks one last time. Check. The short film is useful – it summarises the essentials and explains the route. Do you really need it? Well, apparently there have been cases where someone, “chatting too much, missed the turn.” That’s why Christian makes it crystal clear once more: “At the red buoy, turn left to the lock!”

With those words he sends us off. A push, a wave, and suddenly we’re in mid-stream, finding our rhythm after just a few paddle strokes. The Danube, with a water level of only about 1.6 metres, is calm and tame. But with the sun shining so perfectly on a gravel bank, we decide on a spontaneous picnic break.

With our thermos coffee in hand, we think back to the nature board at the jetty and keep an eye out for local wildlife. Okay, we don’t see any beavers. And barbel, zander and river perch would probably require a keener eye (and a different spot). But that in the undergrowth across from us was a coot. And there, below the dry grassy slope – is that a kingfisher after all?

Refreshed, we climb back into the boats. Shortly afterwards, the red buoy is clearly visible – so we’re on the right track. After one bend, a several-metre-high concrete structure looms ahead of us. Voilà, the Bad Abbach recreational boat lock!

Upstream to the Canal

What did he say in the video again? One person is supposed to get out on the left by the platform and hand the boat over to their partner. While I paddle into the open lock with a spare canoe in tow, Thomas climbs the steps and gets familiar with the control terminal. It’s not difficult at all. There’s a lever to switch from “downstream” to “upstream,”  and a button that needs to be held down continuously.

“Like in a lift, it shoots up in no time.”

“All good down there?” he calls down to me. My thumb goes up, his goes on the button. Lock closed, water in! It’s incredible how fast the chamber fills with rushing water.

It’s an uplifting feeling – literally. Like in a lift, it shoots up in no time. I only have to be careful not to get the paddle caught in the iron rungs of the ladder set into the wall. I grab them now and then anyway to avoid drifting into the lock gate. That sounds more dramatic than it is. Despite the imposing size of the structure, nothing serious can really happen.

Not even five minutes on, Thomas and I are almost back at eye level. “Welcome to the first floor!” he shouts. Then the upper gate swings open and I steer our boat duo to the landing stage on the left.

Now we can carry on paddling, this time in the lock canal. This kind of bypass for boats is part of the Main-Danube Canal, opened in 1992, and it’s wider than the Danube itself. And despite its concrete bed, it’s surprisingly green. As Christian had warned: “Watch out! Larger ships use it too. They’ve got right of way, so stay more to the right.” Though today, there’s nothing going on – not a ship in sight, not even in the much bigger main lock.

And there is no current either. (Christian’s words: “The canal is just like a lake!”) So we paddle back towards Bad Abbach in a relaxed mood, more or less parallel to the Danube, just a storey higher.

Simply Drift Along

Who’s that waving? It must be Alois Schmidbauer, the man we’ve arranged to meet. When we reach him, we climb up the bank – careful, giant hogweed!  – haul the canoes onto the canal edge and stroll over to the Danube. Alois, in his mid-fifties and active in many ways around Bad Abbach, wants to show us his favourite swimming spot.

To dry off right after our swim, we leave towels and clothes at the exit point, then walk 500 metres upstream – no swimming circuit here yet – to the entry point. A few prickly stones later it’s: feet up, time to drift along.

Hard to believe that it used to be forbidden for children in Bad Abbach to swim in the Danube. Too dangerous  – floods, whirlpools, floating debris! Today there’s the canal, cleaner water and even talk of creating a river pool. Thanks to the gentle current and pleasant temperature, some people are already swimming in the Danube. “The Danube is nice and warm today, over 23 degrees,” confirms Alois.

Almost like an outdoor pool! And what goes best with a pool? Exactly – chips and Spezi from the kiosk. We grab some on the other side of the canal bridge, at the Insel-Café, which Alois runs together with the Campingplatz Freizeitinsel. It’s impressive what he and his family have created – he’s an organic farmer by trade. Dogs and children romp around here, many of them taking part in the “Farm as a Learning Place” programme.

Speedy “Boat Slide”

Time to grab the paddles again – after all, we want to keep going. But the rising headwind makes it hard work. A motorboat adds a few extra waves, even though it cruises past slowly. Good thing we turn off just after the double bridge and head for the weir. Goodbye, headwind – hello sliding fun!

Before shooting down the roughly 60-metre canoe chute, we hop out at the concrete bank to check out the attraction. But really, why waste time staring? Into the channel we go – what a thrill! Always keep the paddles held high – the chute is barely a metre wide. Soon we’re whooshing down, no faster than ten kilometres an hour. Plastic bristles slow the canoes all the way down.

Below the weir, we’re quickly back in beautiful river scenery. We already know this stretch of the Danube from our earlier swim.

Before long, something new appears: Bad Abbach, tucked away behind the greenery. And hey, isn’t that the famous Heinrich Tower, where Emperor Henry II was born more than a thousand years ago? Easier to spot is the footbridge across the Danube – and just beyond it, Christian’s canoe jetty on the right bank. It’s a pity the loop is already over.