Sulina Town Quay
Sulina harbour · Sulina Channel mouth
45°09.1'N 29°40.9'E
Depth
2–6m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
60m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
60m
60m for a sheltered quay anchorage in the delta channel. Excellent mud/silt holding. In strong NE Black Sea winds, the channel mouth can funnel uncomfortable chop — increase alarm radius to 80m in these conditions.
About This Anchorage
Sulina is one of the most atmospheric towns on the Black Sea — isolated at the end of the world, accessible only by river or sea, at the mouth of the Danube Sulina Channel. The town has a melancholic, end-of-the-road quality: the historic lighthouse (the oldest operating lighthouse on the Romanian coast), a multi-ethnic cemetery containing the graves of sailors from dozens of nations, elegant decayed Belle Époque buildings from the era when Sulina was a prosperous free port under the European Danube Commission (1856–1939), and the extraordinary landscape of the delta behind. Sulina was once so cosmopolitan it had communities of Greeks, Turks, Lipovans, Jews, and Romanians alongside visiting sailors from across Europe. Today its population has shrunk to a few hundred, but the atmosphere — the pelicans circling overhead, the Danube meeting the Black Sea, the silence broken only by water — makes it unforgettable.
Protected From
N · S · W · NW · SW
Exposed To
E · NE
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Small harbour dues; ARBDD delta navigation permit required
- Permit required
- Yes — ARBDD Delta Permit
- Permit details
- Delta navigation permit from ARBDD (Tulcea office). Border Police check required at Sulina for vessels entering/exiting to Black Sea.
Restrictions: Border crossing point — passport and vessel documentation check required. Speed limits strictly enforced throughout Sulina Channel.
Hazards
- !Commercial Danube shipping transits Sulina Channel — maintain safe distance and AIS watch
- !Channel mouth can be rough in strong NE Black Sea winds
- !Delta navigation permit mandatory — inspection possible at any time in delta
Skipper's Tips
- →The multi-ethnic cemetery is remarkable — sailors and merchants from a dozen nations buried here over 150 years
- →Lipovan (Old Believer Russian) community fishing village atmosphere — friendly and welcoming
- →The historic lighthouse (1802, rebuilt 1870) is a landmark visible from the sea on approach
- →Stock up on provisions here — last supply point before extended delta exploration
Facilities
Nearest provisions: Sulina town (0nm)
Best Months & Season
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
May–September best for delta navigation. Spring (April–May) brings flooding and bird nesting restrictions. September is exceptional — fewer visitors, warm weather, active bird migration.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 60m
In the Danube Delta's river channels, commercial barge wakes and Danube current can disturb a lightly set anchor in soft silt. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously in this extraordinary wilderness.
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