Danube Adventure
THE Connecticut has a strange power, some say, the power in its gentle currents to pull the thoughts of a man away, down its length to the sea - and beyond. John Ledyard knew that in 1772, and countless men of Dartmouth have discovered it since. Now, almost two centuries since Ledyard began his travels, the River has worked its way on a present man of Dartmouth, Dan Dimancescu '64.
On a lazy, blue, cloudless day late last summer Dan stopped paddling for a moment. He leaned back and let the canoe drift between the Connecticut's banks while he opened his mind to thoughts of other rivers, and the seas they run into ... of Europe, Austria, the Balkans, the Black Sea . . . why not some—day paddle down that route of history —the Danube? He sat up. Why not?
Dan passed on "the message of the river" to some friends and the idea took hold. By the end of the fall term there had taken shape a real expedition, complete with itinerary, College approval, recognition of the People-to-People Sports Committee, passports, visas, and the energy and ideas of eight men who committed themselves to the project almost everything, in fact, but enough money. This final problem is now under attack.
Help has come from unexpected sources. One of the eight told two elderly ladies whom he met in a Lake Forest, Ill., liquor store about the trip, and the ladies were sufficiently impressed to contribute $5OO on the spot. They'll match that with another $5OO if the student can write an acceptable letter in German by next spring. He is now hard at work improving a vocabulary that didn't previously go much beyond "Ein bier, bitte."
But the group is not counting on luck alone. A seven-page, detailed description of the trip was printed up and mailed to alumni of the Ledyard Canoe Club, which with Cutter Hall is co-sponsoring the project, mentioning that contributions to the trip are tax deductible.
During the Christmas vacation they brought the story to several papers and were given feature write-ups with pictures in the Hartford (Conn.) Courant and The Washington Daily News. From a national magazine to which they sold "first look" rights to the pictures and story of their trip they received additional cash, but counting all contributions already received, the money they themselves have subscribed, and the magazine payment, there is still some $9-10,000 to be raised toward their budget of $14,000plus before the scheduled departure on June 16.
Finance is only one side of the picture, however, and the eight have been moving ahead on other fronts during their weekly meetings in the Geography Department. Each member is now preparing a report on one of the countries their route will pass through. These include Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Rumania, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union. Each also has an assignment in the administration of the trip - publicity, finance, travel arrangements, European programming, photography, and post-trip plans.
1 Claude M. Fuess, Rufus Choate, p. 235.
Another assignment is the preparation of a series of lectures entitled "The Balkans Today" which will be given this spring under the auspices of Cutter Hall. The ten talks will feature speakers with "an academic and personal relationship" to the countries, rather than being "travelogues." Already tentatively invited are a member of the Bulgarian Embassy staff and a former Roumanian diplomat.
Travel plans are being made through the Dartmouth Travel Agency in connection with KLM. Booklets and information have been received from our embassies in the countries to be visited and also from the embassies of those countries in the United States. Contacts are being established through the embassies, through people of Eastern European nationality in Hanover, and through friends and acquaintances of the expedition members themselves. Primary purpose of the trip has come to be an exchange of ideas between the Dartmouth canoeists and the people of Eastern Europe.
They are particularly interested in meeting people with similar interests, such as boating and spolts — all of the eight are accomplished athletes. Indeed, anytime they could pick up a couple of extra men they could field a fairly potent soccer team. Partially as a conversation piece they are taking along American paddles and canvas canoes, which are substantially different from those which ply the Danube.
The expedition includes two men with professional photographic experience, and several with extensive writing backgrounds. After returning to the United States they hope to share their experiences through articles, lectures, and still and motion pictures.
Six of the eight men have traveled extensively in Europe, four speak fluent German (another will by this spring), three French, and one Spanish. These are the. participants:
Bill Backer '64, of Bound Brook, N. J., president of the Undergraduate Council and Casque and Gauntlet, recipient of a 1926 Fellowship, ex-heavyweight oarsman, and English major, joins the trip as a writer.
Dan Dimancescu '64, of Hartford, Conn., twice Connecticut state cycling champion, active in The Players and varsity soccer, and an International Relations major, is leader of the trip.
Dave Donnelley '64, of Lake Forest, Ill., varsity hockey player, musician, member of Casque and Gauntlet, and history major, spent last summer collecting economic and political information in South America. Special talent: meeting elderly ladies in liquor stores. He's in charge of finances.
Dick Durrance '65, of Aspen, Colo., Big Green ski star, art major, and president of Green Key, will handle the motion photography. Already experienced in that field, Dick is currently making a ski training film.
Bill Fitzhugh '64, of Chappaqua, N. Y., another varsity soccer veteran, four-year member of the Barbary Coast Orchestra and Handel Society Chorus, experienced white water canoeist, Casque and Gauntlet member, and anthropology major, heads the expedition's European programming.
"Terry" Fowler '64, of New York City, folk singer, a debater who has represented the College in national competition, and a government major, worked last summer for one of New York's daily newspapers, adds his journalistic experience to the group.
Bruce Irvine '64, of Salt Lake City, varsity wrestler, again a Casque and Gauntlet member, musician, and pre-med biology major with research experience, has experience as mountain climber in the Rockies.
Chris Knight '65, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the expedition's best canoeist, has distinguished himself in Eastern whitewater kayak racing competition, also paddled 1600 miles from Skagway, Alaska, to Seattle, Washington, two summers ago with his brother Pete '62. An architecture major, he heads the camera corps.
Why did they pick the Danube? Dan explained that though the idea came originally by chance, it has withstood severe examination. "Perhaps no other river passes through so many different countries, is historically so important, or is in an area of greater current interest.
"From talking with people we under- stand that our trip may be the first of its kind on the Danube • made by American students and not so much be- cause of the sport involved as for the chance to meet the people and learn first-hand about the countries we travel through."
Not spelled out by Dan, but implicit in his remarks, is the way the expedition fits into the Dartmouth tradition of adventure with a purpose, the spirit in which the College was founded. John Ledyard would approve.
Eight seniors and juniors who will paddle the length of the Danube are (l to r) BillFitzhugh '64, Dave Donnelley '64, Chris Knight '65, Bill Backer '64, Dick Durrance'65, Dan Dumancescu '64, Bruce Irvine '64, and Terry Fowler '64.
