"Hey, let’s go to Venice"
There are many aspects of life aboard that really appeal to me and #1 is the ability to release the lines and go wherever your heart desires. It really isn’t that hard. A bit of fuel, some favourable winds, and a well operating sailboat can take you so many places.
We had decided we would take Margaret to Rome by sailing to Venice and taking the train to Rome. That meant we’d have some pretty long sailing days to pull it off with time to see both Venice and Rome. The weather forecast was favourable, with the only downside being that we’d have to motor a lot as the winds were low or opposing our direction. We did manage some sailing and motor sailing but mostly we were on the engine as we made our way towards Venice.
We have an ipad tool, Navionics, which we use to help plot our course and play through various options (early stops, later stops, marinas, bays, etc) and then we use the plotter when we are sailing. It is a very flexible tool and has very current electronic charts. Using this tool we set some broad travel goals with the first day being the most relaxed since we were recharging from having guests (we tend to do a bit more when we have company).
August is the busiest time for sailing in Croatia and we expected prime anchorages to fill up fast. Marina’s were likely available (for a price) since the boats would be out and about and we figured we could pre-book marinas and sail longer in the day and be sure of a place to rest overnight. Our strategy was to set sail around 6am and get as much time as we could before we were drained which would allow us to find a place between 2 and 4pm, or so.
Day one we sailed lots and made it to an area where we were able to get in some swimming, some dingy riding, and a very nice time of things without overdoing the first leg of the journey.
Day two we went on to Ist. We moored on a ball in the bay and putted into the local village for some dinner and provisions. Arriving for dinner early that night (6pm) we were attracted to a pit on a spit over a wood fire but it wasn’t yet available since rational people eat at 8pm in Ist so we settled with some wood fired pizza.
We left at daybreak with a goal to make it to Rovinj where we’d stay in the marina since it would be a super long day. Knowing the time it would take we figured we’d evaluate our destination as we drew closer. When you leave in the morning, you have the sun coming at you for 2-3 hours until you can seek shade from the bimmini. The day was largely uneventful but we were getting tired. We called ahead to Rovinj and learned that the marina was closed for 2017 for remodeling. We determined we’d head instead to Pula, a location closer to where we were and get a full day in the next day. In the end, it worked very well because there is a Roman Coliseum in Pula in great condition which we were able to tour that afternoon. Plus we had a delightful meal at a wine bar not far away. Serendipity is a great and wonderful thing. The other advantage was that Pula has 24 customs and police so we could check out whenever we wanted. We set our goal and checked out the next mornig at 5:30. We finished in record time of 40 min and set our sights on Venice.
The trip to Venice was surreal. There was no wind at all until we were in the lagoon so we also had 11 hours of motoring. We hardly saw any boats through the whole trip and there was a haze in the sky that made it look like the sea was the sky and the sky was the sea – you couldn’t tell where one stopped and the other started. Anything we did see appeared to be floating through the sky.
Another remarkable experience on this trip was the number of dolphins. We saw several pods (or one pod followed us) during the trip. It is always remarkable to watch them as they bound through the water and I feel a glow from having witnessed them. I’m not sure why dolphins make me feel that way but I suspect it is because they always seem to be a gifted mammal; intelligent and playful. We spoted some other creatures as well – sea turtles, jellyfish, but mostly it was quiet.
Because life should never be dull, we were doing some cleaning and maintenance during this calm (it is easiest to clean and maintain the boat when it isn’t bouncing around) and I was surprised at how much water was in the rear bilge. We have always had some water there from the various issues we’ve had – it is where the holding tank would end up if there was a leak (recall I had to tighten some clamps to resolve some leakage way back when we started), it is where the through hulls for the airconditioner reside (we have had to prime the lines with seawater so that makes it wet). We had washed the bilge before we left and Sheila figured that some water had gone to another bilge so expected there to be some water however there was more than could be explained.
Water in the boat can either be from water coming in from outside, or from liquid within the boat leaking. The first diagnosis is the taste test – is it water and if so salty or sweet. This water was salty – it was coming from outside. Many things draw water from the outside – airconditioner, engine, toilets – so we checked to see if there were any leaks from hoses, connections, etc and found nothing. Our brains went to “stuffing box”. The stuffing box is where the propeller shaft goes through the boat between the engine and propeller. It is said that it usually drips. Well I went to examine it and it appeared to be dripping every second, rather than say once a minute. It is hard to tell exactly what is happening because it is a tight space but there was water there and it appeared to be overflowing into the bilge at a modest but higher than desired rate.
We started to read about the stuffing box in our fix everything manual and it was apparent if we had an issue or not, we’d likely have to seek help and possibly hoist the boat from the water, an expensive proposition we’d always sooner avoid until end of season.
We emptied all water from the bilge and watched at intervals to see how much water was coming in. It wasn’t more than a couple liters but still more than we wanted to see. We monitored it but figured we’d fix it in Venice somehow.
All of the sudden our plans to go to Rome seemed a bit in the air since we thought a repair would be in order. Once in the Venice marina I set to work to examine things more closely and found that the clamp around the unit was lose. It could be that simple…I got out the tools to tighten it up and cleaned everything until dry so we could better monitor the situation (leaks and dirt would show up more readily on a clean surface).
The next morning things were dry as a bone so we determined to keep the original plan of going to Rome and we’d do a short trip from Venice to somewhere nearby and monitor the stuffing box under load so we could get it fixed if we had to before returning to Croatia.
This plan gave us two days in Venice, one day for travel to Rome, two days in Rome, and then a day of travel back to Venice. While this is a completely inadequate amount of time for these two cities, we could at least get the highlights of each location.
Venice and Rome
With a plan to ignore the boat and explore, we excitedly set off to catch the waterbus to central Venice, first to deal with entering the country and then to see the sights.
Catching the waterbus from the marina involves walking out on a 150 meter dock and waiting in a floating oversized bus shelter. The floating part is key – it is actually intimidating waiting in the shelter because there are so many waves in so many directions from the constant boat traffic, tide currents, and wind that the shelter bounces all over the place. It is more seasick inducing than being on the boat in confused seas. Thankfully the waterbus arrived within 15 minutes and we were on our way, watching the scenes of Venice unfold as we took the bus through the canals.
Clearing customs was relatively simple – I was wearing contacts and couldn’t easily read the form I had to fill out so Sheila completed it and I signed. We were admitted to the country about 15 minutes later. It was quite efficient and the people were friendly. We set off to walk to St Marks Square so we could visit the Palace and Basilica.
En route we stopped for lunch and had pizza in an airconditioned restaurant (that was a requirement), managed to get our phones with SIMs thanks to Margaret, and shortly thereafter took in an exhibit at the Leonardo museum. We were going to visit it the next day and keep to our plan but there were so many interesting shops and places along the way we were diverting anyway.
The Leonardo DaVinci Museum is worth it for fans of the master. We saw copies of his his works and drawings and then full scale models of many of his ideas. It was very interactive and people were encouraged to turn cranks and move parts to see how they worked. We all found the models fascinating and it was so amazing to realize that so much of what we saw was in use in machines and engines today. I went through with both Margaret and Theo (they go at different paces) and explained cams, differentials, rack and pinion, among others. A visit to the gift shop at the end ensured we took some physical memories as well.
We continued along the streets. I’d encourage anyone just to get lost in Venice. It is really easy and not risky in the least as long as you don’t mind backtracking when you hit a watery dead end. We saw so many interesting shops and buildings. Soaking it in was a pleasure. Gelato was required as was lots of water as the heat was still oppressing the day.
We got to “the square” and decided to enjoy a beverage in the square at a small table with a proper waiter and linens on the table. The prices were CRAZY. We perservered and each had a drink and no food. The total bill for our four drinks was about $75 CAD. I rarely think about the cost very much but I have to say that it was worth it just to soak in the ambience of the square. We didn’t go to soak in the ambience there the next day, though.
We were able to get some food in Venice and prepare burgers on the boat. We had arranged to meet with our neighbours on the boat beside to share drinks and stories. We arrived late but we were still eager to connect so after feeding the kids, Sheila and I went next door on their beautiful AMEL and shared wine and cheese for a couple hours. We learned about their many years of sailing the globe. They were now based on Venice full time and hosted grandkids on the boat quite often. It is inspiring to meet people living the life. To me they always look full of life and many years younger than their chronological age.
The next day we were determined to see the Doge’s palace and basilica. We got there relatively early and waited in line for about 20 min. We were in! It was massive, beautiful, and overwhelming to take in. We self directed through the many rooms not fully appreciating the various functions of the ornately decorated rooms other than noting that they were meant to show off the wealth and power of Venice at its height and in certain cases intimidate those seeking audiences with authorities. Further the warren of the prison made it clear that it was a place you wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time. I was most impressed with the armoury which had cases and cases in several rooms displaying every kind of weapon you hope never bashes or penetrates your body. There were full suits of armour set up and on display and even suits for kids. All I could think was how often you’d have to replace a suit of armour for a growing kid.
Wanting to then see the basilica and learning from the morning we found some “front of the line” tickets on line and paid the modest charge to skip to the front. This was well worth it in high 30C heat. Plus the basilica is beyond impressive. I knew we had yet to see the Vatican but you really can’t do justice explaining the Venice basilica. So huge, so golden….a person is transported to a heavenly location just to be in the building. I could only marvel the finished product and imagined what could be involved in the project to build this church.
Leveraging the front of the line experience, Theo and I got tickets to go up the bell tower in the square. We arrived at the tower only to see no evidence of front of the line short cut. We stood in with the masses to go up the elevator. About 10 min in, bored, I read the tickets and noted that there were specific instructions saying that there would be no signs however there is a side entrance. Apparently they don’t want people to know that some are skipping. Anyway, we bailed on our long line and went to the secret side entrance and were up in the next elevator. From the top we could see far and wide across Venice. It was fun to see all the way to the Marina and see where our boat was berthed in the distance.
Finally we got some supplies at the grocery for dinner and caught the waterbus home. It is important to note that the nearest grocery store in Venice was actually in the old town so we had to shop for everything, including water, in Venice and cart it back. The Marina also had about a 15 min walk from the bus to our boat. Let’s just say that our exercise was carrying water across the old city and then through the marina park grounds. First world problem I know but it was a workout.
The next day it was time to go to Rome. We left for the train station, by water bus, with ample time. We arrived, had a leisurely coffee and snacks and made our way to the platform about 20 min before departure. Arriving at the platform it was pointed out that we had purchased tickets for the next day. With 20 min before the train left Margret and I ran to the ticket office to change our tickets. The line was huge and they had a take a number system but a very nice rail employee let us skip the line so we could address the ticket. We learned that our train was already sold out but another was leaving in an hour. We changed our tickets for a modest fee and went to find another coffee. Thankfully we were in Italy where they understand coffee is as fundamental as breathing and they typically do it right. Overall the experience was perfectly pleasant. I can’t imagine changing a ticket in Canada being that easy or that inexpensive. I think there is a correlation between ease of change, attitude toward helping a customer, and cost. My experience in Canada unfortunately has been that you may get excellent service if you are at the top of a loyalty program but otherwise be happy if you can make a change regardless of the cost.
In Rome we found our subway, made it to our stop, struggled a bit but made it to our AirB&B, and set about finding a dinner place. Google and Travelocity have been instrumental in our restaurant searches. Not far from our place we found a beer and burger café that had amazing IPA and burgers that were out of this world. What a combo!
We started to build our plan for Rome. We wanted to see the Coliseum and the Vatican. There were no prepaid front of the line tickets available in either case – it is an extraordinarily busy time to go. The Coliseum is free the first Sunday of the month so we knew all creation would be there. We resolved to go early to get in line. We also reserved four places in a tour of the Vatican on Monday.
At the Coliseum we found a tour group near the entrance so paid for the tour, primarily to skip the line in 35C weather. It was worth it for that. We had a fairly dry tour guide but were able to see everything as well as possible given the crowds and it did allow us to skirt by some of the traffic. Our tour included an older area of Rome and our guide for that half was a true comedic talent. We were entertained as we marched through oppressive heat to the sites. The Coliseum is of course fabulous and was well worth the visit. I couldn’t believe that they were able to flood it and hold mock naval battles. Wow! The engineering of ancient Rome is humbling. The remainder of the tour was less memorable I think because we were hot, tired, hungry, and thirsty. Thankfully we found lunch in a restaurant with an airconditioned cellar. It was better than it sounds. We made our way back to the apartment to enjoy air conditioning, escaping from what had become 40 C in the afternoon heat.
The next day was the Vatican. Again we made it to our 8am tour with time to spare for an espresso (still in Italy remember?). Having booked this tour in advance we did some basic research and found this guide incredibly knowledgable. She took us through many parts explaining it very effectively as we went. The art from classic to modern is truly impressive. If you see every item at the Vatican apparently it takes 11 years to see it all. We saw the highlights.
For me the highlight was Sistine Chapel of course. I had no idea that Michalangelo was not an accomplished painter before he took the commission and learned as he went. You can see the progression of his talent. Seeing God touch Adam up close and personal was a dream come true. I have wanted to view these works as long as I can remember. The works on the ceiling look three dimensional. I never could imagine it being so masterful.
St Peter’s did not disappoint as the largest and most elaborate cathedral. We walked past shrines of the preserved popes – one cast in wax and another in bronze – erie. We also saw the alter under which St Peter is buried. We also saw a chapel where you can be married. There is an 11 year waiting list. You have to prove you are a devout Christian and “qualified” to be married there. All I could think was how if you are a good Catholic, you aren’t to have sex before marriage nor use birth control so how on earth do you handle 11 years of waiting? It is an impressive place to be married, sure, but I wouldn’t wait 11 years for fulfillment.
We were tired from touring and went back to the apartment to crash. We had a nice dinner out with Margaret being her last evening with us. The next day we said a tearful goodbye as she left for the airport and we went to catch our train (proper ticket date) back to Venice.
This trip has been about better knowing my family and I’m thankful that Margaret was able to be with us so much of our time. I know she needed her space and independence and being together all the time was likely trying but it was so worth it for me and hopefully for her. It is so rare that I’ve been able to really know my own family with the hustle and bustle of daily life. As I write this she is now back in Toronto and preparing for school and I miss her very much. The starboard aft cabin is “Margaret’s Room” and it feels empty right now.
Venice was so great we stayed another day. Then because of the weather we stayed another... It was the weekend before we were back in Croatia.
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