René's old blog
Whatever I feel like posting, whenever
This site goes back some twenty-five years, so it is bound to be full of stale links and irrelevant information. It is, at best, updated irregularly.
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There are strict speed limits on the Canal Grande, and its under constant surveillance, but the speed limits don’t apply to the fire brigade, as can be seen from these photos. When you hear the siren you better move –…
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The Elagoonephant
There has been a larger than usual mammal on the loose in the lagoon this summer. The life size elephant stands on a shallow island near the Certosa island, just east of Venice, on the canal that leads to the…
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Book: Barche del Golfo di Venezia
A dear friend of mine recently gave me a beautiful gift – the book Barche del Golfo di Venezia – an illustrated description of most of the traditional boats of the Venetian lagoon and the upper Adriatic Sea. The various…
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Ocean Paddler article on Sardinia
Ocean Paddler Magazine, issue 16, has an article on paddling in Sardinia by yours truly.
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Lagoon turtle
There aren’t many reptile species in the lagoon of Venice. The lucertole are all over,there are snakes on some islands, and apparently one species of pond turtle, though I’ve never seen one of the those. Yesterday, however, I saw what…
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New blogs on the Paddling Planet
I’ve been sitting on some updates for the Paddling Planet site for a while, but now they’re all in. The new ones are: Kayak Noise Marc Charron’s Blog My kayak Adventures Kollbergs Kajakblogg The Seven Settlements I’m sorry for the…
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Pied a terre – Venetian style
One day as I was paddling through some of the smaller canals in the sestiere S.Marco, close to the Fenice, I spotted this little sign in a window directly on the canal: The sign reads: “Pied a terre of 50…
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Jump
At high tide the water in the canals at Murano is clean enough for the local children to swin and play in the water. The kids were jumping from the bridge in front of the medieval church SS. Marie e…
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Shiny luxus yacht
There’s a place at Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice, in the Bacino S. Marco, which is used for mooring shiny luxus yachts – some of which are very shiny. S.Marco reflected in the side of a yacht Myself and two…
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Vogalonga 2009
The 35th Vogalonga was held on May 31st, on the Sunday following Ascension as tradition dictates. The Vogalonga is a 30km non-competitive “race” through the city of Venice and the lagoon. It starts a 9 from St. Mark’s with a…
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Crab jumping for it’s life
Yesterday I was paddling around Venice with a German couple and their daughter. The girl was almost mesmerised by the crabs scuttling around on the walls and steps on the rii, so daddy picked one up to show her, then…
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Two weeks and already notorious
“It’s you. It’s you”