René’s old blog
-
Press release: legal recourse against ban on kayaking in Venice
The following press release announcing the legal recourse at the TAR Veneto against the decision 433/2018 of the City of Venice, has been sent to the local Venetian press on Monday, September 3rd, 2018:
Venice Kayak Srl, one of the very few zero-impact companies in Venice, which takes pride in the professionalism of its guides and the safety of the clients, has decided to take legal recourse in front of the TAR (the regional administrative tribunal) of the Veneto, against the decision with which the City of Venice – with a measure with no prior warning which entered into force on August 1st, one single day after its publication – has banned, for stated reasons of safety of navigation, kayaks and canoes from transiting the main waterways of the city centre.
However – underlines the owner René Seindal – Venice Kayak has never been involved in any accident, nor has it ever received any kind of fine, during its activity.
-
Boats and people – Venice as a harbour
Venice was born as a harbour, and she has always been a harbour. Venice, the Venetians and boats cannot be separated.
Water is omnipresent in Venice, which offers infinite possibilities to photograph gondolas, vaporettos, working boats, super yachts and even cruise ships up close.
Several of our guides are passionate about traditional Venetian boats. They’ll be happy to teach you the difference between a s-ciopon, a sanpierota and buranello, besides how to photograph they at their best.
-
Consequences of recent kayaking ban in Venice
The City of Venice has introduced a ban on kayaks and other small boats in practically all the city canals. The change of rules were announced less than 24 hours before they bacame operative, so we have had very little time to adjust.
According to the new rules, we are no longer allowed on the Grand Canal and a handful of other canals where we rarely go. The few canals where there were some time limits earlier, have had those limits tightened, and further time limits have been introduced in all the remaining canals.
We are no longer allowed anywhere in the city of Venice, or on Murano, Burano, the Giudecca or the Lido before 3pm (1pm on Saturdays), and we can only paddle in four distinct ‘reservations’ after 3pm.
Naturally, taxis and other high powered motorboats are free to roam the city day and night.
This is a very severe restriction on our movement, and it leaves us very little room to still offer tours in the city.
-
Ban on kayaking in Venice
Venice bans kayaks and other small boats, favouring damaging and polluting motor traffic over lighter ecological and sustainable means of transport. A ban on kayaking is not the right way forward for Venice.
-
Garbage collection – Venetian style
Garbage collection in Venice is unique in that it is almost entirely done by hand, door to door.
Both the carts and the workers are ubiquitous in the morning hours around Venice, and so is also, unfortunately, the garbage. It is often left outside for hours before being picked up, to the immense joy of seagulls and pantegane (rats).
-
Fog in Venice
Sometimes in autumn and winter Venice becomes enveloped in dense fog, and it becomes a mysterious and haunting place.
To fully enjoy the photo opportunities of the fog, it is necessary to get out early, because the fog lifts as the sun gets stronger during the day.
-
Winter in Venice
Winter in Venice rarely includes snow, but we’ve had a few days with snow recently. It doesn’t happen very often. Last time with lots of snow was in 2012.
Photo Walks Venice is here all year, summer and winter, so get in touch and we’ll organise a unique photo experience for you.
-
Fifteen minutes in a Venetian park
The photos below are taken in fifteen minutes, walking about 200m.
-
Bicycles in Berlin
I’ve been bicycling all my life, and its one of the very few things I miss here in Venice. Berlin, on the other hand, is full of bicycles.
-
Lio Piccolo
While I’ve kayaked a lot around much of the lagoon, I’ve never been to some of the northernmost parts.
My friend Selina took me up there by car, looking for flamingos.
-
Drowning in silence
A man was drowning besides me in the hospital pool, and I didn’t know what to do to save him.
