tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post3907392606253188750..comments2024-03-20T06:04:22.978-04:00Comments on The Venice Experience: A Venetian traffic stopkarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02387141835879842596noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-27501647288784832192015-02-26T03:00:00.047-05:002015-02-26T03:00:00.047-05:00Theresa- thanks! Yes, my email is kmc207@gmail.com...Theresa- thanks! Yes, my email is kmc207@gmail.com. It should have shown up on the bottom just before you clicked on the publish button. karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02387141835879842596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-66496111037567066972015-02-26T01:21:07.254-05:002015-02-26T01:21:07.254-05:00Hi Karen -- just came across your blog and have to...Hi Karen -- just came across your blog and have to say, your posts are great. I've not yet been, but now I want to more than ever (even if I can't row). Here's hoping they'll finesse the rule change.<br /><br />I wanted to touch base with you about something separate than rowing, but can't find a contact form/email on the blog. Do you have a way to be reached?Theresa W.http://www.eatwithme.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-45544017356526651192015-02-23T01:01:27.198-05:002015-02-23T01:01:27.198-05:00I found a petition to rescind the law on change.or...I found a petition to rescind the law on change.org, and signed it, and will pass it around. It's needs about 650 more signatures. <br /><br />https://www.change.org/p/al-comune-di-venezia-revoca-del-divieto-di-navigazione-per-barche-a-remi-canoe-kayak-in-venezia?recruiter=19014071&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=mob-xs-share_petition-no_msg&fb_ref=Default<br /><br />LarryLarrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-8244910207921778922015-02-22T23:14:06.926-05:002015-02-22T23:14:06.926-05:00Hi Karen,
I'm not on Facebook. Is there any ot...Hi Karen,<br />I'm not on Facebook. Is there any other way to sign a petition? I and my family, and a number of friends, have dual citizenship, so perhaps our vote might count. <br /><br />Now I recall, in addition to Marco, Rene's other partner is Loretta. After kayaking we met on Via Garibaldi for wine and ciccheti. <br /><br />Although I don't have FB I did go on the Venice Kayak website and saw that Rene made a post about the regulation. He had me seriously considering giving the Vogalunga a shot next year. People losing the right to enjoy the waterways of <br /><br />Venice and restricting them to just commercial use is sad, especially to a group like the Pink Lionesses who are keeping a traditional venetian rowing form alive. <br /><br />There is nothing wrong with some regulations to keep people who are paddling around in inflatable kayaks off the water, but not this. <br />LarryLarrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-29452682237219022582015-02-22T16:47:51.559-05:002015-02-22T16:47:51.559-05:00Larry, are you on Facebook? Rene has the petition ...Larry, are you on Facebook? Rene has the petition posted on his Facebook page. karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02387141835879842596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-77006021011020484582015-02-22T16:09:43.166-05:002015-02-22T16:09:43.166-05:00Andrew, there's some truth to that, but there ...Andrew, there's some truth to that, but there is no reason to ban the pink lionesses because of that. When I am in Venice I do rent from Rene. He and his two partners are expert kayakers and they evaluate you right away, out of the main part of Venice, in the water of Certosa. Based upon what you can show them, the trip is handled accordingly. I know for a fact that he will not take someone onto the Grand Canal if he doesn't see that they have a lot of experience with kayaking. I live in San Francisco and go out under the Golden Gage Bridge, into the ocean. Another person who joined the trip just finished a 100 mile kayak race. He took us down the canal, but even then, on a very tight lease. He points to a place and says go there. Stops. Points again. That being said, we did see a few unaccompanied, unguided, completely amateur kayakers in some of the back canals, and they were a danger to themselves, obviously. Rene said something to them, and pointed out that they were German tourists who drive down with their own, barely water worthy, inflatable kayak. <br /><br />After paddling the canals with Marco, one of Rene's partners, I went out with Rene on a very long trip to Torcello, we docked at Burano and ate lunch. We stopped at little marshes, did a lot of bird watching, went to a "gondola grave" way out there where they get discarded. We pulled up next to an abandoned church out there, and when you get close to the shore you just run your fingers through the mud, and almost every time, you come up with ancient pottery, and stuff that is legal to keep. Just old ceramics from the 14th century. During lunch on Burano, Rene gave me a thorough lecture on the ecology of the lagoon, the damage caused by boats, big ones and motorboats. After that we paddled out in some very open water to where they were constructing the MOSE Project. He's obviously not going to do that without carefully sizing people up. He mentioned to me that he only takes 10-15% of his customers out to Grand Canal. <br /><br />Instead of banning legitimate organizations like the Pink Lioness, and businesses like Rene's that do a lot of good for Venice, why not just require some licensing? Shouldn't there be a way for the Pink Lionesses to get a permit, and for Rene to be made a licensed kayak guide, instead of just banning everyone. <br /><br />If there is an online petition, I want to sign it, and make other paddlers aware of it. Rene was devastated by the hurricane, and lost most of his kayaks. Now this.Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-40329324768960123712015-02-22T05:50:50.032-05:002015-02-22T05:50:50.032-05:00Andrew- I know, I've seen some of that myself....Andrew- I know, I've seen some of that myself. About 6 -8 months a go a new shop opened up near Rialto renting Kayaks all of a sudden. I think these guys afe a big part of the problem. I know Rene who owns Venice Kayak, I know he is very responsible. In fact, I wanted to buy a small canoe or kayak and contacted Rene. His first advice to me was to read all the regulations, know how to handle my boat, and stay off the big canals. <br /><br />We'll see where this goes with city hall. This vould be the end of boat parades for us, as the council ruling is they will only make a special exception once a year. I think that will be for Vogalonga. <br /><br />K<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-70577995517824997762015-02-22T05:46:17.905-05:002015-02-22T05:46:17.905-05:00Larry,
Thanks so much for your comment- and for r...Larry,<br /><br />Thanks so much for your comment- and for reading my blog! it"/ always special for me to hear you out there! <br /><br />Do yiu tent fro Venice Kayaks? Rene, who owns it, is so nice. I know this new ban is rough for him too. <br /><br />We're staying positive and hope for the best! cross your fingers, sign the online petitions and spread the word.<br />Grazie,<br />Kkarenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02387141835879842596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-25355527749816032122015-02-22T02:46:33.919-05:002015-02-22T02:46:33.919-05:00I think it was partly to do with the kayaks. The i...I think it was partly to do with the kayaks. The irresponsible folk who rent these out to inexperienced rowers who have no knowledge of the waterways of Venice and no sense of etiquette have a lot to answer for. Sig. Nonloso in his veniceblog gives a hair-raising account about this.Andrew H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-27943707415012092402015-02-21T17:52:22.514-05:002015-02-21T17:52:22.514-05:00Karen, I hope the Venetians succeed in getting thi...Karen, I hope the Venetians succeed in getting this law rescinded. It makes absolutely no sense, especially since I think the accident you mentioned was between a gondola (where the German tourists were) and a vaporetto (but I am not sure of that). Are "gondole" next? That would really ruin the Venice we know and love.Diannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08249874735043959774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7956489623554999361.post-20535456876583034962015-02-21T11:28:57.765-05:002015-02-21T11:28:57.765-05:00Oh no, this is absolutely horrible! I've been ...Oh no, this is absolutely horrible! I've been fortunate to spend a lot of time in Venice during the past few years and one of my favorite things to do is to kayak in Venice. Going down the Grand Canal on your own power in a boat is one of the best things in life. I'm glad the lionesses roared. I'm glad there will be a protest. If I were there now, I'd join it. <br /><br />Sometimes when kayaking a gondoliere will have an attitude, but usually not. It's clear that dragon boats and kayaks are not the problem on the Grand Canal. Speeding motor boats do so much damage. In Venice, where 80% of the city cannot be seen except from the water because there are no sidewalks, restricting small boats is terrible. How can there be restricted boat access in a city made for boats?<br /><br />This is really, really bad news. They kept banning big cruise ships, but judges kept putting a stay on those laws, and the cruise ships kept coming. Then there was the talk about banning wheeled luggage starting this May, a proposal that also went by the wayside.I hope that some judge decides that this terrible law cannot stand.<br /><br />I cannot imagine that a group such as yours would be banned from using the canals that were made for people to get around.Larrynoreply@blogger.com