Friday 1 June 2012

Vogalonga 2012

A group from Langstone Cutters took a pilot gig and a Teifi skiff to Venice for the Vogalonga, the only day in the year that motor boats are banned from the canals and human-power rules. You would think this would restore the calm of La Serenissima for a blessed moment, but the event now attracts more than 1,600 boats from all over Europe.
The mayhem can be judged from this...

2 comments:

Geoff said...

Hi Chris,
The chaos in the Canareggio canal can be avoided. We (The Henley Whalers) have adopted the technique of not stopping for lunch on the course but carry on to the Canareggio where we have normally rented a large apartment. This makes us an early returner to Venice. We stop near the flat and our shore support bring down beer and sandwiches whilst we watch most of the fleet go by. Many of the crews are surprised to see us thus ahead as we have been scrapping with them on the outbound leg. After about 1000 boats have gone by we join in again and have a (relatively) peaceful row to the Grand Canal and St. Marks Basin. The bad news is that we then have to get "Molly" back to Mestre which is a long way after such a long row. We take a very peaceful back canal and an ice-cream shop near the bus station is very welcome and has some of the best we have tasted!

See you at the Pageant
Best wishes
Geoff

Geoff said...

Hi Chris,
The chaos in the Canareggio canal can be avoided. We (The Henley Whalers) have adopted the technique of not stopping for lunch on the course but carry on to the Canareggio where we have normally rented a large apartment. This makes us an early returner to Venice. We stop near the flat and our shore support bring down beer and sandwiches whilst we watch most of the fleet go by. Many of the crews are surprised to see us thus ahead as we have been scrapping with them on the outbound leg. After about 1000 boats have gone by we join in again and have a (relatively) peaceful row to the Grand Canal and St. Marks Basin. The bad news is that we then have to get "Molly" back to Mestre which is a long way after such a long row. We take a very peaceful back canal and an ice-cream shop near the bus station is very welcome and has some of the best we have tasted!
Best wishes
Geoff