Cruising the Canals

Red and Green marked poles identify the channel of each canal

We departed the Stella restaurant facility at 8:40 in the morning to begin a 5 ½ -hour journey southeast to the town of Grado, located off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.  Red and green dolphins or poles mark the channel of each canal; sometimes poles are positioned on only one side of the canal. 

Signage points the way to major destinations

Intersecting canals are marked by three or more poles tied together in a pyramid with signage pointing to a village or major destination.  While some canals are lined with trees and farmland, other canals are in open lagoon areas.  The flat landscape of the lagoons, scattered with poles near and far can be rather disorienting, especially when the boat has no compass and no chart-plotter; you must rely on the canal maps, which are not always the most accurate.  There is no depth sounder onboard the vessel for negotiating water depths of 2 to 5 feet, so it’s anyone’s guess as to the actual depth.  Groundings are not uncommon among the numerous shallow areas during low tide.  While canal boats are flat-bottom vessels with a shallow draft built to negotiate the rivers and canals of the area, sand and mud can shift into mounds in unexpected places.  Wind and current can quickly sweep you over a mound, which we soon discovered in a shallow area along the Cialisia Canal. 

Fish Houses dot the islands of the lagoon

Fortunately, we were able to back off the mud and continue on our way through the lagoon towards Grado. 

Fish House

On the way we passed numerous “fish houses,” adorable summer homes with thatched roofs located on many of the small islands in the open lagoon. 

Huge Fish Nets are often seen over the canals

After negotiating some scenic canals, passing under large fish nets, and making our way through the channels of the expansive lagoon, we arrived at the lovely town of Grado on the Adriatic Sea. 

A narrow waterway leads into Grado's boat basin

A narrow waterway, lined with fish boats, is the only access to Grado's boat basin; sometimes there's only inches to space when passing other boats. 

Fishermen tending their nets

Grado (the sunny island) is an exclusive destination for beach tourists with plenty of shops, boutiques, and restaurants to round out an enjoyable stay. 

Beaches are very popular in Europe, including Italy

Like most beaches in Europe, hundreds of beach chairs and umbrellas are all occupied on hot summer days.

Med-moor tie at the marina in Grado

Large towns like Grado offer marinas with a med-moor tie, requiring backing up to a concrete dock or bulkhead and tying-off on rings.  The bow is normally tied-off to port and starboard poles.  At Grado, a buoy is used to secure the bow rather than poles. 

Grado is a modern town with a lovely promenade and numerous fountains

We spent a full day exploring the modern town of Grado and the old, historic section of town. 

The Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Old Town Grado

Old Town is made up of stone houses and churches typical of the architecture of the early Middle Ages.  The oldest church in the town of Grado is a beautiful example of early Christian architecture.  

Simple and austere on the outside, the interiors revel Greek and Celtic marble columns with beautiful capitals and wonderful mosaics. 

Walking through the small courtyards in Old Grado is like going back through the centuries.

Streets and Houses of Old Town Grado

With six people in our group, we spent dinners out, following the lead of the Italians, who enjoy the cool of the evening with good company, good food and good wine.

If you would like more information on Canal Boating in Europe, or to book a canal boat trip for 2019, contact Mark Bunzel, (mark.bunzel@gmail.com) for information and briefings on canal boat trips in France and Italy now being planned.