Greece 2012 Part 2
Kriti II leaving Venice
Wednesday 29th August 2012 (contd.)
Check in was quick and we were soon on board ANEK’s KRITI II, ready to leave luggage and start looking round. There were two ramps for vehicles and a separate one for foot passengers. We were to sail at 6 p.m. from Venice, with two nights on board, before arriving in Patras. Sailing out from Venice was just delightful: ORIENT QUEEN was berthed in a nearby cut, various expensive-looking private yachts were moored, as was Star Clippers’ ROYAL CLIPPER, and several of the local ferries were coming back into the city from the Lagoon at Lido di Jessolo.
On our ship we were all enjoying the great expanse of the open deck and the sights of the city from the teak rails. Some passengers were setting up their tents ready to camp on deck for the two nights’ journey south-east to Patras, pets had been put into the Dog Village or settled under steamer chairs for shade from the heat (28C), the deck bars were open for refreshments, and two ANEK men were hammering away at a piece of equipment on deck for a while. There was constant movement below on the water everywhere we looked. Back near the causeway we could see several local ferries all berthed together.
The Whatever of the Seas cruise ship must have left well before we sailed at 6 p.m. as she was nowhere in sight. Our passage through the lagoon was mesmerising in that ‘golden hour’ before dusk and totally absorbing as we headed towards the open sea.
KRITI II was built as a ferry in 1979 in Japan at 27,239 tons to carry 870 passengers, and named NEW YUKARI; the Japanese influence could be seen in the metallic domed ceiling in the Lounge over the dance floor, and in the pair of curved staircases leading down to the Reception area – a Grand Descent in miniature. She was sold to ANEK in May 1996, and currently runs from Venice – Igoumenitsa – Corfu – Patras and back.
Dinner was enjoyed in the Dining Room with an excellent choice of food, and wine from the Peloponnese islands. The ship’s clocks had been set to Greek time as we sailed from Venice so we were now two hours ahead of British Summer Time.
Ships seen: Water taxis, Alilaguna airport water taxi, gondolas, Kriti II, Orient Queen, Carinthia VII, yachts Tatooshe and Hermitage, Star Clippers’ Royal Clipper, Lido di Venezia, Poveglia, Torcello, and dozens of other vessels
To be continued....
