Ferrying in July 2018, Part 13, in Venice

Saturday 21st July 2018
On Asterion II

We were all up early this morning ready for our arrival on board ANEK'S ASTERION II, at what the company call Venice.

Venice - but really Fusina

Our view of Venice as we sailed into port

Eurocargo Livorno was also in the industrial area

Asterion II in Fusina


The port is actually in a place called Fusina, which is many many miles away from Venice. In fact some of the skyline sights of that wonderful little city could barely be seen in the far distance. We have been here to this industrial working area before and knew that transport other than cars would be difficult, but this time was far worse. We disembarked and headed with many other passengers for the far distant bus stop beyond some of the security fencing.

There were no shuttle buses, no taxis to be seen, and no buses either, despite the timetable showing their arrival and many of us waiting. In desperation we decided to walk to a small camp site, which was near a water taxi service into what we all know as Venice. That proved to be a mile or two away around quiet lanes but we did it - with no alternative. As we all strode quietly along I heard one of my friends saying "Never again, never again", and I'm certain he meant it.

(Just as a matter of interest, I will quote from a piece in the Autumn 2018 edition of the excellent publication 'Ferry & Cruise Review'.


"Your correspondents have previously lamented the disgraceful state of foot-passenger facilities and processing that now sadly prevails at Italian Adriatic Ports. With capacity expansion in recent years, either the ports themselves have been moved out-of-town, or check-in facilities relocated notable distances away from their original central quaysides. Passengers without vehicles are often forced to traipse back and forth, waiting in uncomfortable holding areas if departing, while, if arriving, often being marooned in out-of-town locations without any reliable public transport connections. Sadly, after a superlative crossing on ASTERION II, we were forced to endure Venice, which is now sadly the worst example possible, with the once majestic arrival past St. Mark's Square replaced with abandonment in an industrial zone, largely disconnected from the public transport network.")


An hour and a half after disembarking, we finally arrived in the little quayside area in Fusina; I noticed with interest the two signs on the fence, one pointing to a bar, the other pointing to the ferry.

A Bar or Ferry decision


There were so many people waiting at the water's edge that one ferry was loaded and sent on its way, before another one came along for us to board via the little pontoon. Hooray, at last we were really on our way to Venice as we know it, on board VE 8777.

Ferry VE 8777


Through the ferry window we could see some of the day's cruise ships in port; we were heading for Zattere.

Cruise ships over there

Map of the area

Adriatic Jet, high-speed catamaran seen on the way


There we changed to another vessel and disembarked at Tronchetto ready to board the METAMAUCO which took us to the Venice Lido. We have a few hours to enjoy in Venice before catching a mid-afternoon train from here to Milan, so we wanted to make the most of it.

Lovely

One ticket to cover all my journeys

Costa Luminosa and MSC Poesia

Rhapsody of the Seas

Costa Luminosa

MSC Sinfonia

Metamauco

On board


The views all round us were fascinating and we noticed the huge crowds of people in St. Mark's Square and all along the waterside. Yet again, here I am in Venice and Following in Father's Footsteps, which is a phrase I am fond of using!

St.Mark's Square

St. Mark's Square & Campanile, Venice, taken 1st October 1930 by my father, whilst on board the Arandora Star as a Junior Engineer

Father's next photograph

The other side, and I've stood there too


Once in the Lido area we disembarked from METAMAUCO and found a shady coffee and ice-cream cafe which occupied our minds happily for some time.

San Nicolo

Walking on board

Coming back again in San Nicolo

Look at those crowds


Another ferry arrived and we travelled back on SAN NICOLO to the main island, to get to the railway station, this time on the Megaride ACTV 40.

One of our last lovely views


We left Venice by train at 3.20 p.m., on a long-distance one which was actually heading for Zurich although we would get off at Milan Centrale. This splendid train had a proper Restaurant Car as well as a Snack Bar, and we were very impressed. The train was full, very comfortable and we were glad of our reserved seats.

A few hours later we arrived in Milan and had time to go for dinner at a local restaurant before catching our overnight sleeper train.

Ships seen: VE 8777 our Fusina ferry to Venice, MSC Poesia, Costa Luminosa, Rhapsody of the Seas, MSC Sinfonia, Metamauco, San Nicolo, Adriatic Jet, ACTV 40


To be concluded...

METAMORPHOSIS: From Liners to Cruise Ships (Part 5, the final one)

Sunday 1st October 2017 (contd.)
Leaving Monfalcone and visiting Venice

After many photographs were taken, we had to head back to the hire car and take to the road again, this time to the fabled city of Venice. We waved farewell to the shipyard, to the eye-catching water tower that somehow managed to survive war damage, the MuCa Museum with its details of the great entrepreneurial Cosulich family, and this delightful part of the Italian coast.

We headed south-west from Monfalcone on the motorway and were soon checking into rooms in a small hotel near Venice Airport; tomorrow we had early flights back to the UK. Once in Venice we bought tickets for the vaporettos,

Venice water routes


and I remembered once being asked if they ran on vapour (that amused me). The blue sky of the morning had clouded over, and things began to look slightly grey and the water more ruffled. Ah well, we were in Venice and that couldn't spoil its charm.

Our destination

Our first vaporetto arriving

Along the route

Metamauco

Carinthia VII (built in 2002)

On the opposite bank

San Giorgio Maggiore far ahead


We sailed along the Guidecca Canal and noticed the Societa Adriatica per Azioni di Navigazione name above one building.

Detail

View ahead to our next stop

Zattere stop

We turned and crossed the water and headed for San Giorgio Maggiore


We stopped frequently along the waterborne route and disembarked at San Giorgio Maggiore, designed by Palladio and built from 1566 to 1610. This is on one of the small islands on the south side of the main island of Venice, with good views of the cruise ships and other local vessels heading out near and far.

This was the view immediately opposite us

So was this bridge

Just a little further along across the water, to our left, was St. Mark's Square and the Campanile


I had time to remember my two days staying in the Cannaregio area of Venice back in September 2015 (see 'More Ferrying in 2015, Part 7'), which was such an enjoyable experience. By coincidence that was the time I took photos from the same places as those taken by my Father when he visited Venice in 1930.

He joined Blue Star Line's NORMANSTAR (travelling to and from the River Plate) in September 1929 as 5th Engineer, worked his way up to 4th Engineer, and then in September 1930 was appointed an Assistant Engineer on the Blue Star Line cruise ship ARANDORA STAR. One of his photographs, also shown on the blog here, he simply called 'Starboard side, Arandora Star Engine Room'.

Yet again I realised I was still Following in Father's Footsteps as I like to call it. The biggest coincidence now is that Father took some photos on 30th September 1930 (I treasure his photograph album and small notebook from his days at sea) but others were taken exactly 87 years ago today, on 1st October 1930, and here I am in Venice on 1st October 2017 taking photographs.

St Mark's Square and the Campanile, viewed by Assistant Engineer Harry Williams on 1st October 1930

Another view by Assistant Engineer Harry Williams on 1st October 1930

Starboard side, Arandora Star Engine Room, by Assistant Engineer Harry Williams


We knew we had a little time before the cruise ships would appear, and luckily there was a small cafe near where we were standing in front of S. Giorgio, so we enjoyed coffee and delicious chocolate cake. Back outside, windproof clothing took care of the outer body and cake and coffee had taken care of the inner and mental well-being. We had seen lots of local vaporettos heading back and forth, saw CARINTHIA VII, APOLLO, tugs at each end of the cruise ships, all with an antique background of the buildings of Venice. St. Mark's Square was just across the water from where we were standing, and we enjoyed seeing the nearby S. Giorgio Orientale lighthouse, one of two on this little island. Its size made for an often interesting comparison with the passing vessels.

Back in the present we could see the huge top of a cruise ship heading along the Canal towards us. The cloud cover overhead became lower and lower, and there was the hint of light rain in the air. MSC MUSICA headed towards, with a tug at bow and stern, and she seemed enormous when viewed against the Venice skyline. She disappeared from sight around the S. Giorgio Orientale lighthouse and we prepared for the next cruise ship to appear.

The next ship was COSTA DELIZIOSA and of course she too looked enormous in these surroundings. The sight of her reminded me of a very short trip made on her in December 2011 (see 'Costa Deliziosa 18th December 2011') when we sailed out of Savona in Italy, and then headed for dry dock in Marseille - an amazing and amusing experience.

The third and final cruise ship of the day was NORWEGIAN STAR, again aided by tugs. Once we had seen her pass the Lighthouse we headed back to the car park on our second vaporetto of the day, ready to drive away from this little gem of a city. We found a local restaurant which was warm and welcoming, and an excellent end to our day.

Ships seen:

In Monfalcone: MSC Seaside, MSC Sea View, Spes of Grimaldi, Grande Detroit of Grimaldi,

In Venice: Metamauco, Carinthia VII, MSC Musica, Costa Deliziosa, Norwegian Star, 2 vaporettos, other local vessels

Monday 2nd October 2017
Today meant an early alarm call. We drove back to Venice Airport to return the hire car, and checked in for flights home to the UK. Again I was treated to a visit to the BA Guest Lounge by my travelling companion, which was much appreciated.

The weekend had been fascinating and full of comparisons. The visit to the Fincantieri Shipyard in Monfalcone was an unexpected treat thanks to Maurizio Eliseo. The Metamorphosis Exhibition in Monfalcone was interesting and well worth visiting. There we saw the various books on sale including Maurizio's latest publication about Cunard's QUEEN ELIZABETH; we learned that his next book would be the story of the Cosulich family's greatest ships: SATURNIA and VULCANIA. Again, this is being translated into English by the maritime author Anthony Cooke. The short visit to the old Fish Market in Trieste and experiencing the virtual reality headset was fun.

The next day we visited the MuCa exhibition, which included models, and a memorable crane simulator; there was time after that to find good locations to take photographs of MSC SEASIDE and MSC SEA VIEW in the shipyard. Then it was off to Venice to try and photograph the cruise ships as they left the port in the ancient city. I found it nostalgic to remember my previous visits to the little city, and that feeling of 'Following in Father's Footsteps' as I photographed similar views to those he had photographed way back in 1930. It is stranger still to think that he photographed sights on 1st October 1930 in Venice and I was photographing sights on 1st October 2017.

I feel very fortunate in what I have been able to do. Once again I like to think I took the opportunity to SEAS THE DAY.