A Week in Venice - Day 4
None of our guests were in the habit of paddling 4-5 hours each day, so on the fourth day we took the first half day off. We agreed to meet, ready to launch, at three.
Some went into Venice to see a bit of the city by foot, while others ventured to the beaches of the Lido di Venezia which are among some of the best in Italy.
The two girls in the group wanted to practise rescue manoeuvres, so we saw them over to the 16th century Sant’Andrea fortress just across from the camping, where they had a few hours of training for themselves.
The rest of us launched shortly after three and paddled over to the girls, before we continued toward the destination for the afternoon: Murano.
Murano is a small island just north of Venice, famous for its glass works. They have been on the island since the 13th century, when they were banned in Venice proper and ordered to move to Murano. Venice was most built of wood at that time, and the risk of fires were high, so the glass furnaces were moved to Murano.
The glass works are mostly located on the south and east side of the island. There the predominant winds could be used to feed the furnaces.
We paddled north of the Vignole islands and around some barene and mud banks towards Murano, where we arrived at the entrance to the main canal of the islands. There are only a handful of canals on Murano, and we paddled down the largest, up the western side to a smaller canal, back down to the centre of the island.
General giddiness struck again as a member of the decided Murano was just the right place to practise paddling side saddle.
We stopped at the church of San Donà. Founded in the 7th century, the current church is from the 11th century, and it is quite a beauty.
We moored all the kayaks besides a bridge to take a walk around the island. We agreed to meet again at six by the boats, before Jes and I followed the group down to where most of the glass works and souvenir shops are. Some went shopping for glass, some went sight-seeing and I went to the supermarket for more water and fruit 
Time is relative in Italy, and people adjust surprisingly quickly, so starting at six people came slowly back to the boats, with the best adjusted at least half an hour later, so it was close to seven before we were on our way again.
Luckily we had only a very short paddle to the Vignole islands, where the restaurant for the evening was. It is a local, family run place, accessible only by boat. Their parking lot is a pier, and you eat outside in a garden. They specialise in fresh fish from the lagoon and vegetables grown just behind the restaurant.
They have quite a choice, so while people considered, we ordered antipasti for all. We got three large plates, one with several kinds of baby octopus and squid, one with various kinds of local vegetables, and one with a very local speciality, sarde e scampi in saor. Saor is a sweet and sour sauce with raisins, pine seeds and lots and lots of lightly fried onions. When we had worked our way through those dishes, everybody was full, so we went directly from antipasti to dessert.
At the point it was getting dark, and suddenly it started to rain lightly, so we moved under a canopy. Good thing too, because shortly after we had a Venetian thunderstorm right over our heads. We fetched coffee and cake inside, running under the rain, while another group in the restaurant put on some music and started to dance the tango.
The thunderstorm passed, and the horizon cleared as fast as it had darkened. We had been close to call off the remainder of the days programme, but as the sky cleared and the stars returned, we decided to go through with it anyway.
We went back to the boats, put on our head lamps and strapped coloured light to our backs, before we started to paddle towards Venice through the dark lagoon. I had a flashing beacon on my back - somebody compared me favourably with a Christmas tree - and led the way.
Thunderstorm in mind, we followed the walls of the Arsenale instead of crossing directly towards San Michele, the cemetery island. At Sacca della Misericordia we paddled down to the Canal Grande, which we followed slowly downstream.
Paddling at night in Venice is a very special experience. The city is very quiet, few boats and only a vaporetto every 20 minutes, and most of the palaces are illuminated.
We reached the old markets before Rialto, where there are always people hanging around. The markets are a bit like the Spanish Steps in Rome, there’s always somebody.
At Rialto we stopped for a while to fully absorb the spectacle.
Like an Italian dinner, a night paddle in Venice has to be consumed slowly, without haste, taking all the time needed, enjoying each bite fully before considering the next. Rush it and ruin it.
The Canal Grande has been called the most beautiful street in the world, and it is not exaggerated. It is such an incredible place, but by day it is hard to fully appreciate it because it is so busy. By night it really shines.
We slowly almost drifted along the palaces and the moored gondolas towards St. Mark’s. There we stopped again, as always inside the gondala enclosure, for another digestive break.
The square of St. Mark, with the Doge’s Palace, the church and the campanile, and the two ancient columns with St. George killing the dragon and the lion of St. Mark, it one of the wonders of the world, and it is a rare occurrence having it almost to yourself.
From St. Mark’s we paddled along Riva dei Schiavoni, the Biennale gardens and Sant’Elena. The only boats we met were some empty and dark vaporetti on the way home for the night. Many vaporetti have their night stations at the gardens.
From Sant’Elena we followed the briccole towards Certosa and Sant’Andrea, for the final crossing to San Nicola, the camping, a hot shower and a warm sleeping bag.
Paolo, the owner of the camping, greeted us on the road where we came in, looking very relieved. The thunderstorm had passed San Nicolò as well, only later, and Paolo had expected us back a lot earlier because of that.
