10 Questions for Kayaking in Venice from our Guides
Kayaking through the lagoon of Venice is truly a memorable experience. Over 10 years of paddling through the Venetian lagoon our guides have loads of information and experiences traveling by kayak in Venice. We asked our Guide/Founder Rene and Guide Giovanni 10 questions for kayaking in Venice.
They shared with us some amazing answers that we hope will inform, inspire, excite and ultimately make you laugh from their perspective as kayak experts in Venice.
Without further ado, 10 questions and 20 answers from Team Venice Kayak!
1. Why should people go kayaking in Venice?
2. What is the craziest thing you saw while kayaking?
3. Is it really tough to kayak in Venice?
4. What happens when you need to pee in your kayak?
5. What was your best kayaking experience in Venice?
6. What is your favorite place in the lagoon to kayak to?
7. If you could have one famous actor or actress on your Kayak tour who would you like to welcome?
8. If you had only one album you could play on your kayak tour, what would it be?
9. Where and what is your favorite restaurant in the lagoon?
10. Coke vs Pepsi?
1. Why should people go kayaking in Venice?
Because a kayak it is the boat type in which they’re the most likely to have a good experience. A kayak can be handled by almost anybody, even complete novices, in calm conditions. It has been said (but I don’t know by whom) that in a kayak you can do it 90% wrong and still move forwards. In comparison it’ll take weeks just to get the basics of Venetian rowing right.
Rene
Guide/Founder
Kayaks are the most manageable and safest means of cruising in the Venice lagoon, it is also an ecological and silent means of transportation, therefore it is perfect for visiting and observing nature without damaging it.
Giovanni
Guide
2. What is the craziest thing you saw while kayaking?
Back when we did evening tours after dark, while paddling back behind the Certosa island, a huge fish jumped out of the water and finished,probably unexpectedly, in a kayak. It ended on the spray-skirt, wriggling ferociously, in front of a girl of maybe 10 years, who was in a double with her mother. She wasn’t too pleased. Actually, she screamed like she’d been attacked by a Martian. At first we all laughed, but after a while I realised that she was in deep distress, or rather, in total panic mode. I moved over to remove the fish, but it was very slippery, and slid under her life-jacket, peeking out just under her chin, while wriggling desperately for its life. The girl was screaming even louder, while the others cried laughing. After a while I got hold of the fish with both hands and tossed it back in the water. It was about the length of my forearm, and must have weighed a couple of kilos. We were only a few hundred meters from the beach where we got out. The girl calmed down a bit, as we removed the fish scales from her spray-skirt and PFD. I don’t think the poor girl has ever forgotten the experience of nature unexpectedly up close. If she’s tried to forget it, I’m quite sure her family won’t have let her. My hearing has never really recovered from the experience.
Rene
Guide/Founder
We ourselves have been fascinated by kingfishers among the canals of Venice and its lagoon, or seeing the ibis that observe you together with dozens of birds, but once a friend was hit on the PFD by a fish and frankly we have been laughing at it together for years.
Giovanni
Guide
3. Is it really tough to kayak in Venice?
No, it is really easy, especially in the lagoon which is a sheltered body of water. It is tough in tough conditions, and novices should overestimate their capabilities. The sea doesn’t suffer a fool easily. However, in the lagoon with an experienced local coach it is perfectly doable for almost everybody.
Rene
Guide/Founder
The difficult thing is not to go kayaking, but to orient yourself, meaning to know the rules and to be aware that the weather that can change rapidly. Sure, it can be tiring, but if you are in good physical shape and do at least 5K steps a day you will have no problem doing any of our tours.
Giovanni
Guide
4. What happens when you need to pee in your kayak?
You stop somewhere, and get out to pee. Unless you’re out in really challenging conditions it will almost always be possible. If it is not possible, it can often be done safely by sitting on a paddle between two kayaks. There are several ways of making very stable rafts of two or more kayaks, which can then be used to all sorts of purposes, even on water emergency repair of a boat or first aid for somebody hurt or sick. At worst, you pee in the boat and wash it afterwards.
Rene
Guide/Founder
It is certainly easier for males, just an empty bottle. But you can safely get off and find the right place by following the instructions of the guide.
Giovanni
Guide
5. What was your best kayaking experience in Venice?
Paddling the city canals by night is a mesmerising experience, but unfortunately it is not possible any more.
Rene
Guide/Founder
Being able to drive daily your kayak having the opportunity to admire what surrounds us without the rush and frenzy that pervades our times, follow the natural rhythm and live a unique and intimate experience.
Giovanni
Guide
6. What is your favorite place in the lagoon to kayak to?
Burano. It is a fantastic paddle through some of the few remaining areas of pristine barene (tidal salt marshes), and Burano is a beautiful place to stop for lunch and a walk about.
Rene
Guide/Founder
The salt marshes, the islands rich in history and certainly places that are off the beaten track of mass tourism.
Giovanni
Guide
7. If you could have one famous actor or actress on your Kayak tour who would you like to welcome?
On my tours everybody is welcome and I will do my best to give them a fantastic and memorable experience, regardless of fame, age, sex, colour, religion or political beliefs. For all I know, I might even have had famous people on kayaking tours, because I don’t ask personal questions. Behind this is the fact that I don’t follow pop culture much, and I would have a hard time even naming, much less recognising anybody famous. Chances are that I won’t have seen their movies or shows.
Rene
Guide/Founder
Probably, any actress or famous actor! However, they would prefer to have a private tour to have more privacy, it costs only 50% more Just joking. However, it would be welcomed as for all our customers by our staff with the friendliness, professionalism and kindness that distinguish us.
Giovanni
Guide
8. If you had only one album you could play on your kayak tour, what would it be?
The birds will sing for you if you don’t disturb them.
Rene
Guide/Founder
We strongly advise against listening to music while kayaking as the guide may need to issue peremptory orders for your safety: safety first without any compromise.
Giovanni
Guide
9. Where and what is your favorite restaurant in the lagoon?
I always go to a small family run trattoria on Burano, on the main street, but for some reason it doesn’t seem to have a name.
Rene
Guide/Founder
It depends on the destination, if we are in Burano we have a lot of decent choices, if we are in Sant’Erasmo there is a restaurant, perhaps a little Spartan, but truly Venetian and frequented almost exclusively by Venetians and our customers.
Giovanni
Guide
10. Coke vs Pepsi?
Prosecco! We’re in Venice. It’s better for your teeth too.
Rene
Guide/Founder
The best drink is water, perhaps with mineral salts and sugar, keep in mind that there are no refrigerators in the kayak so after a while you would enjoy your soft drink hot.