Venetian Gondola
Ride in Channel
Islands Marina
gondola is built with one side slightly
longer than the other to offset
one-sided rowing. Turning into a wind
required getting up enough speed to
complete the turn and allow for the
natural set downwind.
from Fresco II on the wharf. Lunch
while on a row around the canal to
tour the rich abodes, and possibly
famous ones of the area.
My gondolier was Mark Schooling,
owner of Gondola Paradiso, and
nearly a twenty-year veteran of the
trade. He pushed away from the dock
and commenced the rhythmic shuttle
motion with his single oar. There is
more to this than meets the eye. A
The gondolier, Mark, stood in the rear,
or stern, of the boat and used the
single oar on the right side. He never
changed to the left side. A common
joke in the trade is about having to
48
tailor clothing for an overdeveloped
right side. At the prow was a metal
ornamentation to offset the weight
at the stern of our gondolier. Make a
mistake with the boat and this metal
prow will puncture most fiberglass
hulls around the marina.
Banter with my gondolier uncovered
how one gets into the trade. Mark
started out in Balboa, a waterway of
Newport Harbor, California. He was a
PHOTOS BY ALLAN KISSAM
W
e arrived at the public
dock of Channel Islands
Harbor Marina in Oxnard,
California, and I stepped
aboard my personal
yacht. It was mine for about ninety
minutes - a flat-bottomed, black
Venetian rowing boat look-alike,
complete with gondolier who wore a
traditional blue-striped shirt. Shortly,
a bottle of locally produced Ventura
red wine appeared, and a box of pizza
By Allan Kissam