Wellenlaufer
Living in Northern Italy (near Venice, Austria, and Croatia)
At left, sunset from the riverbank on the Aussa River in Cervignano del Friuli, Italy
Above, the riverbank where Wellenlaufer currently is located. She can be seen in the background.
Rainbow over marina.
It's a small rustic marina that is 5 miles by water from the Adriatic Sea located on the River Aussa. The river originates as an underground river out of the Italian Alps. It surfaces only a few miles from the marina and passes through the "village" of Cervignano in the province of Friuli. Where the Aussa enters the Adriatic it is 5 miles by water one way to Grado or 5 miles the other to Lignano. Both of these are summer vacation spots for Italians, Germans and Austrians. You never see a bus of "tourists," but you see many people. As a result, English is not as prominently spoken here as it is in the more touristy parts of Italy.
The marina is located on the banks of this river. It is about 90 ft wide at this point with a current running from as high as 2.5 knots during ebb tide to almost a standstill as the tide comes in. There is a three-foot tide here. There are perhaps 30 boats in a single row in the water and another 50 or so on the hard. It's a working marina with many owner projects ongoing. Across from the boats are green trees and brush and farmland. The river runs a constant 50 degrees Fahrenheit year around. In the distance you can see the Alps. It's a quiet spot that is walking distance to town and - perhaps 50 restaurants, several groceries, 3 gelato stores, 2 banks, the city library and the train depot. At last count there were 2 American and 1 Scottish boat in addition to German, Austrian, and Italian ones.
This is a very "couple" friendly place. Many couples (male/female) come from many countries to this marina for several weeks of the summer, or for long weekends. In the small marinas that I have been in the U.S., there is generally a shortage of women. Not here.
In short - It's a good place to make home base for your adventure to Italy. Even without a car, it's not isolated. A short walk or bike trip gets you access to needs as well as to all of Italy or Europe or the world via the bus and train stations. Trieste is less than 20 miles with its international airport. The marina operator speaks good English and appears to like Americans and you have the support and help of a small "American" community. Even the banks are familiar with American currency.
This is an exceptional boat.
What your are going to get free is a marina and an Italy to fall in love with. It will also come pretty user friendly. (We offer you that whether we sell you the boat or not).
But first let me tell you some other things:
1. I know I will NOT do the task of telling you about this part of Italy or about the marina adequately. I am not skilled enough to do that. The long and short of it is that we will be back - again and again. I fell in love.
2. I am 77 and of Norwegian, English, German extraction, born and raised in central Wisconsin. Janet is younger of German, English and Scottish extraction born and raised in a small town in central Illinois. We do not speak Italian but are learning just a little. (Jan is learning much faster than I am) We both have college educations (as adults).
3. While I have sailed for 40 years or so, I am not an experienced blue water sailor, having only rarely been out of sight of land. Janet has learned to love the water only recently.
4. We like to eat out.
5. We are both history buffs, Janet more than I am.
6. We are not shoppers.
7. We are not fans of tourist spots. If it's something everyone goes to see, we will probably avoid it.
8. And we like the amenities and entertainment that cities of about 150,000 population and up offer.
Cervignano del Friuli central plaza
The trimaran that is usually docked behind us.
At an island near Porto Busso
A friend's boat anchored near the mouth of the
River Aussa