Grado, a small village with about 9000 inhabitants has a beautiful Old Town center, long sandy beaches and all necessary facilities for yachts within walking distance. During summer and sunny weekends it can be crowded with tourists, still offering a quiet and familiar athmosphere. Since having been there for more than 30 years, it feels like my second home, in particular due to the friendly and supportive people mentioned later on this site.
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ANIMA has her berth in the northern part of the town, in the lagoon aera, next to the traditional shipyard of the brothers Camuffo. It is an ideal place to work on the boat with the car parking directly in front and lots of space to spread out all gear and tools on the pier without fear of theft or bothering the neighours.
Die Gradeser
- Sergio und Alfonso: see shipyard
- Medeot: Bar alla Stazione, the place for a quick welcome drink, coffee, panino caldo or a short chat with the barkeeper Franco.
- Silvano: Owner of the second boatyard, 30m from the berth. Every now and then host of a small "merenda", the typical local light meal and refreshment consisting of vine, bread, cheese, salami, ham, olives...
- Aldo: always friendly carpenter
- The neighbours in the house next to the berth are friendly and helpful and mostly patient and understanding during our frequent jobs with driller, grinder, planer and other noisy tools.
- Bomben: Our breakfast-bar at the old port, next to the gelateria ( ice-cream parlour)
- Crema Gelato: undoubtedly the best ice-cream in town
- Jolly: The takeaway pizza-place is the main source of alimentation for all the friends working on ANIMA. Nikola serves delicious Pizza and crewmembers every now and then get quantity and frequency discount.
Located a few steps off the berth, one of the oldest shipyards in the world, run by the brothers Sergio und Alfonso Camuffo in the 18th generation (since 1450!). Every spring some time around Easter ANIMA ist being hauled out, cleaned and freshly painted below and above the waterline. Hard work is frequently interrupted by Sergio serving coffee, snacks and
sometimes grilled seafood.
Serigi: The modern shipyard in Aquileia is also a well-assorted chandlery. Stefano and Vincenzo provide us with all necessary nautical equipment. And sometimes it is possible to take an interesting look into the workshops where luxury 70-footers are being built.
Maria und Gabriele from Ravello run a superb pizzeria in Cervignano.
