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Learn to sail a traditional boat
28-4-2014
 Among the events hosted by the city of Marseilles in 2013 to mark its distinction as the European Capital of Culture was a week-long festival in November to publicise the Memoire des Ports de Mediterranee competition and select the winners. This international competition has been organised since 2011 by the Mediterranean Maritime Heritage Federation to encourage port administrations to value their cultural inheritance and make port activities better understood by the communities that live alongside them. The cultural history of the host city, Marseilles, is perhaps longer and richer than any other Mediterranean port, reaching back several thousand years to the Classical era when Greek and Roman vessels came to the ancient harbour of Massalia with cargoes from all over the known world.
An international jury worked through a list of 26 entries and drew up a list of fifteen finalists, each of which was invited to present its portfolio and demonstrate its commitment to maritime heritage and culture. There were two separate entries from different administrations in the host city, Marseilles. But the jury concluded that the Grand Prix should be awarded to the port of Cesenatico on Italy’s Adriatic coast. In a message read at the award ceremony on 23 November, the Mayor of Cesenatico, Roberto Buda, paid tribute to several organisations which had worked together to promote all aspects of maritime culture including seafood cookery in and around Cesenatico. Foremost among these is the Museo della Marineria , the lively maritime museum close to the harbour where, in the summer months, no less than ten historic sailing vessels from the Venice lagoon and adjacent areas of the Northern Adriatic are displayed afloat and can be boarded by visitors. The Museum sent a strong team of volunteer supporters, led by its director Davide Gnola, to the River Loire Festival in Orleans in September 2013 where the Adriatic sailing boats they sailed on the river made a colourful contribution to Europe’s premier river festival.
The Museo della Marineria is unusual among maritime museums in its devotion to intangible aspects of maritime history and the transmission of traditional seafaring skills to rising generations. The jury in Marseilles particularly commented that Cesenatico already has an established record of public involvement in preserving maritime skills, whereas for other competitors this is still an aspiration for the future. From 12-14 June 2014 the museum will offer a three-day course in traditional seamanship, using two of its floating exhibits (a bragozzo from near Chioggia and a twin-masted trabaccolo sailing freighter). Some of the tuition will be based ashore, with the prospect of up to two days at sea if the weather permits, using traditional instruments for navigation. This will be the sixth such summer school, and only 18 participants can be accepted. The instruction will be led by naval historian and archaeologist Stefano Medas, President of the Italian Institute of Maritime Archaeology and Ethnology (ISTAEN). For those fortunate enough to be accepted the course fee will be €99. For further details, contact the museum at infomusei@cesenatico.it
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