Ships and one train of the Aegean

Hi, My wife and I went on a cruise from Venice, Italy to Istanbul, Turkey via the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia and a number of Greek Islands in the latter half of June. I thought I would share some of the vessels and the one train I saw. This is our ship, the Aegean Odyssey, moored outside the harbor of Naxos in Greece. She carries about 380 passengers and displaces almost 12,000 tons; very small by today's standards.

We boarded our ship in Venice. It was docked along the Canale della Giudecca where the next 3 images were made. The first 2, of the tug and the passenger and vehicle ferry, were taken from the ship.


The final image in Venice shows a large, ocean going ferry navigating the canal. I believe the tug at the rear is to assist the ship in steering in the confined spaces of the canal.

Our first stop in Croatia was Rovinj. As we left our bus in preparation for taking the tender back to the ship this switcher showed up with two flat cars in tow. It was the only train I was able to photograph during the trip.

From Rovinj we sailed to Zadar where we tied up at a dock. Here is a fishing boat.

At this point in our trip we began to see more large ferries designed for travel of longer distances over more open waters.



At Split we again tied up at a dock. A smaller cruise ship was moored across the dock.

Again, ocean going ferries were common.

Our ship after dark.

A rather menacing looking, I thought, black yacht was tied up behind us in Korkula. Wonder what it costs. Oh well, I know I can't afford it.

Our first Greek port was Corfu where this tug was tied up at the dock. Its appearance is very different from the tug in Venice and the ones I saw a few months earlier in Amsterdam.


The variety of ferries is increasing. This one is double ended but has a sort of prow,

while this one has its deck house at the rear and appears to have an open area for the vehicles.

These ocean going ferries are on the small side.


We docked in 2 different harbors along the island of Crete. In the first one there were tugs tied up directly behind us.

In the second one a Greek research vessel was right next to us.

Santorini was a highlight. Here is a tourist charter boat taken from our tender,

and another style of ferry at the dock. This one loads from the rear and has a very small deck house at the rear.

I think this is a small inter island passenger and freight vessel.

The Golden Prince, a small cruise ship, arrived a few hours after we did and moored near by. Mooring is to buoys anchored to the bottom here as it is too deep for standard anchors.

Santorini also attracted the wealthy.

Apparently this ship in Naxos carries only trucks.

This ship is a vehicle carrying catamaran. I think it may be the only one I saw.

At the last island in Greece, Lemnos, we saw not ships. From there we sailed to the Dardanelles, on our way to our final destination of Istanbul. This is a narrow strait connecting the Aegean Sea
with the Sea of Marmara. This empty container ship is bound for Istanbul and possibly the Caspian Sea via the Bosporus.
Istanbul has a variety of ferries operating from ferry terminals along the Golden Horn, an inlet off the Bosporus. This vehicle and passenger ferry is just below the Haggai Sophia, built as a church, converted to a Mosque, and now a museum.

Most of the ferries were for passengers only.



Here a container ship is navigating the Bosporus.





I hope you enjoyed the photos.