The first warning siren sounded at 5.30am, but none of us knew what it was and we ignored it and went back to sleep.  An hour later, we heard it again – it doesn’t sound like an emergency siren but we realised it meant something.  We looked out of the window and saw six inches of water in the street – acqua alta.  The water steadily rose over the next couple of hours until high tide at 9am.  We watched people sloshing past in knee high water.  It came in the door and we had our own private pool in the apartment foyer. Luckily we are another level up.  Ian found the pool a convenient place to wash his o-shoes still bearing Turkish mud.

Shoe bath

We had no idea what the orienteering organisers would do in these circumstances, there was no information on the website.  So at 10.30, Ian ventured out to see how things were on Strada Nova (the “main” street).  He reported back that some parts were dry, some parts were only a couple of inches under, and others were still quite deep.  And it was cold.

With our start times looming it was now or never, so Ian and I decided to brave the elements and set off.  No acqua alta is going to deter the Legends of StreetO when there are controls at stake!  Thanks Chiara for suggesting we take “tardi” start times – it was the right choice after all, as the first starters would have been running in the worst of the flooding.

Legends of StreetO undeterred by a minor aquatic inconvenience

We picked our way through the streets, some still quite under water.  We started to see orienteers on their courses, splashing along looking like they were enjoying themselves.  We stopped to film some at a “water feature” that was well and truly surrounded by water!  We noticed the busiest shops were the ones selling gum boots, a Venetian fashion statement.

Water feature

When we got to the event centre we found out that the organisers had very sensibly thrown out the start list and we could start whenever we liked.  No sense in waiting around getting cold so off we went.  There was a long queue at the start tent but by 12.25 Ian and I were both on our way.

The courses were much the same as yesterday but the map scale was 1:7500 and there was more route choice, so I spent a lot more time closely studying the map.  For the first third, there were hardly any people around, just other orienteers, but still lots of water to negotiate.  Then the streets gradually emptied of water only to be replaced by tourists emerging in their home made plastic boots.

Near the end I had a route choice that took me straight across Piazza San Marco.  Who could resist?  Uh oh, bad idea, it was still almost knee deep.  I provided entertainment for the tourists, safe on their duckboards, as I waded across.

I really enjoyed my run under unique conditions, I navigated well and was counting off the last few controls wishing there were more.  Although as I battled along the waterfront into a blustering head wind to the final control and finish I remember thinking “this is not the mental picture I had in mind – where is the sunshine and the cheering crowds?” Oh well, Ian was there to welcome me back.

The results – 32^nd out of 66, so bang in the middle of the field, and my best result of the holiday.  Would have been even quicker if I hadn’t swum across San Marco.  Ian was 22^nd, just outside the top 20 in a field of 97 finishers, so an excellent result.  Would have been even quicker if he hadn’t run back to check the final control which was numbered as 150 on the control and 100 on the condes. Pete was 39th out of 50.

After a long queue to download, change sopping clothes and eat a quick lunch, we finished off the afternoon back in tourist mode.  Doges Palace (over the top opulent), Basilica San Marco and the top of the Campanile.  Returned to do our washing only to create another acqua alta in the bathroom. Sigh …

Not today’s map – but not dissimilar

Our apartment is out there somewhere

Arrivederci Venice, on to Rome tomorrow, our final stop.

PS just read a news article that said at 149 cm, this was the 6th highest acqua alta on record! Last time it reached “code red” was December 2008. And more predicted tomorrow.