A touch of Venice

Ever snuggled under the stars in a gondola ride for two through the waterways of Venice with its beautiful architecture overhead? Or maybe you just wished you could, but couldn’t afford it.

Thanks to Tyson Davis and Tim Reinard, owners of Sunset Gondolas, there is a reasonable facsimile. Local residents can avoid spending thousands of dollars and enduring a 10-hour flight and still feel like they’re cruising the canals of Venice.

The two gondoliers can be found any night of the week, clad in striped shirts and black pants, conveying guests around Huntington Harbour.

In fact, you may spot them in an authentic Venetian gondola they discovered a friend in Oakland selling online.

Most businesses on the California coast don’t own real gondolas, Davis said.

This boat is as authentic as they get. Built in the oldest boat yard in Venice, the craft, which was constructed in 1991, includes some decorative pieces that are more than 100 years old, Davis said.

“The decorative boards next to the seats date back to 1905,” he said.

Davis and Reinard worked together for more than seven years as gondoliers in Long Beach. They say they learn something new every day.

“[Rowing] is a thousand-year-old technique,” Reinard said. “I call it the good book that doesn’t end, something you can keep learning every day.

“Every stroke is different, the wind is a little different, little subtle varieties.”

Once the two gondoliers decided to purchase the boat, they began the search for a viable location to store it with an office nearby.

They found the perfect spot at Peter’s Landing in Huntington Harbour.

“You dream about it for years while you’re rowing somebody else’s boat around the water,” Davis said. “Then one day it all comes together.”

Sunset Gondolas opened its doors on Aug. 1, and business has been good.

“Without really advertising, we were able to get a lot of business,” Reinard said. “Just paying the rent at first — [with] friends and family [for customers] — and now the word’s gotten out.”

The surrounding architecture may not be as old as what can be found in Venice nor the channels as extensive, but the romance is all there.

Plus, they are working on obtaining two new boats, opera singers, violinists, basically anything guests will crave for a romantic cruise. For now, though, these gondoliers do all the singing.

Bring your own food, but leave all the extras to Davis and Reinard. So come out and see the lights under the moon, or enjoy a warm sunset with someone you want to get close to, Davis said.

Reservations are recommended. Prices begin at $80 for two; the gondola holds a maximum of six people.