by Brynn Grimley

A little piece of Italy is staking a claim to Gig Harbor Bay, where Croatian fishing fleets have a storied history. "Nelly," an authentic Venetian gondola, made her debut in the Pacific Northwest this month. The black, 36-foot wooden vessel belongs to John Synco.

He launched the boat two weeks ago and has already created a buzz in the maritime city with his rowing and singing. "It's this awesome piece of floating art and history," said Maryanne Philichi, who with her husband, Matt, was among the first people to book a cruise on the gondola.

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Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/