The Port

As the size of tall ships being built in the period grew ever larger, the earlier Venetian port proved inadequate to cater for rigged vessels, later superseded by steamships. The shallow harbour floor prevented large ships from approaching; this problem was exacerbated by the lack of a protective harbour wall of any size. North winds and storms constantly filled the harbour basin with large quantities of sand, calling for constant, laborious dredging operations, though these were only rarely carried out. Large ships were thus forced to tie up at the quay on the island of Dia, whence goods and passengers would be rowed to the town in large tenders.