The Future of Gig Harbor Gondola

Ciao a tutti.

I’ve always wanted to start a blog for the business. I guess now is a good time. Beginning Oct. 1, 2025 Gig Harbor Gondola will return to a one-man, one-boat operation. This means Double Gondola rides are no longer available and reservable times and days will be limited. Currently, bookings are closed for October through December 2025. Reservations will resume Oct. 1.

I initially started the company in 2015 to have the freedom to create my own schedule in order to work around the needs of my family. By 2019 I was so busy that when an old friend contacted me and asked if he should move up and join me, I jumped at the opportunity and said yes. I was curious and decided I should explore the process of growing the business beyond one man and his boat.

With Greg joining I was able to have a second gondola shipped out from Venice. For 6 years we rowed as many people as we physically could. Adding the second boat was still not enough to handle the amount of people that wanted to experience a ride. We did our best.

After over 23 years of rowing, 10 years of rowing Gig Harbor and 6 years of a partnership, I’ve come to believe that the passion for the job must remain strong in order for Gig Harbor Gondola to exist. My plan from the start has been to grow old on the back of a gondola. I’ll row until I can’t balance anymore. In order to do that I need to love what I do.

It will be tough reverting back to the days of apologizing to people because I don’t have the availability, but I will continue to row as much as I can for as long into the future as possible. Unfortunately for some of you it will become an experience not so easily reserved, because the available days and times might be booked up (I can only row so many in a day), or I might be enjoying time with my family, or maybe it’s time for boat maintenance and the gondola is out of the water. Please plan to book as early as possible. If you don’t see the days and times that you want please understand that I wish I could accommodate you, but I’m probably already busy rowing or not available those days.

Thank you all so much for your support over the years. I look forward to seeing you on the water.

 Sincerely,

 John “Cinque” Synco