My intention had been to sail the Albanian Coast as far as Montenegro and Beyond. To legally complete the journey I had done in Checkmate all those years ago.
This time luck was again against me as the weather persisted from the North. This made Sarande the perfect anchorage. I am too old and wise to battle the elements without good reason as a solo sailor.
I did manage part of the sail as far as Palermos (where the photos of one of many of Ali Pasha's Castles was taken. Although a pretty heat shaped promontory, this anchorage proved a bit dodgy to me with hard rock bottom - not good holding and not enough swinging room in the small cove. After dark I decided to seek a better anchorage and headed further up the bay. A fish farm was between me and the anchorage - oh what fun at night. I dodged that and ended up against a very agricultural concrete dock. A German couple took my lines and with hastily arranged fenders I spent the night safely against the wharf. The huge, active cockroaches on the dock were far from inspiring and I sprayed my lines with an Albanian pesticide that would be illegal anywhere else in the world except Thailand. The lines still smell after a heavy drenching of rain a few nights later.
The next day, I attempted to go North, but it was uncomfortable with wind and swell against me, so I turned around and anchored at Gjiri I Spiles for the afternoon. A little rolly, but pleasant bay with lots of dayboats taking tourists out. The wind continued to be favourable, so I decided Sarande would be more sheltered in these conditions and had a wonderful sail back to Sarande, passing the U Boat entrance and old fortifications.
I was approaching the Sarande anchorage at 9pm, and trying to locate a light that indicates a large shallow patch extending out from the habour. At that time a police patrol boat passed close by me going the other way. I thought his direction was strange as the police dock is close to my anchorage, so I checked the chart. Sarande has two anchrages - One the superyachts generally use, and the other us by ferries, superyachts and small yachts checking in to Albania. I was between the two in a channel that rapidly ends with shallow rock. I turned 180 degrees and followed the police boat. Phew. Locating the light I had been looking for earlier, I turned for the anchorage. Lesson learned.
Anchoring, I ended up a bit close to a catamaran who had shifted to where I had been anchored previously. How dare he take my spot. So, with two more attempts to get a good holding, I eventually settled and am still here some days later.
The better part of cruising
Trevor and Robertina anchored behind me early the next morning. Trevor (US) and Robbie (Croatian) - watching had dived and freed my anchor a few days earlier. We went out to a pizza restaurant they were heading for before diving on the anchor. 3 large pizzas, 4 large beers and soft drinks in a restaurant overlooking the harbour cost less than NZ$55.00
Security here is great. We tie our dinghys to the Police dock and enter the town through immigration. No queuing. There is an air of satisfaction as we pass the day trippers who are all having their passports checked coming and going. Immigration is open 24/7 and we come and go as we please with no public access.
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