We entered Albania by seaway as horizon was starting to glow orange, 11.2 nm south of light Ulcinj with a sail cruising speed of 6.9 knots. The wind was a perfect for the 50 sm passage from Bar to Durres, the largest port in Albania.
It was a great night ride through the adriatic sea at max cruising speed. All of us had there life vests with security belts fastened on center cockpit railing.
We all went early to bed to get up at 1am. After a short sleep we lifted up the anchor and motored a sea mile out into the black sea. The sky was clear and the stars above glowing to us down.
Uwe and Willi where standing at the bow with their torches looking out for small fisher buoys. Once all was clear and out enough in the sea we raised the mainsail in the 2nd reef and unfurled after a while the genoa sail also strongly reefed. The north east wind had arrived 24 knots blowing in the perfect direct for our journey through the Gulf of Drin.
After a few cuppa black teas with milk and delicious coconut chocolate cookies the morning light started to appear along the Albanian coastline shortly before 5am.
20 Minutes later the sun rose above the horizon, which was a special moment to whiteness in open waters.
We sailed through to Durres arriving at Albanians largest port at 12.00 noon.
To have all customs cleared you need an agent to organise the local bureaucratic. Llambi reacted frankly to our email inquiry a few hours before and made us an offer with berth place in the harbour. A single berth was free and we where pleased to have a place in this industrial harbour.
Llambi appeared promptly after our arrival and gave us useful tips what to see. He was a former marine surveyor with profound experience about customs. We where very pleased not to run about and make translations for this procedure. At the end of the very friendly discussion’s I asked him about the costs and he replied that all together he charges 100 Euros with the marina berth fee, bathrooms, free water, electricity and wifi! What a good deal we thought and accepted his kind offer.
Now it was time for a afternoon’s nap and shower before we headed into Durres town. We woke up later in the hot afternoon at 38 degrees outside temperature and after that a cool and reliefing shower refreshing.
At 5pm we left the marina to the main road with high fences. Llambi advised us to take the pedestrian bridge half a mile further down to cross the main road and enter the city centre of Durres. On the way all was high fenced with bars to protect the port area with all the containers in this huge area. Walking up the pedestrian bridge we had a magnificent view and could spot our tiny marina with masts of the yachts and adjacent the huge ferries passaging to Italy, Greece.
Before we reached the end of the passage we had to walk through an unattended security checkpoint. By opening the swinging doors an other world opened to us. High rise buildings in plattenbau style with local takeaways, bars, phone shops, hairdressers and so on.
On shady walkways we headed to the famous amphitheatre, passing several shoe and exclusive boutique‘s, coffee bars in the hot streets of Durres city. We finally arrived and walked up to overview the „ludii gladiatorii“ amphitheater, imaging how competitions have been held out.
