We cleared out of Albania in Sarande with a agent in a record time of 1 hour including a short provisions stop at a nearby grocery store. 10sm further south we anchored in the shoal Butrint estuary next to a modern twin masted sailing yacht under Saint Vincent and the Grenadines flag. All sails with electrical winches and in the stern a huge bathing platform with technical storage compartment.
Next morning we motored up the Butrint river in our dinghy 2.5 Km stream upwards. After a short while it was very shallow and the 2.5 hp motor started to struggle. The propeller was stirring up the muddy seabed chopping seagrass. By tilting the motor a few times the seagrass flung off gaining normal speed again.
By approaching the old river ferry we reached the Butrint national park entrance.
With 9 hectares of hilly terrain surrounded by freshwater lakes, wetlands, salt marshes, open plains, the parks archaeological site provides valuable remains of ancient civilisations.
Inhabited since prehistoric times 50‘000 BC, Butrint has been the site of a Greek colony 800 BC, a Roman city 44 BC and a bishopric. Following a period of prosperity under Byzantine administration, then a brief occupation by the Venetians 1400 AC, the city was abandoned in the late Middle Ages after marshes formed in the area.
The present archaeological site is a repository of ruins representing each period in the city’s development.
The marshland with a local fishers hut.
The captain Martin & sailors Uwe, Willy
Butrint bay area with two lonesome sailing yachts.
Back on the boat we set sails and zig zagged across the channel between Corfu and Albania with good speeds down to one of the last Albanian bays before the Greece border.
The next morning we had only 4sm to Corfu city where we had to clear in at customs. In the middle of the passage Uwe removed the Albanian 🇦🇱 host country flag and set the Greece 🇬🇷 flag.
Shortly after 11am we arrived in the old fisherman’s Port, Corfu. After that begann the marathon with the greek customs and port authority’s.
In total we covered 421 nm in 15 days on sea and the following statistics:
Next morning we motored up the Butrint river in our dinghy 2.5 Km stream upwards. After a short while it was very shallow and the 2.5 hp motor started to struggle. The propeller was stirring up the muddy seabed chopping seagrass. By tilting the motor a few times the seagrass flung off gaining normal speed again.
By approaching the old river ferry we reached the Butrint national park entrance.
With 9 hectares of hilly terrain surrounded by freshwater lakes, wetlands, salt marshes, open plains, the parks archaeological site provides valuable remains of ancient civilisations.
Inhabited since prehistoric times 50‘000 BC, Butrint has been the site of a Greek colony 800 BC, a Roman city 44 BC and a bishopric. Following a period of prosperity under Byzantine administration, then a brief occupation by the Venetians 1400 AC, the city was abandoned in the late Middle Ages after marshes formed in the area.
The present archaeological site is a repository of ruins representing each period in the city’s development.
The marshland with a local fishers hut.
The captain Martin & sailors Uwe, WillyButrint bay area with two lonesome sailing yachts.
Back on the boat we set sails and zig zagged across the channel between Corfu and Albania with good speeds down to one of the last Albanian bays before the Greece border.
The next morning we had only 4sm to Corfu city where we had to clear in at customs. In the middle of the passage Uwe removed the Albanian 🇦🇱 host country flag and set the Greece 🇬🇷 flag.
Shortly after 11am we arrived in the old fisherman’s Port, Corfu. After that begann the marathon with the greek customs and port authority’s.
In total we covered 421 nm in 15 days on sea and the following statistics: