Up to just a few years ago, pleasure boaters cruising between the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea used to avoid Albanian territorial waters. In the collective imagery, Albania was a dangerous unstable country. But things have changed and we were welcomed or, at least, accepted wherever we went. The new "777" guide is correct in describing that cruising in Albanian is very different from nearby Croatia and Greece ~ only one equipped marina, no water or fuel available at commercial docks, no charter boats and very few other cruisers. In fact, there are no Albanian pleasure boats - just a few fishing vessels - as former dictator Enver Hoxha's communist regime's moratorium on pleasure boating seems to still prevail. (It was dictator Hoxha, who ruled for almost 50 years and set up all those bunkers to protect Albania from an imagined western invasion).

So, Sangaris sailed south from her check-in port of Shengjin with no other boats in sight ... not one in nine hours! As late afternoon approached early evening, the wind was steadily increasing from the NW and the anchorage options were slim. Despite our guide's reference to Sazan Island's anchorage near a military base being well-protected but, possibly, uninviting (guards may "tolerate you or ask you to move on") we opted to try it. We did get a break from gusty winds and had a 'good hook' but it was a bit creepy being surrounded by countless bunkers and abandoned former military buildings. At night it seemed deserted but for working red and green port entry lights and a few bulbs lit ashore, but by morning we did see some activity. Craig chatted up an Italian soldier who, with a handful of others, was posted to what remained of an Italian anti-smuggling enforcement operation. But we were soon 'waved off' by some other not very official looking officials in t-shirts and swim shorts and continued our journey south.

Our destination was Albania's only marina at Orikum, tucked into the SE corner of the Gulf of Vlore (Baie de Valona on the charts). Dockmaster Luan greeted us and the marina director, Luigi, completed our paperwork; no customs process or fees, just 50 euro/night with water & electric. It was hot, hot, hot with little breeze so we opted not to walk 1 km to explore town and instead found a pleasant beachfront restaurant for an early evening meal - simple but good seafood pasta, salad, garlic bread and wine for two for only 14 euros!

Live-aboard Israeli cruisers Chen and Vered met up with us a little later at the marina and invited us to join them for a trip to Vlore the following day as they were driving in to work on a new business venture (Vered is opening a natural healing/massage/ alternative medicine clinic) and visit some friends.

Driving to Vlore finally fit Craig's wished-for "Abania-Mania" experience. The drivers were wild! Most were in Mercedes, dented vintage and contemporary models alike, constantly passing each other or stopping in the middle of the narrow road. But the most amazing sights were the twenty or so fantastically decorated wedding cars followed by "paparazzi"! Unfortunately we only got shots of the bride & grooms' cars but the real scene was the photographers as young guys were leaning far out of every car window with enormous video cameras on their shoulders ... hanging on with locked knees it was amazing that no one lost their balance or equipment!
Vered and Chen dropped us in town where we had a "birek" sidewalk lunch, saw the Mosque and 1912 Independence statue, bought some local fruit and veg in the open market and then enjoyed some cool time roaming the aisles of an air-conditioned supermarket. Our arranged rendezvoux point was "Sweet Dreams", the Israelite pastry shop owned by their pal Asaf who became our friend and host for the rest of the afternoon. Interesting conversation about the move from Israel and three years in Albania, management role at the Orata fish farm (where Chen also works and manages farm operations) and entrepreneurial ideas for new business development entertained us for a couple of hours before we all got together at a local restaurant to share a huge platter of grilled lamb and tomato/feta salad. Back to Sweet Dreams for coffees and cakes and then, through an incredible traffic jam of Vlore holiday-goers we arrived back at the marina around 10:00pm ... a long and wonderful day.

Given abundant water, unfortunately of questionable potability, the Sangaris crew did buckets and buckets of hand wash - towels and sheets included - and got the deck spic & span. As the sun set and brilliant orange and rosy skies appeared over the mountain landscape, we enjoyed a nice visit with Chen and learned more about his cruising past and hard-working fish farm management present. Interesting facts and figures about the Orata sea bream and sea bass operations: the cages are 120 meters wide!, over half a million fish live in them and, each individual sea bass fish was going to get anesthetized and vaccinated over the next week! We shared a few tales of our sailing life and told both Yered and Chen about the SSCA and how they would make a great cruising station in Orikum Albania. Their enthusiasm to 'sign up' and be the meet-ers, greet-ers and sources of all wisdom and information for cruisers in the area was overwhelming ... they'll be great! And we hope they and Orikum attract more adventurous sailors! Welcome aboard Vered & Chen!