Corfu to Bar Montenegro

25 & 26 August

Sabrina has a dual Italian passport. I am but a mere infidel and was in danger of overstaying my stay in Greece as per the Schengen Agreement. Given the boat was to haul out in Greece, we needed to keep a week up our sleeves, so we had to leave the EU. Not such a bad thing as in doing this we would simultaneously discharge our Temporary Importation obligations that non EU flagged boats attract.

The plan was to track northwest up the Albanian coast and head direct to Bar in Montenegro. This takes 30 hours, consequently an is overnight sail.

We left Greece at 08:00 hrs and headed off in light airs. The trip was largely uneventful. At around 13:30 off the Albanian coast we were joined by a pod of dolphins that breeched, jumped, gyrated and swam upside down under the bow of the boat. Whilst upside down they actually look at you momentarily. They stayed with us for around 30 minutes, and as is typical left as quickly as the appeared.

For the dolphin researchers the co-ordinates where N 40 06.179, E 19 26.625.

The other outstanding part is the sunset out at sea. It gives you an amazing sense of we'll being and isolation at the same time, given you and your little ship are alone in this truly amazing space.

Sabrina and I take turns, 2 hour shifts over night. Watching for ships and trawlers mainly. At about 04:00 we passed abeam of Durres on the Albanian coast. Ships everywhere, so a few coarse changes required. It is a good idea to avoid these guys, as they can be on top of you (figuratively speaking), from horizon to you in 20 minutes.

The night was clear but extremely humid, and whilst lying on the bench in the cockpit off watch, I felt drip, drip....of water on the head. Chinese water torture at sea. The canvas bimini was saturated, so a wipe with a towel every now and then fixed that. Sabrina ended up sleeping in forward cabin, but it too was uncomfortable on account of the swell. I guess it is always the lesser of two evils.....

What else, the bird. We wrote a seperate post on this, see next. Hilarious.

We arrived on schedule at Bar at 1400 hours, tied up at the customs berth. We then visited the harbour master, port police and customs. When sailing in Montenegro you need to buy a cruising Vignette, which basically gives you access to sail freely in Montenegrin waters for the period of time specified. The officials at Bar were very good.