July 11, 2012*

I think we were both really F’ing tired by this time.

Idit is twenty years younger than I, but since I am super-macho, he didn’t worry about me.

We got down to our last two tanks of air, which meant taking a whole day off to refill our tanks at the camp site where the small “super compressor” was located.

We figured, six tanks at an hour and a half each, would be a nine to ten hour task; and they were doomed to be short fills.

But, Albania is a small country.

It seems like everybody knows everybody.

Idit again pulled off the impossible!

He located a compressor that is owned by a fisherman, next to a restaurant in Saranda.

He offered to fill four of our tanks for free – at least, I believe it was free; Idit may have slipped him a few LEK for his troubles.

This is another site that the Polish guys would dive from their boat:

We had a swim ahead for us.

Entry was no problem; we surface swam to the left, until we saw something interesting to dive on.

We descended.

Logged SCUBA Dive #416

Dove with Idit

Monestary Beach Reef
Saranda, Albania

Air Source: Private compressor in Vlorë
In With: 2900 psi
Out With: 300 psi
Max depth: 70 feet
Waves: Flat
Visibility: Up to 50 feet
Water Temperature: 74 degrees
Air Temperature: 98 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 40 minutes or so

The water felt so refreshing after touring Butrint in almost 100 degree weather.

We got to 70 feet really quickly.

Idit warned me of a fishing net – we swam over it.

It was very transparent, I probably would have ran right into it, if it wasn’t for Idit.

The reef was unlike any I had seen before – it was covered in some sort of cotton like growth.

We turned around at a half tank and navigated to a perfect exit.

We were both extremely tired.

We dropped off four tanks at the fisherman’s compressor.

“Can I take a picture of the compressor?” I asked.

“No,” Idit said.

He continued, “A compressor is a very expensive item here; the first thing that will be asked is ‘Why?'”

Idit dropped me off at my Hotel room, where I walked across the street to use my emergency Albanian to buy beer – not sure if I spelled everything correctly, but this is how the conversation went…

“A flisni Anglisht?” I asked the store owner.

“Jo,” He said.

“A keni birre?”

“Po.”

He took me to the beer.

He started to ramble off a conversation in Albanian.

“Mi falni, nuk kuptoj Shqip,” I said.

“Ju Pollack?”

“Jo, une jam Amerikan.”

“Ah, Amerikan!” he said, and gave me the thumbs up.

I bought four big Tirana beers for 400 LEK ($4.00) and went back to update my blog, only to find that the internet access was shut off after 10:30 PM.

*Due to time constraints, lack of reliable internet access outside of Tirana, power outages in Tirana and the strength of Albanian beer, posting of this article has been delayed.

July 11, 2012*

On the way to our third dive site, we were able to stop by the number one tourist attraction in Albania – The Ruins Of Butrint.

Admission was 700 LEK for foreigners, 500 LEK for Albanian nationals.

“Hey Idit, how did the guy know I wasn’t Albanian?” I asked.

“He knows, you don’t look Albanian,” Idit replied.

The ancient city of Butrint has ruins as old as the 4th century B.C.

Legend has it, that the city was formed by people fleeing the fall of the city of Troy.

As the brochure states, “On arrival, Priam’s son Helenus sacrificed an ox, which struggled ashore wounded and died on the beach. Taking this as an omen, the place was named Buthrotum meaning “wounded ox.”

For more details on these ruins, please see The Butrint National Park Page.

The entrance to Butrint.

Some old dwellings:

The coliseum:

The bath house:

Remains of what was once a church:

Hand carved stones fit together with precision to form the wall:

An entrance to the city:

The immediate wall and stair cases made rushing the city by invading forces, very difficult; there were also holes in the wall where defending forces could shoot at the enemy.

One of the towers:

Cannons guard against invaders:

It was getting really hot; we stopped by the restaurant and drank water for lunch.

*Due to time constraints, lack of reliable internet access outside of Tirana, power outages in Tirana and the strength of Albanian beer, posting of this article has been delayed.