It's definitely wrapped around the prop and it tore the wooden cleat right off
of the cockpit combing.
As the sun broke the horizon we glided across the calm water into the territory of Albania.
*speaking Albanian* You want us to anchor and then come into the harbor and talk in person?
Albania.
This was our first time sailing into a country not in the European Union. We
performed the formalities and wandered into town to find a bite to eat.
While wandering back to the boat we spotted this statue of Hillary Clinton
and we found out that there is also a statue of George Bush in Albania.
We looked into it and found out that Albania is a major ally for the United
States and that we are allowed to actually be in Albania for a year without a visa.
So we rented scooters and decide to explore a small portion of
this sparsely populated land.
We came to a natural spring in the mountains known as the Blue Eye.
We enjoyed a natural cold water plunge which invigorates the nervous system
and clears the mind. My core temperature's definitely dropped quite considerably.
That's several cups of coffee right there.
You look great!
We scooted deeper into the Albanian mountains.
Ran out of fuel. Jackson still has fuel.
Turns out the fuel gauge in this totally does not work because it said it was
full and we're like in the middle of nowhere. Jackson has petrol so he's going into town and I think
I think we can probably walk into town. It looks like there's a small town up here.
Turns out the bike has a reserve tank so we didn't run out of gas so this is just ridiculous.
It's almost dark. Maybe we should get a hotel for the night.
I was just thinking about that. Yeah. We got these bikes until one.
Go grab a bite to eat.
Arriving late in the evening in Gjirokastër we found a hotel. In the morning
we scooted our way back to Arianrhod.
Pitstop for herb foraging.
Yerba? And thistle. Yerba and thistle. And a goat. One of my favorite things about the
Mediterranean is fresh wild figs.
Made it back.
We casually made way up the cove filled coast of Albania.
Bearing down on the anchor in Albania in a bay. Dinghy was behind us I look
back and I go, "ooh the line might get and then caught" in the, oh yeah, tore that
cleat right off. I was like, "oh the line might get a caught in the propeller",
but I was like, "oh no, it's a short line it probably" *kerclunk*. I was like, "agh son of a."
So anyway. I have my phone and I have to dive on the propeller cuz I can't turn the shaft by
hand. I'm using my iPhone as a light. We don't have any waterproof lights.
Jackson's up front keeping an eye to make sure we don't drift into anything.
We're in a nice bay, super calm. It doesn't really seem like we're drifting
because the anchor is down. It's definitely wrapped around the prop and
it tore the wooden cleat right off of the cockpit combing and that's just
floating down there on the line.
Wrapping a propeller is something that most boaters have done at some point or
another. And although it forbids the vessel from moving and damages the
engine and gearbox, it is straightforward to deal with. All you have to do is
unwrap the present you just gave yourself, which is easier said than done.
While I'm struggling with the propeller Subscribe to the channel and share this
video with a friend you would love to adventure with.
We were reversing so the propeller was spinning anti-clockwise so I spun it
clockwise to help to loosen it up so I had to wear shoes so I could like push
it because it was really wedged in there. But! We're free now. Doesn't seem
like too much damage was done. This is the cleat
that got torn off the boat and this is the line that was all wrapped up. I don't
think anything is, what's the word? Imminent? Imminent. There's a ton
of bees here, which is nice because all the bees are dying.
Happy Birthday, Scavenger Jack! Thanks
guys! Appreciate you and all your effort and that you exist.
You're a wonderful soul.