We’re currently waiting for our eTEPAI — Greece’s way of saying “permission to come aboard” — that is, to show up as paid. The dock in Sarande has about three berths, all permanently occupied by boats whose owners apparently have no intention of leaving. Ever. Our plan is to sit tight in a cozy little anchorage just outside Sarande and wait it out. Once the paperwork gods smile upon us, we’ll scoot in, check out of Albania, and say our goodbyes to this surprisingly charming country.

Today, our cozy anchorage revealed its true character. The breeze picked up to about 15 knots — hardly what you’d call a storm — but it was apparently enough to politely push Shanti backwards without asking permission. I was surprised to hear the anchor alarm go off. We checked. We double-checked. We checked again, because surely not. Yep. We had slid backwards. Shanti had voted with her hull.

We reorganized in short order, picked up the anchor, moved forward to slightly deeper water, and reset. This time the plan was to lay out more chain for better holding.

That’s when the anchorage had one more surprise in store for us.

The chain that had been quietly sitting at the bottom of the anchor locker since 2021 had, in its dark and damp retirement, corroded itself into a state of complete untrustworthiness. Four and a half years. I had been operating under the assumption that anchor chain lasts, you know, a while. New level unlocked. It does not — at least not the kind we bought.

So we’re researching new chain suppliers along our route south. No need to worry about us — Shanti will be fine, and so will we. We’ve handled worse with less coffee.

These are the continuing joys of our X-year mission… to boldly go where others have already been, and occasionally drag anchor while doing it.