Porto Palermo — Main Inner Bay Anchorage Guide

Anchoring Zones

Porto Palermo — Main Inner Bay has 2 distinct anchoring zones, each with different depth, holding, and exposure characteristics.

Setting Your Anchor

The bottom at Porto Palermo — Main Inner Bay is primarily mud and sand with reliable holding when properly set.

1. Enter from the south only at 5 knots maximum on echosounder through the narrow (50–80m) entrance channel. Rocks on both sides — stay in the centre.
2. Approach slowly once inside the bay. At 10–25m, deploy minimum 5:1 scope (125m chain at 25m depth) — the 30m+ depth requires generous chain.
3. Drop into the wind and pay out chain steadily as the boat drifts back.
4. Set firmly in reverse — 30–60 seconds at moderate throttle. Use the scope calculator to confirm adequate chain for deep anchorage.

Recommended anchor types: Rocna, Mantus, Spade.

Overnight Anchoring & Anchor Alarm

Overnight stays at Porto Palermo — Main Inner Bay are excellent — all-round protection means minimal boat movement.

Set your GPS anchor alarm to 80m radius before going below. 80m alarm radius for the NW anchorage in 10–25m. The depth is the primary challenge at Porto Palermo main bay — at 20m with a 5:1 scope, 100m of chain is deployed, and the alarm radius must account for the full swing arc of that scope length. At 25m in the deepest sections, use a 6:1 ratio and increase the alarm to 100m if anchoring at the deep end. The NE shallow shelf alternative at 5–10m requires only 60m. The critical advantage of Porto Palermo over all other Albanian anchorages is that the alarm radius here is a comfort and scope-management tool rather than a wind/swell response indicator — the bay provides total protection from every direction and there is no external weather scenario that can make the inside of this bay untenable for a properly anchored yacht. The alarm simply ensures you catch any scope creep on the mud bottom in the night hours. Set a 5:1 minimum, confirm the set with engine reverse, then set the alarm and sleep soundly.

Best May–October. Porto Palermo is an all-weather anchorage and is viable in any month for a yacht that can reach the S entrance in open-water conditions — the bay itself is protected from everything. May and June are superb: the Albanian Riviera coast is quiet, the clearance process at Sarandë or Himarë is straightforward, and the bay is almost always empty. July–August: the anchorage sees slightly more traffic as the Albanian Riviera receives increasing tourist attention, but by Mediterranean standards Porto Palermo remains remote and uncrowded even at peak season. September is excellent — warm water, stable conditions, and the open-coast passages N or S are straightforward in the typically settled September weather. October: viable but the open-coast approaches (especially the passage from Sarandë around the Karaburun Peninsula) become subject to increasing NW and NE weather windows. The bay itself is safe in any October conditions but timing the approach passages becomes more critical.

Navigation Hazards

• 30m+ depth requiring generous scope: the bay reaches 30m in the NW sector right up to the quay walls; at 30m with 5:1 scope, 150m of chain must be deployed; confirm the anchor is genuinely set on mud/sand and not resting on old quay debris near the W shore; if in doubt move to the NE shallow shelf at 5–10m
• Entrance rocks in S channel: the narrow S entrance channel has rocks on both sides and requires careful navigation at 5 knots maximum with echosounder active; the channel is adequately wide for a standard yacht but rock ledges extend from both headlands; do not cut corners in the channel; the fortress promontory on the W side of the entrance is the most significant hazard
• Cold War unexploded ordnance warnings in tunnels: the submarine base tunnel openings cut into the W cliff face are hazardous on foot due to possible unexploded ordnance from the 1950s–1991 period; approach the tunnel openings by dinghy for external viewing only; do not enter the tunnels; Albanian authorities have issued warnings that apply to this area
• No VHF port operations or coast guard contact: Porto Palermo has no dedicated VHF maritime authority — the nearest is Vlorë (Ch 12, 15nm NE) or Himarë (seasonal); in an emergency, Ch 16 is the distress frequency; the lack of any local maritime services means self-sufficiency is essential; carry complete spares, adequate fuel and provisions
• Arrive in daylight only — no shore lights or navigational aids inside the bay: the S entrance channel has no navigational lights and the bay interior has no lights whatsoever; night entry to the channel is not recommended without prior daylight transit; if arriving after dark, heave-to outside the entrance and wait for dawn

Rules & Regulations

• Albania entry — clearance agent mandatory: All foreign yachts must use a local clearance agent (~€100–150). Fly yellow Q flag. Clear at Sarandë or Himarë (June–September) before visiting Porto Palermo.
• Anchoring fee: Free. No facilities and no anchoring fees.
• Maximum stay: 3 days
• Restrictions: Entry from SOUTH ONLY — the N approach to the bay is blocked by shoals and rocks; do NOT attempt entry from the N. Approach at 5 knots maximum with echosounder active. Do not enter the submarine tunnel openings on foot — unexploded ordnance warnings apply; external viewing by dinghy only. The Karaburun-Sazan MPA boundary runs N of the bay — do not enter the MPA zone. Arrive in daylight only — night entry to the S channel is not recommended without prior daylight reconnaissance.

For a full overview, see our overnight anchoring rules by region guide.

Facilities

• Fresh water: Not available on site
• Fuel: Not available — nearest: Himarë (12nm SE) (12nm)
• Restaurant: None — nearest at Himarë (12nm SE) (12nm)
• Provisions: None on site — Himarë (12nm SE) (12nm)

Skipper's Tips

1. Arrive through the S entrance slowly — 5 knots maximum, echosounder on, helm watching the sounder while crew watches the channel edges; the channel is clearly defined in daylight and the fortress on the W headland is the dominant visual reference; once through the entrance the bay opens dramatically and the depth reading will jump to 15m+
2. Set 5:1 minimum scope for depths above 20m — at 25m this means 125m of chain deployed; use a bridle or snubber to absorb the scope load on mud overnight and to reduce chain noise; the mud bottom provides excellent grip but the weight of the chain in deep water means slower drag response — set firmly with engine reverse before relying on the anchor
3. Snorkel or take the dinghy to view the submarine tunnels from outside — the external openings cut into the limestone cliff face are dramatic at close quarters; the largest tunnel (visible from the anchorage on the W side) is approximately 10m wide and runs directly into the cliff; the concrete hauling rails extending into the water from the dock remnants are visible in clear conditions
4. Sunset views of the fortress silhouette from the anchorage are extraordinary — the Ottoman battlements glow orange-gold at golden hour; the fortress is best photographed from inside the bay looking S toward the entrance channel, with the evening light on the stone walls and the narrow entrance framing the view to the open sea beyond