Water Tower Standing in the Sea

A typical Albanian concrete water tower that, over the course of a few decades, has ended up in the sea — quite far from the shore. It makes a remarkable sight whether viewed from the beach or from the water. The tower once stood on solid ground near the beach, surrounded by a pine forest and various other buildings, but coastal erosion is rapidly devouring the shoreline. Now there is roughly a hundred metres of water between you and the tower, though it is fairly shallow. The main hazard is the debris on the seabed — ruins of buildings, bunkers, and tree trunks snapped off by the sea. There is no security; you can swim up and touch it, or even attempt to climb it while it still holds firm.

Near the tower, on the shore, stands an abandoned café building that will also end up in the water one day (storms are already drifting sand into it). Both structures illustrate coastal erosion with striking clarity — though if that is not enough, take a look at the pine stumps jutting out of the waves.

Not far from the tower is an active border guard base; they patrol the area watching for illegal crossings (this is a departure point for boats heading to Italy) and may ask to see your documents. The tower itself is of no interest to them. In summer the whole area turns into a wide beach with campsites, and access is completely free.