We spent another few days meandering around the top end of Hook Island and then headed south. First stop was Cateran Bay on Border Island where we were able to (yet again) pick up the only mooring. We can't get over this; absolutely perfect weather and no crowds. The last time we were here many years ago, the bay was very crowded which made anchoring difficult, and then to make matters worse a bush fire started fiercely burning on the island around dusk. We stayed awake most of the night just in case we needed to make a rapid exit.

From there we continued south to Plantation Bay on Lindeman Island (pretty enough but nothing special) and then had a terrific sail in light winds to Thomas Island. This is the sort of sailing I love; the boat sitting flat in the water and traveling at 4-5 knots under the influence of a warm 10 knot breeze. Call me a wuss but I didn't sign up to be terrorized. We've never been to this anchorage before because it's only suitable when the northerlies are blowing but it has a beautiful deep bay with dramatic rock formations and a lovely white sandy beach.