For this day there was a crossing planned, over to Cape Bougainville. It was again quite some open water paddling, boring…

I left the Sir Graham Moore Islands south, as well as the Eclipse Islands. North Eclipse Island had a lovely sandy beach, and I was very much tempted to call it a day already. But it was only 4pm…

Cape Bougainville looked dark and bare of any beaches from the distance of about 15 km…but I gave it a go, hoping to find a suitable beach for the night.

From about 5 km I spotted not only a beautiful white beach, but a big vessel in the second bay north of Freshwater Bay! Never give up Freya, was my thought…

I assumed it was a pearl farm mother ship. I didn’t contact it via VHF radio, as I was running out of daylight, the beach was closer and I didn’t need anything but rest and privacy.

But this would have been my second option to get fresh water…and later even another cruising vessel was passing in the not too far distance! Now they are there…boats “en masse”…well, two are “masse” here…

Text message from Freya via Satellite phone:

13.55 126.11, Island near Cape Bougainville. 65km, 6:00 am to 9:30 pm. Flat water but headwinds. A vessel in the bay and another one passed by, but no need for contact.