Bonjour Everyone.
Yes, we still are in New Caledonia.
One of the touristy things we did in Noumea was visit the Kanak Tjubijia Cultural Centre.
Its structure is an amazing piece of architecture. Several designs were presented, but a local
New Caledonian won the day and the centre was built. For our friends in Rockhampton, the bull
pictured from the foyer is made from hundreds of Bully Beef tin cans.
We finally got out of Port Moselle, Noumea on Sunday 10 June. It is an interesting city with
friendly people and fortunately we didn’t insult many with our poor French as a lot of locals had
some smattering of English, so with a combination of the two we were generally understood and
vice versa.
From Noumea we headed south to Ile De Ouen. We anchored in a beautiful Baie De Tortue
(meaning ‘bay of turtles’ but affectionately called it the bay of torture). Supposably there was a
resort with locals providing a Bougna (a traditional meal) but the buildings were empty.
Over the other side of the rocky point lived the owners of the land, a French family.
Next stop was Ile De Pins (Isle of Pines). Actually,
most of the islands around New Caledonia could be
mistaken for the ‘isle of pines’ as Porcupine Island
shown right shows being covered in this type of flora,
Araucaria cookii, named after Captain James Cook.
We anchored at Kuto on the western side of the island and even though it was overcast when
we arrived we found the island to be a beautiful piece of paradise. Not many tourists around
when we arrived. With a population of 1800 on the entire island, the larger percentage being
Kanak, of which the majority live in Vao (the islands mini capital, 3kms southeast of Kuto).
On entry to the bay you are faced with the past and future as here we have the Colonial
Governor’s manor and a new hotel under construction, both sharing the same beach!
One of the highlights of Kuto is the islands sacred rock, Le Rocher, but it is taboo to climb on it.
The Kanak people are not that far removed from their cannibal days so it makes you wonder
what went on at this rock!!!
Kuto also happens to be one of the main stops for the P & O cruise ships that come this way
from Australia and when the ship arrives two thousand passengers disembark and spend the
day on the island. The good thing about their presence was the welcome by the natives as we
had both music and dance. We also made ourselves available for the free lunch of traditional
‘Bougna’ consisting of chicken, yams and papaya with coconut milk wrapped in banana leaf.
This had been cooked in the ground for hours too, although most of the tourists thought it
unworthy of their tastebuds (not at all like KFC), and therefore did not partake in this local
delicacy. Lucky for us, because we had seconds!
Pic N’Ga is the highest mountain on the island at 262m and when we climbed it the views were
breathtaking. Well worth the energy expended on the way up, which was heaps.
We hired a car to view the Ile de Pins interior and our first stop was the local hight school in
Vao. Kerry donated some English & Maths literature courtesy of Ulladulla High School in NSW.
They were very grateful as the government supplies them only with material that is French
orientated. The children were great and they had a lot of fun practising their English with us.
Another highlight of the day was a visit to the Grotte de la Reine Hortense.
During tribal warfare years ago this is where the queen was hidden until her side won.
It goes way back into the ground for several hundred meters and is sensational if you dare to
venture into the dark recesses.
France sent her political convicts to Ile De Pins back in the 1800’s and as politico’s they had it
pretty good as colonial prisons go. They were able to make use of the entire island most of the
time. Though the prison itself has lost its original character as most of it is hidden by
undergrowth now, that which can be seen still retains a cruel atmosphere from the past.
One of our stops on the way back to Noumea was at the famous Amedee Lighthouse, which is
another spectacular piece of French architecture designed by the same gentleman who
presented Paris with the Eiffel Tower. Snorkelling at the island was interesting though there
were many Sea Snakes on the beach and in the scrub, but not in the water where we swam.
A 4 foot black tipped reef shark was checking us out but the coral was uninspiring. The Keppel’s
have better colour and variety. The fish were in abundance though and made the dip
worthwhile.
Kerry and Reg left us in Noumea and flew back to Australia and we restocked with some
perishables then headed north along the west coast of New Caledonia as the real cruising had
begun with no need to be anywhere at any particular time.
We simply can’t pass up a typical sunset and sunrise from the Baie De Saint-Vincent.
We anchored in some exquisite places. The lagoon that surrounds New Caledonia is the largest
on the planet and sailing at night time out of marked areas would be fairly suicidal. There are
thousands of reefs and islands everywhere. North of Noumea, towns become few and far
between with most of the Kanak people living in the mountainous regions in housing provided
by the government all with the satellite TV dishes and 4-wheel drives to boot. They work only
when they feel like it but further up on the northern end of the island they are more tribal and
independent of the local French population.
We came across a cyclone shelter area for boats near La Foa in a little place called Baie de
Ouana (meaning water) although during Cyclone Erica, two years ago; all the boats dragged
their anchors and ran aground. The same area is used by the Ultra-light plane community as a
monthly meeting place. We met a fascinating couple who have spent the last 6 years living on
their yacht there. Patrice & Pierrette are French nationals who have spent the last 30 years on
their yacht, living in French occupied countries such as New Caledonia and Tahiti. Patrice spent
his childhood growing up on his parent’s 29 foot monohull, with his 4 brothers, the cat, the dog,
a parrot and a monkey cruising the world. An amazing upbringing and Stuart thinks it is a
lifetime that would make for an interesting autobiography. He built his yacht from plans draw up
by his father.
It rained for a couple of days but when it cleared these wonderful folks took us on a vehicle
exploration inland where it is so mountainous with sensational views.
Please note the ultra light plane sticking out the stern of this yacht.
On Sunday we are heading out to the Loyalty Islands located on the eastern side of New
Caledonia, so if you want to see them before us, try the internet!
Au revoir.
From the KATHY II crew.
Sandra & Stuart
(plus Benny)