We were only allowed to stay four days in Lifou before needing to sail to
Noumea to check in with Immigration and Quaritine. Starting our passage of a
day and a half at 4:30 AM to catch a good tide into Havannah Pass at the
south end of the Island of New Caledonia we saw our officials at Port du Sur
Marina. Noumea is a very modern European type city without the feeling of
crowding. The French have built this city and run this country because they
are open pit mining 25% supply of the world’s nickel, 90% of Cadmium. You
can see parts of mountains have just disappeared leaving exposed red earth
with no vegitation growing as there is no top soil.. The people are enjoying
the benefits by getting money and lots western stuff like new houses, cars,
SUVs, etc. and the world gets their natural resources.
Sue and Mark on WIND CHASE & Kenley and I took a 30 min. walk to explore the
Aquarium for the afternoon to see the fish, turtles, nautilus’s in the large
tanks and the beautiful array of different colors and types of coral.
Weather people are calling this year a La Nina year with the very developed
strong Trade Winds. And strong trades is exactly what we have been having.
It has been consistently blowing 20 to 30 knots. This makes the 6 to 8 foot
seas is a little difficult when going to windward. And we have been sailing
into those southeast trade winds most of the time. We are waiting for a good
weather window for our passage to New Zealand.
Love
Jim

Sailing through Wooden Cannel Towards Noumea

Exposed red earth on the hillside

Modern Apartments next to the Marina

The Aquarium

Winds along the beach