Category: Duet Travel Log

Waiting for that weather window.
Noumea, New Caledonia
22:16:61S
166:26:40E

We have almost circumnavigated New Caledonia, anchored in nearly 40 different locations and have seen about a dozen other yachts. This area is remote and beautiful; the Northern lagoon in particular is the perfect get-away-from-it-all cruising area. Unlike the rest of the Pacific Islands the Local people, the Kanaks do not paddle out to trade for T-shirts. There are local markets in the villages but the pickings are lean, nothing much more than a few bananas, plantains and manioc. Occasionally you may find the odd squash or if you are lucky a bag of green beans. But what you can be sure of is that the local market ladies will be playing Bingo! We found the people to be very friendly and welcoming once you have made contact. Speaking a bit of French is essential. We only visited one of the Loyalty Islands and wished we could have spent more time in the Northern Lagoon but we were down to the last two bottles of wine.

Inspite of everyone telling us that the fishing was great, we had little luck. Either we caught something so big it broke the line or we caught only something called Tazard, a sort of bonito/mackerel looking fish with flesh coarser and darker than horse meat. Some of the locals eat it and others tell us that it is full of la gratte or ciguatera to us.

Shelling and beach combing in general was fantastic. There is one beach where the nautilus shells almost out number the plastic bottles! Snorkelling was good in parts but the water is quite cold at this time of year. We are waiting in Noumea for the right weather window to get back to New Zealand. When we return I will post up a selection of our best photographs. At the moment we are using the phone so here is a photo of our best shells.

19:59:17S
163:55:77E

This position was the most northerly point we reach of Grand Terre. Sadly we don’t have the time to continue up to the Belep islands. The northern lagoon is by far the most beautiful part of New Caledonia. If a deep blue lagoon dotted with emerald green islands slashed with white beaches is your idea of paradise then this is it. There is not another yacht to be seen only the occasional local aluminium fizz boat. We spoke to a couple of local lads wandering on the reef with a sack. They were fishing for beche de mer – sea cucumbers, considered a delicacy in Japan and Korea. I have it from a reliable source that marinated and thinly sliced it tastes exactly like a tractor tyre. The local markets are also a disappointment. They grow plenty of vegetables but they are all sent down to Noumea. On Saturday in Poum, a reasonable sized small town we expected to buy some fresh veg and fruit. The pickings were lean: two packets of green beans, a squash and a papaya. It was raining heavily which made it an even more depressing sight. Most of the local ladies had given up and were playing Bingo.
We are heading back down the East coast and enjoying the light trade winds for some glorious sailing hard on the wind in the flat sea of the reef protected waters.

20:17:32S
164:29:30E

Captain James Cook on this sand spit a mile from the shore on 5th September 1774 to observe the eclipse of the sun and named it Observation Island. Bruni d’Entrecasteaux sailed his expedition ship here in 1793. They based themselves on the mainland where Huon was taken ill and died. They had observed that the soil was barren and the local people were half starved and very poor. On this sand bank, aka Observation Island is a headstone as this was where he was buried. Why was he not buried on the main land? He didn’t want his body to be eaten by the locals.

This was where we met up with friends, Vicky and Tom on Sunstone. Vicky’s middle name is D’Entrecastaux. She was on a mission to visit as many of the places that the famous surveyor and explorer bear his name as possible.

20:37:85S
166:32:57E

Fayaoue is described as the most perfect of all the Loyalty islands: 25 miles of pure white sand says it all. We hire bicycles to visit the chief where we have ask permission to visit some of other outlying atolls. A small gift is expected from us.

22:16:60S
166:26:40E
Noumea Monday, June 15, 2009.

The hydraulic vang needed to be repaired. This is something that no-one here in New Caledonia could do and we were warned not to try this our selves. We were offered various solutions. The first was to fedex it to New Zealand and back. Second was to have a guy fly up from New Zealand to fix it or thirdly to wait until a friend was coming up later on at the end of July. We didn’t consider option number 2 and the third was far too long a time. So off we set for a 5 day visit to the islands in the northern part of the lagoon.

We were told that as soon as it was on it’s way back we would be informed by email. So we set off for a bit of exploration to anchorages that normally are untenable but as the wind was very light we used this as an ideal opportunity for exploring.

We loved the snorkeling and generally pottering around on pure white sandy beaches with not a soul in sight. Not to be deterred by lack of emails we returned to Noumea as bread and pate were running low. Now we had the tracking number of the item and we knew it was ready to be sent back to us. It was out of the hands of Kiwi Yachting and down to the deliverers and the vagrancies of customs this end. A week down the line we are still here. The parcel has arrived and they are awaiting customs to make sure that it isn’t something highly undesirable or possibly illegal. Today we spoke to the lady who is in the know. Oh yes, it arrived Sunday. Do you want it this week? Whatdymean this week, I want it now. Well very sorry Customs is closed. Maybe tomorrow.

21:59:91S
165:55:89E

At last we have sent the vang off to Auckland for repairs. No one here who can do it unfortunately. It will be at least a week before we see it again – excellent in a way as it releases us from the evil smelling Port Moselle. At last we are at anchor off a tiny islette with some good diving and snorkelling. Just the odd sea snake for company.

As the weather is calm and settled at the moment we have the opportunity of exploring all kinds of different anchorages.

22:16.61S
166:26.40E
Friday 29th May. Port Moselle

Our last night at sea was perfect. There was just enough wind to fill the sails on a reach and we slid along at 4.50 knots. We didn’t want to arrive in the middle of the night so timed our arrival for first light. 0630 we were through the well lit Passe de Boulari and motored gently to Port Moselle. Formalities were quickly and easily dealt with. Sounds all trouble free BUT. Thursday Simon had noticed hydraulic fluid leaking from the bottom of the vang strut. This is a serious problem. Email contact with Auckland and we were told that it has to be sent back to them to fix. What a bore. So now we wait until the long weekend holiday is over, pack the vang and fly it down to Auckland and wait for it to be returned. Waiting for spare parts in exotic places. However step ashore here and we are in France. Fabulous produce market, delicious patisserie, pate and cheese – and warm weather too.

27:49.84S
169:16.60E

Thankfully the wind picked up during the night at we were able to turn off the engine and sail. Duet has been flying along averaging over 8 knots all day. How long will this last? Des is the radio ham that operates out of Opua and has been for years. His gravelly voice is familiar to cruisers far and wide. He provides a great service of checking yachts in up and down the pacific on a roll call and giving out weather information. last night a yacht called in asking for advice. they had checked out with customs from Opua and a couple of hours later called into Des on his nightly schedule saying that they didn’t like the forecast of 40 knots and were sheltering in behind some islands whilst they sorted out their reefing lines. Could Des tell customs? I await tonight’s schedule with interest…

35:18:85S
174:07:32E

We here in Opua amongst a dozen or so other yachts all waiting for the right weather “window”. It’s the same old story, this time last week we thought that Monday looked perfect. We were all prepared and ready to go but the weather changed track and here we are for at least another week. In the meantime there are a lot of anxious looking people wandering up and down the dock asking every one when they are going to leave. The yacht club does good business, the chandlery too as last minute shackles or what nots are bought. Now there is plenty of time to catch up on all those not quite completed tasks.

Still in Gulf Harbour

Some people keep asking us why do we keep returning to New Zealand each year. Could this photo give you a clue? We were lucky enough to have a break in the weather allowing us to cruise the east coast of Great Barrier island. A lovely sail of about 5 hours away from our berth. The east coast is usually exposed to all the swell and prevailing winds. Nice to have had the opportunity to go there.

Long walks along the beach before moving around to another anchorage for the night for a BBQ of smoked fish. A bottle or two of wine makes for a perfect evening – and no sandflies.

We are still waiting for the right weather window to move up to Opua before clearing out and heading north up to New Caledonia. Very cold and rough SW winds with thunderstorms, hail and all kinds of foul stuff has kept up tied up to the dock. Hopefully this week we’ll get away – keep you posted.