After a few days in Noumea, we had taken enough walks around to get all the provisions we required. Right beside the Marina was the waterfront fresh fruit, veg and fish stalls. Right outside of those stalls were the vendors selling dresses, wraps, jewelry, crafts and local artwork. We bought all the food we needed and some beautiful artwork.

Dave had by now taken apart the windlass, scraping off the corrosion and lubing it up with a grease he had on board. After he tried it and it worked, I was keen to get out and explore some of the nearby islands. There were a few within 10 miles. We decided to go for a couple of days and come back for the Rugby final in a couple of days, so we could cheer on the Kiwi's and Aussies.

Up first was Ilot NDU. It was 8 miles away and looked like it would give good protection in the 15kn breeze we were having. It was a sweet tiny island with just a handful of boats. We had been told these places fill up quickly on the weekends as the moorings are free. As it was a weekday we were pretty sure it would be quiet and it was. With snorkelling, a wreck, turtles and an island to explore, we quickly blew up the kayaks and paddled close to the reef, sliding in and swimming along where we had just seen a turtle. The wreck and the island were next up. First we paddled around the island and then beached the kayaks and walked around...a perfect outing for snap happy me.