Port Moselle, New Caledonia
12 October 2012
We got really lucky with our sail down to NC. After a bit of a rough start on the first 24 hours, it finished to be almost perfect, and HC loved the beam reach and constant 17kts of wind. 3 days and 2 nights later, we anchored outside the marina, for they had no room for us to do the check in procedures. But we took our dingy in the next day, and with instructions and a map from the very friendly staff we checked in, costing us nothing, and we did not have quarantine come aboard, just lots of questions of food items on board, to which we replied that we either threw them in the rubbish bags, or ate them. (we did too, 3 days of eating lots of food!)
Strange place, very present the heavy industry in minning that exsist, with orange smoke billowing out of stacks on the shore near the center. Certainly not as friendly as Vanuatu, and quite a mixture of cultures, and characters, of which there is a colorful bunch on permanent moorings around us. Ex-convict grand children we reckon! France had a large prison here in its hay day on Iles des Pines.
The sea food market is impressive though, right next to the marina, filled with all sorts of fish, and shell fish. Vegy market is disappointing and very expensive!
We decided to stay out anchored by the point, the air is fresher and its an easy dingy ride in to the friendly marina.
-Various yachts on permanent moorings in front of the marina entrance, with smoke stacks in the distance-