We returned to Noumea yesterday (via a little island called Ilot Signol for the day). It’s a little earlier than planned as our weather dependent departure time has been brought forward. This is because one of our two crew, Keith, has been able to change his flights and now arrives on Thursday (rather than Saturday). And so we will be able to sign Lance and Keith on at Immigration, clear Customs, provision etc etc on Friday, which is wonderful. It means that if the weather window is right we can leave any time from Saturday onwards.

For the previous few days we had been anchored in a bay north of Noumea (on New Caledonia’s west coast) called Baie Maa, in front of a “Broussard” farm. We thought we were in Australia – dry, barren, gum trees, cactus, flamboyant trees, sheep and the occasional deer, behind a white sand beach with a few mangroves and an aquamarine sea. But that’s not surprising, as we have discovered that New Caledonia was originally part of Gondwanaland with Australia and New Zealand etc.. And then New Z and New C cleaved off at the same time, and later parted company themselves. Lucky New C ended up with all the rich mineral deposits and the warmer climes ☺.

The highlight of being in the bay would have to have been meeting a lovely ‘Caledonie’ couple who have spent their life as teachers working between New Caledonia and France, and have now retired here. Claude and Lucie were spending a week exploring the area in their boat, and two fitter 72 and 69 year olds you couldn’t hope to meet – walking, swimming and rowing every day. At first they were reluctant to try their English and we our French, but after a couple of hours we were communicating like old friends. And on Thursday we will visit them here in Noumea.

While in the bay we persuaded Claude and Lucie to come with us to find the farmer, who we had spied putting a net out onshore one evening. We certainly found Allan, in a little, old dwelling behind the beach. He was no longer managing the farm – his daughter is – but he shared with us (via Claude and Lucie) the history of the farm and his family. His French grandfather had settled on the land in 1878 and they’d been eking a living from it ever since. He was proud to tell us that his family now included Kanak and Taiwanese blood.

He also explained that they don’t actually farm the deer. Half a dozen Russa deer were introduced to NC last century and have become a pest – destroying the land. We often heard gunshot as the farmers try to get rid of them. We would have loved the chance for Dave to join them and bring home some venison ☺!

Okay, until we leave Noumea for home,
Au revior
Carolyn and Dave
(photo is of Carolyn with Lucie and Claude during a walk on the farm)