Beauty: The black sand beach at Port Bouquet

We are anchored at the head of Canala Bay, a magnificent fiord like bay on the east coast of New Caledonia's largest island, Grande Terre. We haven't seen another yacht since we were in Baie de Prony, on the south west coast, now more than two weeks ago. Very few yachts come up this coast so it seems like we are exploring. The feeling is a bit like when we sailed in Papua New Guinea many years ago, yet in a nominally first world country. There are no dugout canoes here, just a few Aussie made tinnies!

Canala Bay is in mining territory. There are several mines, old and new, scattered between the settlements of Thio, further south, and Poro, to the north. They are all open cast mines with related infrastructure. These mines make a nasty blot on the landscape, which otherwise is very attractive. It's a case of beauty and the beast. Nickel mining is New Caledonia's main export earner and no doubt one reason why France is so keen to retain control over the territory.



The Beast: Nickel mine at Nakety

The east coast is also Kanak land. There are few non Melanesians along this coast, except where government services are provided, or where there are mining centres. If New Cal. wasn't French and its residents French citizens, no doubt the Kanaks would be living the same way that their Melanesian neighbours in Vanuatu do. It's hard to say whether they are better off and whether the referendum in November on independence will make much difference. The opinion polls indicate a heavy vote for staying with France, but at the same time there are many Kanaks who are unhappy with the present arrangement, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Some French residents are already talking about the possibility of 'NewCalexit,' and in some ways the uncertainty over New Cal's future is a little like the mess that is Brexit in Britain. However the referendum goes, it's not going to please everybody and the community is so divided that it's hard to see any real solution. So far this year both the French Prime Minister and President Macron have paid a visit, presumably to shore up support for the No vote (No to independence) but they got a very ambivalent reception in Kanaky.

Politics apart, we are having a fine time ambling up the coast. It has been very cool at night, presumably all to do with NZ's first crack of winter directly to the south of us. It has been down to 6C in Auckland and 18C overnight here on the east coast. The next week looks like very calm conditions, which is ideal for visiting the reefs and small cays on the way up to Touho, two thirds of the way up the coast and finally out of mining territory. We will have to stop in Touho for a bit to pop over to Noumea by bus to sort out our Parsun outboard. It broke down while we were in Noumea and cannot be fixed. The Parsun agents in NZ are coincidentally coming to Noumea in a week's time for a holiday, so have said they will have a look at the outboard when they are here as it is still under warranty.



Full moon rising at Lavaissiere Bay



Nani Island in Lavaissiere Bay



Saraoni threads its way through the protection of the Bogota reefs, an inner barrier within an outer barrier. Canala Bay is shown at the left hand side.



Entering 8 mile long deserted Canala Bay. The small east coast town of Canala is reached by a 3 km long dinghy ride through the mangroves at the head of the bay. We hit a rock on our first trip in muddy water, broke the shear pin and had to row the 3 km back against the tide!