Baie Uie - June 19
06 June 2019 | New Caledonia
Paul Dickinson
The wind was still variable and generally light but after 4 days we decided to leave Ile Uere and head down the coast of New Caledonia. Our next anchorage would be Baie Uie some 9 nm down the coast.
We weighed anchor at 1015 and headed out of the anchorage. As we left a large motor cruiser was heading slowly towards the anchorage. They had almost stopped and, as we drew level, they shouted and asked us what the anchorage was like. We responded that it was a good anchorage with good depth, and thumbs up. Reassured they motored into the anchorage. We suspect they had also seen us on AIS, and so seen we had been anchored in there. Still, it was nice to be able to confirm that Ile Uere is a good anchorage.
We soon raised sail and headed along the coast. The wind had settled down to a light south easterly, exactly where we wanted to go! Still we sailed for an hour or so, tacking into wind and making reasonable time. Then the wind dropped, and it was time for the Iron Topsail. So we motored gently down the coast into a very light wind.
It was interesting to see the coast change as we left Noumea. Noumea is largely on a coastal plain with big hills behind. As we headed south, the coastal plain disappeared and the big hills came right up to the coast. And these are real hills, the manly type, steep with deep rain eroded cuts in them. So steep and rugged that not much vegetation grows on them, and certainly only a few trees. The hills certainly earn the French name of ‘Grand Terre’ for the main island. Indeed, New Caledonia is so named as it reminded the first navigators of the highlands of Scotland!
There are a few islands, each with its supporting reef. Some only extend a hundred metres or so from the dry land, others much further. Indeed, further out in the lagoon it is a case of the reefs having a small sand islet rather than the islands having a fringing reef. Fortunately New Caledonia is governed by the French, and they know how to place and maintain good navigation marks, and how to make excellent charts.
As we neared Baie Uie we saw our first mine. Metal mining (typically Iron and Nickel) is a major part of the New Caledonian economy and there are several mines on the island. The mines are all open cast. This one was a hillside. We could see the hill and the bare rock. As we looked closer we could see the tiny spots that gradually resolved into diggers, bulldozers and ore trucks. The scale was impressive, the mine was the whole hillside, and huge. It was also very steep and we marvelled at how the machinery clung to the hillside and the roads zigzagging up the slope.
A little later we turned into Baie Uie. This is a west facing bay that cuts into the coast with steep hills either side. The hills have a red soil that apparently is not good for plant growth. The steep slopes often show signs of erosion and land slips. We are not sure whether this is due to mining activity or the poor soil and lack of vegetation or another cause. The bay is some size, 1 ¾ nm long and ¾ nm at the entrance funnelling to about 1/3 nm at its end. The bay was not particularly deep, some 20 m gradually sloping to a muddy beach at the end. The cruising guide advised anchoring fairly close in in 4m of water. More cautious, we anchored further out in about 10m. Another yacht had overtaken us on the way down, and was now anchored a little closer to shore. However, the crew was not in the cockpit so we could not wave to them. In fact they seemed to stay below with no lights on, presumably an early night, and then leave the next morning without seeing or waving at us.
We remained on the boat the rest of the day and went ashore fairly early on Tuesday. First there was a river to explore! We knew that were on spring tides (i.e. unusually large tides), and that high tide was at about 0800 and so we were in the dinghy by 0900. The river was at the north eastern corner of the bay. The entry was shallow, in effect over a mud bar, but deep enough for the dinghy. We proceeded cautiously as the sea water was cloudy with the red mud. Once in the river the water cleared somewhat. That just meant we could see the bottom; the river was shallow but navigable by dinghy. The river was fairly wide, say 30 to 50m and had mangroves growing either side; the roots help form land, and the river cuts deeply where the mangrove roots end. We pushed on, after perhaps one km, the water was getting shallow and we had the motor raised. The river by now was still some 20 to 30m wide, but we were having to manoeuvre to avoid mud banks. A little further and we grounded. 25 m further on a fallen tree created a low arch over the river. We had come as far as we could. We turned off the motor and listened; silence. The only sound was the occasional bird cry. The only sight the river and surrounding mangroves, with some trees visible beyond. In the river we could see small fish flitting around in the crystal clear water. The river itself was practically weed free.
We turned and motored back down the river. The water level had dropped noticeably in the hour we had been on the river; fortunately there was still enough depth for us to make it back to the sea. There we headed to the beach where there were a couple of small dinghies upturned above the tide line, and we could just about make out buildings beyond the tree screen. We landed and pulled the dinghy ashore and then headed inland.
Beyond the screen of trees, there was a well tended area of grass with occasional coconut palms and a house. We headed to the house and were met by a grey-haired man. We said hello (well, Bon Jour) and explained we were on the yacht in the bay and wanted to come and say hello. And so we met Claude. Claude was happy to talk in broken French/English. He owned the house and land, and had watched us go up the river. Had we seen the cascade? We answered that we had gone as far as we could, and had not seen the cascade. There was a track or path to the cascade, and it would take perhaps half an hour or so walking. Would we like to see the track? We answered that we would, and being mid-morning no time was like the present. And so Claude walked us up his drive (100m of grass track) to the road to Noumea (a lot longer mud track). Some 500m or so along the ‘road’ with Claude explaining that there was plenty of wildlife here, including wild dogs (chenin sauvages) and deer (he showed us the hoof prints) and then Claude showed us a path through the sparse trees and clumps of grass. He left us with instructions to follow the path to the river, and keep the river to our left, climb over the rock by a large tree, and there would be the cascade. Be careful of the slippery (glissee) areas, and make sure you call in to say hello on the way back.
And so we set off. The path was fairly clear, but still Paul ‘blazed’ (cut into the bark of trees) at intervals. Gradually we entered first woods, and then closer rain forest. The path was generally easy to follow and occasionally marked by red paint spots on the trees. Still Paul cut blazes just in case. When we reached the river we turned right and kept the river on our left, following the path. Fairly soon it was a case of path central, river left and steep, rocky hill slope to our right. Occasionally we had to hunt for the path in the 100m between river and rock, but with the aid of paint spots rapidly found it again. On we went. Eventually the sound of the river increased, the river bank became rockier and we were clearly gong up hill. A little later and we rounded a corner, climbed a rock near a big tree, and saw the cascade. We were near the bottom where the water had worn a large pool, above the water rushed down over a rocky course. There were drops of white water, areas of clear water flowing over rock ledges and occasional pools. And all surrounded by the close, dense trees and vegetation. The large pool even had some fish in it, although it was a puzzle what they ate in the crystal clear, weed free water. It was quite a sight.
We stayed a while and then headed back, guided by the trodden path, paint spots and Paul’s blazes. Even so we still missed the path a couple of times and had to back track. Still we got back to Claude’s house about midday (yes it had taken more than half an hour each way!). Claude was there, we started talking, a bottle of (chilled!) red wine came out and we continued talking. Other bottles of nice French wine came out, and became gifts to us.
Claude had worked in the town hall for many years. He has a house in Noumea (right by the sea). He had bought the land and houses (there were 4 on it) some 17 years ago as a holiday home. He was married and had a son and two step daughters. They often visited the house. Indeed, Claude was often here, usually working on something. He was 65 years old and retired but he and his wife still ran a business. We talked on. Claude explained that this was a wild part of the coast and sometimes strange people could come along in the night, to what end, who knew? Claude then proudly showed us his shotgun; a Winchester 12 bore pump action loaded with 00 shot (!). Just in case. Claude was also a good cook. He proudly showed us his outdoor kitchen. We counted the burners – 9. Well, he often had 11 members of his family here, and needed to cook for them! As we talked it was clear Claude had not been on a yacht. We invited him onto Tai Mo Shan. Claude explained that he needed an afternoon siesta for an hour. No problem, we would pick him up at 3pm. We pushed the dinghy off the beach, picking up quantities of red mud as we did so.
At 3pm Paul returned to the beach. Claude was waiting. It was now low tide, a spring low tide and the tide was right out. 20m from the beach Paul had to get out and wade the dinghy in. A problem, the sea bed was weak, slippery red mud. Paul literally sank to his knees in mud, with 6 inches of sea water above! Claude waded out. He had taken his croc-type shoes off. Paul found out why soon enough as the mud swallowed one of his. Still, Paul and Claude had soon waded out deep enough to get in the dinghy. They then used the oars to push further out (yes, the sea bed was also flat!), until Paul could finally get the motor going and drive to Tai Mo Shan.
On board our talk continued, with some wine and nibbles. Claude was interesting, informative and really good company. Claude was keen we kept in touch; we certainly intend to do so. It was about 7pm, and dark by the time Paul returned Claude ashore to end a great day.
The forecast for the Wednesday was for a light to moderate Westerly wind. This was unusual in a country where the south easterly trade winds ruled. However, it had two effects. First, Baie Uie was sheltered from all but Westerly winds, and secondly the wind would be good to push us down the coast to our next anchorage. So, Wednesday, after breakfast the wind was as forecast, and we weighed anchor in a choppy Baie Uie.
Picture – the cascade