New Caledonia, Ile des Pins and Baie De Prony

Noumea to Ile des Pins   27^th May – 5^th June



Welcome To Ile Des Pins, Kuto Baie Anchorage

We have explored the centre of Noumea very well, along with the resort areas in the Baie des Citrons, Anse Vata and Ilot Maitre. We again visited the Ilot Maitre, but this time we took Olivia and surrendered our convenient spot in the Baie de l’Orphelinat to one of the many other yachts that are visiting at the moment. So far, the day at Ilot Maitre, has been one of the only sunny days we have had here. The weather has been overcast, light winds and occasional rain showers – not what we envisaged when we planned our trip to the South Pacific.

We had an interesting pizza dinner out in a Mediterranean Restaurant near Audrey’s hotel. (The waiter was lovely and we met up with some friends from a couple of years ago. Ric and Val might remember Leonie and Paul from the Moody, Spirit Chaser, which they anchored very close to in Cooktown, and Barefoot Bowls!) We farewelled Audrey early on Wednesday morning and made our way back to Olivia for a quiet motoring day down the coast to the Baie de Prony. This bay is on the southern tip of New Caledonia and is a huge waterway made up of many small bays and a couple of islands. There are plenty of anchorages and two are known as cyclone bolt holes, so protection can be found for any winds there. We spent the night in a tiny bay in Bonne Anse Rade de L’est, with another motor boat. The night was quiet and still and as the bay was close to our course for Ile des Pins (Isle of Pines) it was convenient for an early start.

 

Convict Ruins, Kuto Baie

 

Ile des Pins

As we approached Kuto Baie we could see a huge cruise ship anchored off for a day stop over at the Ile des Pins. It was massive, like a block of flats in the ocean. Several small motor boats were ferrying passengers to and from the ship and the markets and other attractions in the bay. We anchored opposite the hotel/resort along with about fifteen other yachts. The beach looked beautiful, white sand with a line of gentle surf breaking on the shore, coconut palms lining the beach and the resort perched at the water’s edge. After we had Olivia settled we took Lily ashore and pulled her up the beach after dodging the line of breakers that were just negotiable with the dinghy. There were lots of tourists from the cruise ship and we explored the immediate area.

There is another bay, Baie de Kanumera which is just across a low section of the beach on the opposite side of the point. This bay is very picturesque as it has two sections that are separated by a huge limestone rock in the centre. At low tide you can easily walk to the rock, however a sign nearby asks that you do not climb the rock as it is culturally important to the natives of this area. It is guarded by two totem poles.

 

Just Looking
 

guardians Of The Rock

 

This part of the island is dotted with the ruins of a penal colony that was set up here by the French in the mid 1800s. It reminds me a little of Rottnest, although it was obviously much larger. The ruins are spread out through the bush and some are several kms away.

We have discovered two general stores up the road from Kuto Bay. The nearest one is quite well stocked and has fresh baguettes every day, which we purchase for our lunch. The second one is further along the road and is much more a local affair. We brought some apples, oranges and milk there. We like the baguettes at the first store best.

Yellow Dog

Up we go!
 

On Sunday we decided to walk up the highest mountain on the island which is not far from Kuto Bay. At 262m we thought it would be a good Sunday exercise. As we walked past the resort a yellow coloured kelpie type dog joined us. There are many dogs here that appear to belong to nobody, although they are healthy and well cared for by somebody. Anyway this dog attached itself to us and would not be put off. He walked with us to the top of the mount even though we tried to palm him off to anyone who we met. Yellow dog accompanied us to the top and we shared our morning tea with him, even some water. He sat like a sphinx on command and ate his biscuit delicately. Someone has taught him manners. Once morning tea was over he heard another party of climbers coming up and decided that nothing more would be forthcoming from us and he disloyally went to join them. We haven’t seen him again. He was a beautiful dog – coming from me that is big praise

The Climb

The view from the top was stunning and for once the sun nearly appeared. It is the only time we have seen a hint of sun during our week here.

Liz and Yellow Dog make it to the top

 

Liz Gets Dumped!

Monday was overcast – again! We decided to walk around the headland between Kuto Bay and Kanumera Bay. It is a pretty walk through the pine trees and pandanas palms and gives a great view of the reef in Kanumera Bay. Arriving back at the dinghy we realised that the tide had gone out and Lily was now anchored in the breakers rolling in along the beach. It is hard to find a spot to leave the dinghy when going ashore as even in the calmest corner there is a decent surf breaking on the beach. At this stage we weren’t game to leave Lily tied behind the floating jetty as we didn’t know when next the cruise ship would arrive or even if it was acceptable to do so.

Lily was by now half full of water so Peter had me holding her while he bailed some of it out. All of a sudden some bigger waves began breaking on us and the naughty dinghy flipped up, broached and completely flattened me. So much for my clean shorts! Both shorts and I were totally full of sand. It was even in my ears. The moral of that story is that ‘stuff what anyone says we are now tying the dinghy behind the floating pontoon’!

Folding Bikes

Nice bike riding, Not many cars!

 

Yesterday was raining most of the day so we stayed on board reading. The highlight was watching a huge ferry dock at the old jetty. It has arrived here twice this week bringing tourists for the resorts.

Following our day on board we decided to take the folding bikes ashore, assemble them on the floating dock and ride to the capital, Vao. There is little traffic on the roads and the day was cool and clear. We had only gone a couple of kms when I noticed my bike had a funny swaying motion. Peter discovered that the pin in the main hinge had dropped out. #$!!*! He rode back to the jetty to see if it was in the bike bags and I walked back along the road pushing my bike looking for the pin. Luckily Peter found the pin on the jetty, but the circlip that held it in place had gone. While I sat on the beach Peter rode to the fuel station, a bike rental place and eventually Vao, to try to get a circlip to fit, but no luck. Sooo! Peter got to see Vao and I did not!! So much for new bikes! Apparently there is not much at Vao but a few houses, a huge church and general store.

Finally on Friday 7^th we gave up on the weather and sailed in a gentle SE breeze back to the Baie de Prony. The weather had been disappointing but the L’Ile Des Pins is a lovely place to visit. We enjoyed our seven days there.

 

Pines

 

More of the Rock in Kanumera Baie

 

Baie De Prony  7^th – 14^th June

 

On the way to Baie de Prony
 

We had a pleasant sail back north to the Baie De Prony and anchored in Bonne Anse Rade De L’est, the south eastern most bay. There are six small bays to anchor in in this natural harbour. We chose anchorage C and spent two nights in peaceful, calm conditions apart from the anchor chain rumbling over the coral bottom as the tide swung Olivia around in the night. I learned to ignore it.

There are many walking tracks around the whole bay and the scenery is stunning - mountains and wilderness as far as the eye can see. The landscape is slashed by huge, orange eroded patches, some natural (we think) and some the results of made roads and mining.  On the first day we found a track leading to the lighthouse at Cape Ndoua. The view from here over the southern lagoon was superb. The red/orange soil here sticks to your shoes, feet and any other clothing or body part that touches it. We thought pindan pink in Derby WA was bad when we lived there – this earth stains everything it touches so care needs to be taken to wash feet before climbing back on board.

 

Walking The Wilderness. You can just see Olivia in the bay. All by ourselves.

 

Following this we motored over to the Rade du Nord and anchored in the eastern bay so we could look for the convict ruins. The forest is so thick that any ruins have long been overgrown, but we did find a delightful little spring near the beach that had been walled and the water was crystal clear and tasted very fresh. We left this bay after lunch and motored to Ilot Casy where we spent two nights on a mooring on the northern side. The mooring was close to the beach, but tucked in out of the SE wind.

Ilot Casy once had a small resort on it, but that has now gone. There is still a functional jetty and pretty camp area under the trees. A ferry runs from Noumea and drops campers off periodically. The walks around and over the island are numerous and interesting.

 

Ilot Casey



Cycad Forest, Ilot Casy

 

New Caledonia has very few wild animals except pigs and deer. There are no snakes - only sea snakes, a few lizards and some birds, but we heard very little bird song in the anchorages. None of those squawking parrots that we have, except a few in a tree in Noumea. The plant life is more interesting and it is quite different to Aus. The only plant we have seen that is similar to Aus is a wattle. There is a Grevillia type flower that has leaves like a Bay Tree. There are lots of Cordyline type plants and other large leaved plants that I do not know. The hills are covered in sparse bush and some of the valleys and lower lying areas are covered in thick rain forest. We came across a Pitcher Plant on the walk on Ilot Casy and in the Baie Du Carenage which was very exciting. Ilot Casy had the most amazing Cycad forest. My Cycad at home is still a baby!

 

Autographs Ilot Casy. We didn't do it!

 

Our last three nights in Baie De Prony were spent in Baie Du Carenage East Anchorage. Our first night we were alone and everyone else anchored in the West Anchorage. We wondered what was wrong with our patch, but there was nothing and on the following two nights six boats anchored with us. It is such a beautiful, wild place. At the end of our bay is a wide waterfall and near this is a hot spring that has been planked in and is decked around. However, the deck planks are rotting and care is needed so that you don’t go through them. The spring is warm and you can see it bubbling in through a hole in the rocks. We sat in the spring enjoying the warm water and our first bath for a while. The spring is just a short walk up from a jetty near the waterfall.

Anyone for a warm bath?

There are walking tracks everywhere here and we climbed some steep hills, found waterfalls, springs and ruins of old mines. There is no shortage of beautiful clean water which runs in creeks all over the hills. It would be interesting to know if this happens all year round. This is supposed to be the dry season so maybe it does.

 

 

On our last night in Baie De Prony we invited some Melbournites on board for drinks. Fred made us coffee in the morning as we’d complained about the lack of coffee shops here. He came over with a natty little coffee maker, something like a pressure cooker, and made us a cup each. Thanks Fred! Best coffee in the Baie! Anyway we enjoyed the company of Fred and his crew for nibbles, drinks and storytelling that evening.

 

A majestic landscape. The bare maountains of south New Caledonia

 

We are now back in Noumea in Port Moselle Marina for a stock up, clean up and a bit of R&R.

 

Pitcher Plants Baie du Prony