New Caledonia is much more beautiful and unspoiled than I imagined with much bare red soil and pine trees which are the shape of well-used pipe cleaners. Aside from the pine trees the vegetation is sparse and low growing due to the ultramafic soils - full of minerals, especially nickel. It is not volcanic like Vanuatu, but rather a piece that broke off Gondwanaland leaving Australia behind, according to the books. There is much floating pumice here and it could be that the same pumice we sailed through last year has blown this far. We knew we were in a different world when we sailed into the southern lagoon of New Caledonia. The water became flat calm, the soil was bright red, there were those weird trees poking up and everywhere were white sand islets brilliant in the sun. And it was cold because we have sailed south almost out of the tropics now.
Our Port Moselle Marina neighbors are fun and interesting and from all over the world. The younger couple on our port side are from Finland and the British Nick and Kathy on Impala are on our starboard. We have been with Impala many times in Vanuatu and we enjoy their company.
Saturday we walked the capital city of Noumea and toured the New Caledonia Archives Library where we learned about the nickel mines. Nickel mining is the big deal here in New Caledonia.
Half the people are Melanesian Kanaks, and the other half mostly French. The Kanaks, like the niVans, are into Rastafarian/reggae music, garb and hair-dos. When we missed the last bus down the hill, a Kanak man stopped and generously gave us a ride into the city. He also generously offered us a joint asking "Marijuana?" It was the only word besides "merci" that we had in common but it is amazing how well charades and pointing works.
The bad news about Noumea is that it stinks of sewer and cigarette smoke and the people speak French. The good news is that if we try to speak French, people will speak English back, I think because it is less painful than trying to understand our French.
As soon as we got boat chores done in Noumea we left for a beautiful little islet just 6 miles south of the city. It smells good and is quiet and peaceful - aahhh.
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