Dear friends,

Dave & Jan have spent the last 2 months in New Caledonia on Harmonica enjoying the company of Jan's niece Claire for much of that time. It is a lovely place with clear seas, and good walks, lots of space with not many people. The weather has been the only minor disappointment. We have been spoilt by too many seasons of undisturbed tropical blue skies. Even the bed quilt has come out of storage. Also, everything seems expensive here except for baguettes, camembert cheese, pate, and wine - life can't be too bad! Scurvy was kept away with the aid of a pamplemousse tree heavy with enormous grapefruit that were being left on the ground to rot.

Yes, the country is French. It consists of Grande Terre (about the size and shape of Vancouver Island) plus the Loyalty Islands to the east and a few smaller islands. Grande Terre, a remnant of ancient Gonduanaland, is rich in minerals and has wealth in its nickel, cobalt, iron and other mines. Surrounded by an almost continuous reef which is supposed to enclose the biggest lagoon in the world and has just become a UNESCO World Heritage site. Clear blue water up to 20 miles wide and stretching 250 miles up either side and 50 miles further north & south. Hump back whales come each year to raise their young and we have seen them once or twice in the lagoon. Some of our anchorages have been only 3 meters deep, and some tucked behind reefs in the middle of what looks like open sea.

We are supposed to be in the SE Trade Winds most of the time, but this winter a succession of lows in the Tasman Sea have brought some fronts with cooler westerly winds. That gave us some fun jogging backwards and forwards between anchorages to avoid rolling in south west swells.

Claire was celebrating finishing school and flew home to England last week to find that she had 4 grade A's and is heading to Southampton University. Congratulations from us! The recorders and electronic keyboard have been out much of the time. It has been fun having her (younger) company aboard. Jan & Claire spent many afternoons collecting shells along the beaches including Nautilus shells, which are 250 million year-old relics that live here at great depths along the outside edges of the reef. We saw the nautilus swimming in a tank in the excellent Aquarium in Noumea. Meanwhile, Dave did a little running with another cruiser and we all shared the 2 folding bicycles.

Our longest stay has been in Isle Des Pins on the southern tip of Grande Terre. There is a beach of fine white sand backed by coconut palms at Kuto, and a couple of sleepy but smart hotels. The only scary wild-life episode was when Dave found a lizard in his shorts after one sortie ashore. Large turtles pop their heads up in a lot of anchorages - curious creatures. Small rays wave their way past. We have seen many banded sea kraits which are handsome yellow and black banded snakes often in the middle of our walking path; curled up in holes in the rocks; or swimming in the sea. They have a flattened paddle like tail and air tight nostrils. They can stay under water for up to an hour. Its poison is particularly potent but its head is so small it would have trouble attaching itself to parts of our bodies...probably only the webbing of hands and toes...still we avoid them when possible. They are a worry for the petrels that come to breed on the sandy motus in the lagoon.

We are now in the Loyalty Islands anchored at Pede beach, on Mare. A pod of dolphins was at the reef entrance when we arrived but we have not seen them since. Whales are supposed to come here but we have not seen any since leaving Grande Terre. There is one other boat here with a young French couple and their 13 month old daughter. A beautiful anchorage sheltered from the ocean swell by the cliff and narrow beach on one side & outlying corals on the other. It has been beautifully flat the last 2 days, but in a westerly wind we would have to move. None are forecast, and the Mayor of the nearby town said we can move inside his breakwater and ferry dock if we need to. Most cruisers skip this island in favour of Ouvea. We really like it here. It seems unspoiled. About 20 miles across either way, it has a population under 8,000, and is known for providing Noumea with many of its fruits & vegetables. There are lots of limestone outcrops and caves. The cliffs over the road have over-hung caves which are filled with stalagmites.

We have found NC to be quite a different experience from other South Pacific countries. The Kanak people are mixed Melanesian-Polynesian and seem to have everything they need and do not expect anything of foreigners. Almost all speak French but local Melanesian languages are common amongst them. There are well-paved roads, smart cars, and seemingly good health & education. They are often quiet and shy but have lovely smiles and welcoming manners when you have reason to greet them. The European people are also friendly, but there is a separation. Most live in Noumea, or are connected with the few big mining operations that have stripped several hillsides on Grande Terre and Isle Ouen.

Yesterday, we hitch-hiked to the nearest town as it was market day.....the best array of vegetables we have seen for a while. The scenery is beautiful, slightly reminiscent of Niue, with very clear water and good snorkeling. The landscape is dotted with large, columnar, endemic pine trees, which Captain Cooke declared to be excellent for ships spars. Branches look like rows of toilet brushes sticking out from a tall straight trunk.

We keep getting our chain fouled on coral heads, but if that remains our biggest problem, we shall stay content.

Undecided at present whether to head up to the Louisiades and back to Australia or stay around here for a the rest of this season.

love from Jan & Dave