Freedom and Adventure: Hello New Caledonia
by Andrew & Clare Payne 30 Aug 2022 10:15 PDT
Eye Candy in Port Moselle Marina © Andrew and Clare Payne / Freedom and Adventure
We are now located at Port Moselle marina in Noumea, New Caledonia and what a pleasure to be here. It is a glorious sunny day, the marina is very nice with good facilities and a popular restaurant. The staff are most helpful and we have some Aussie company, Liam and Annie on Gone with the Wind.
A Peaceful Stop
But first, some details on our sail to New Caledonia from Port Vila Vanuatu which commenced Saturday 20st August. We planned to sail 180 miles south on an easterly wind to the southern most island Aneityum, in the Vanuatu chain. From here, we would wait for the right conditions to continue on for 200 miles to Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia. Our plans changed when the easterly wind, after eighty miles, swung around to a south east head wind. We dropped anchor around 12.30am Sunday 21st August at the island of Erromango which is 80 miles south of Port Vila. We spent a peaceful time here waiting. We did not go ashore as we had checked out of the country. Port Vila Customs gave us approval to stop and wait for favourable weather if necessary.
What a Blessing
Our next 200 miles into Noumea started at 8pm Monday 22nd August. The first new hours was rough water but after the sea settled, we had champagne sailing all the way. We couldn't believe our luck as this leg has a bad reputation for headwinds and strong currents. Mother Nature gave us a break, we had gentle wind aft of the beam and mostly the current was with us - fantastic.
Our Luck Ran Out
The only mishap for the trip came when Andrew ripped his leg on a latch in the cockpit when pulling in a Mahi Mahi. He completely skun himself by pulling the flesh away from the muscle. He even had to poke a vein back under the flap. We cleaned the wound with antiseptic wash, applied antibiotic cream and bandaged the leg. We applied steri-strips but they did not hold the wound together. Fortunately, the wound did not bleed much and Andrew suffered no pain. We arrived into Noumea at 6pm Wednesday 24th August, Andrew attended the Doctor the next morning and received stitches. He had to stay off the leg, as much as possible, for two days at which time we took the bandage off to let the wound breathe. We are very happy with Andrew's progress. We walked into town yesterday and again this morning, no problems.
He will have the stitches removed progressively on Wednesday and then again on Friday. The mishap was bad enough, but it could have been a lot worse, we were very lucky to be close to our destination. After paying the Doctor's bill of $170 we consider the Mahi Mahi to be a most expensive fish. I must add though, it was a very nice fish.
Good Friends - The Best Tonic
We are very much enjoying the company of Liam and Annie sharing drinks and meals and catching up. We first met in Turkey in 2005 and have sailed on and off together over the past seventeen years. There is a very comprehensive fruit, vegie and fish market close by and so last night we shared a sushi, salmon and prawn dinner accompanied by a bottle of champagne. The nearby patisserie is also a plus with warm baguettes, croissants, pastries and good coffee. Things are looking up, we couldn't buy anything like this in Vanuatu.
We are out of the Tropical Weather
The weather is cooler here than Vanuatu. We are experiencing around 21 degrees each day and we have had rain on and off most days. We have even resorted to a blanket at night. Yesterday we went for a walk around town. It was Sunday and all was quiet. On weekdays it is very busy and with lots of traffic. This morning we went to Chinatown so I could buy a long sleeve mid weight top and some long pants. The sleeves on the top I purchased were a mile too long, Fortunately the girl running the shop has a sewing machine ready for alterations. Fifteen minutes later the sleeves on my top fit perfectly, no extra charge. How good is that?
So What's Next
We will stay in Port Moselle marina until at least Friday, so Andrew can get his stitches out. Then we will start exploring some of the beautiful bays and surrounding islands. I thinks Gone with the Wind will push on to Australia soon. So we will have to make the most of their company over the next few days. So until next time stay safe and our love to all.
This article has been provided courtesy of the Freedom and Adventure.