position S22 12.600 E166 20.500

Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Wed 15 May 2019 09:57


















Wednesday 15th May   New Caledonia

Happy Birthday Mother!

I made a dinghy dash back into town 1st thing to return the hire car and pick up some bread. It is quite a long run from the achorage and I am pleased with the new dinghy and outboard from New Zealand, both performing very well.
Gas is an issue -I couldn't fill my U.K bottles in New Zealand (out of test) or the french bottle that I bought in Tahiti  (no adapter). I assumed that I would at least be able to swap the french bottle here but while the bottles are identical apart from the colour (yellow not green) it couldn't be swapped and couldn't be re-filled. They are equally snooty here about the U.K bottles which do look a  bit rusty but are still much heavier duty  than anything new available. I couldn't bring myself to spend another £50 just to abandon my french green bottle for an identical yellow one and so I bought a 23kg houshold bottle which holds more gas and commands less deposit plus it is more likely to be fillable elsewhere in the world.  Now I have to work out how to accomodate the over-sized bottle in the vented locker. 
I found the new ignition switch-fitted it and we now can start the engine from the cockpit again which is a relief.  Diana has been plagued the last 2 nights with a new noise- a regular resonant twang which I couldn't locate and was beginning to think was to do with the nickle extraction factory resonating through the water. Diana sleuthed the noise to the port side stern and after searching below the water line with mask and snorkle I realised that the twang was emanating from the wind generator. It wasn't audible above deck but below deck it transmitted through the mounting pole and emerged mostly in Dianas head. The generator is currently tied off awaiting  its turn on the doctors treatment table.
After lunch we decided to explore a bit up the coast so upped the anchor and sailed northwest to a bay about 10 miles away from Numea. As soon as we left it started to rain of course but the sun came out for a lovely sunset as we anchored in a well sheltered bay along with an Irish flagged ketch and a catermeran. The Irishman and his New Zealand wife passed by in their dinghy and welcomed us  to the bay like they are the lords of the manor, which is how you feel when you claim an anchorage for yourself.