Port Mouselle, Noumea
22:16.62S 166:26.393E Thursday 15th October 2015 Distance run: 26 nmiles We had a lovely downwind run under headsail alone almost all the way to Noumea.
Running downwind under reefed yankee. A few nmiles out, the wind picked up to nearly 30 knots and the sea became somewhat lively, so we were a little surprised to see how many windsurfers and kitesurfers there were off the coast of Noumea and a small island a few nmiles off. It seems this is a favourite spot for water activities, in particular because of the winds. One kitesurfer was having great fun nipping between us and Sheer Tenacity, and when he saw us taking photos, he started to show off. We really enjoyed watching him, but Rod and Mary were very nervous because he was passing just in front of them and ended up in the water a couple of times when his manoeuvres didn’t quite work out!
We ran along the shoreline towards Noumea. We named this island ‘hedgehog island’.
This kitesurfer was having a great time weaving between our boats. His surfboard was out of the water on its foil.
The wind and seas became a little more lively as we approached the entrance to Noumea.
So good to see proper, well-maintained buoyage. When we arrived in Port Moselle, we went to the visitors’ dock in the marina, but were told they had no berths available tonight and we should go to anchor. Unfortunately, there was next to no room in the anchorage, so we were pondering what to do when Rod called to say that he had spoken to the marina again and they said if we could find an empty mooring ball we should pick one up. Having settled himself on a buoy, Rod then called to say he’d seen one for us, and within ten minutes we were safely hanging on a buoy. We took the dinghy into the marina to check in and they said leave it till tomorrow, and that they would have a berth for both of us by then. So, with that, we retired to our first waterside bar since Fiji and ordered cold beers all round.
The marina bar/restaurant at Port Moselle. |
