Boating Civilization - Uere Island, New Caledonia
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Fri 16 Oct 2009 10:36
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22:18.752S 166:28.611E
On October 10th we motored, sailed and motored
another 40 miles up the west coast of Grande Terre to Uere Island, which is just
around the corner from Noumea, the capital city of New Caledonia.
Getting into the small bay formed by miniscule Uere Island and Grande
Terre we dealt with something we haven't had to deal with in a long
time - local sailboats. More specifically, local racing sailboats.
We have grown accustomed to local boats that take the form of dugout canoes
and other handmade wooden contraptions that appear to be both serviceable
and scary all at the same time. Occasionally we've seen some small
fiberglass motorboats, but almost never do we see locals on a sailboat, or as
the Brits would say, 'a proper yacht'. I should probably be more specific
in my reference to 'locals'. These are people that live in the city
of Noumea, but are most likely not of native Melanesian descent. In
other words, they are transplanted Europeans or New Caledonians of European
descent.
There must be a yacht club (a real yacht club, not
the thatch hut with no boats variety we are used to) near Uere Island because
the Saturday and Sunday we spent there was filled with racing sailboats.
We dodged them as we sailed and then motored into the bay and then the
smaller Hobie Cats dodged us while we were at anchor. The swarm of Hobie
Cats that descended on us and the handful of other anchored cruising
sailboats seemed to be practicing, or rather showing off,
their maneuvering skills. They zipped by heeled over on one hull
leaning way out in their harnesses on the airborne side nearly knocking
their heads on our stern. Had they hit, it wouldn't have been
pretty. But they didn't, so it was pretty.
Picture 1 - Hobie Cats whizzing by.
Picture 2 - Hobie Cat tipped over after whizzing
by. Don't worry, they eventually got the vessel right side up and it
resumed whizzing by with the rest of the pack.
We didn't mind dodging the racing sailboats and
then having the Hobie Cats dodge us, but we did mind the jet skis and small
motor boats pulling water skiers that felt the need to circle around
the bay and the anchored sailboats as closely as possible. After being
away from this kind of pleasure boating civilization for nearly two years, I can
not adequately describe how positively annoying it is. Sorry to all of you
that own jet skis or ski boats, but imagine having ten motorcycles endlessly
circling around your home causing enough of a vibration that your coffee
comes dangerously close to spilling. Not enjoyable. We have
been so spoiled by secluded anchorages with only the occasional canoe paddling
by that our re-introduction to the 'real' boating world came as quite a
shock. Maybe this is good practice for what's waiting for us in
Australia. We'll soon find out.
Anne
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