31 Oct 2007
Baie de Doking, Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands
We sight Lifou Island in the Loyalty's early yesterday morning 31 Oct in worsening weather so with 16 miles to go to We (pronounced whey), in 34 knots and rough seas on a lee shore, we turn and ru off to the west around the top of Lifou. Anchoring in Baie de Doking in a nice sheltered situation under impressive high cliffs which is protecting us from the E/SE swells. Had a hearty breakfast/lunch, and collapsed into the bunk and awoke on dusk so decided to stay put for the night.
01 Nov 2007
We, Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands
Arrived We' (pronounced Way) lunchtime today, motoring all the way round the coast from Baie de Doking - about 5 hours as we were pretty much heading into the wind. There were very big swells, we estimate some at least 6 metres, and depending on the proximity of the various headlands we passed we got varying wind driven waves on top. Took some very big waves but Muskie was not fazed and neither was her crew. B is wearing her chinese acupuncture wrist bands compliments and they seem to be doing a good job.
When we arrived in We no one from the marina answered our VHF calls so we tied up to a wharf at the entrance which was a low concrete thing and poor Muskie got a couple of nasty scratches when the fenders lifted in the swell. Nothing that can't be touched up.
Peter scaled a 6 ft fence to get into the marina proper but no one official was around. So asking other yachts he found out it was a New Cal public holiday so we have helped ourselves to a berth, a tight fit, we are the biggest yacht in the marina, which is very small. We are flying the Q flag which means we are not to go ashore or communicate with anyone unofficial until we have cleared customs and quarantine. Yeah right!.
So went to the gas station which sells groceries and tried to buy some nice french bread but we only had Euros and surprise, they only take Pacific Francs!!! So no bread, but did get a nice hot shower in the marina shower block. Tonight eating our Vanuatu scotch fillet tonight before Quarantine get here as otherwise they reportedly would take it away!.
Will probably head to Noumea tomorrow which is an overnighter and need to go through Havannah Pass in day light. Probably anchor in Baie du Prony once through the pass and then go on to Noumea the following day. However we may stay one more day here in We, not sure until we see customs tomorrow and check out the weather.
04 Nov 2007
We, Lifou Island
Well what a magic place We on the island of Lifou turned out to be. Having now departed after 4 days it is time to reflect....We arrived from Vanuatu in some boisterous weather and snuck into the the tiny marina which was only opened in 2003 to attract yachties that have previously bypassed this island group.
Once we got ship shape and got cleared in we were off to the nearest ATM for local Sth Pacific Francs and then to the supermarket for fresh french bread and fresh food...glorious French food and all at Kiwi prices surprisingly. Also purchased a nice light beer "Kronenburg 1664" and a bottle of Blanc de Blanc.
The major treat for us is dairy produce...yoghurt, designer cheeses etc etc but no fresh milk since leaving NZ its been all UHT. When we get to Aust we are going to get a yoghurt maker and grow our own culture as weetbix are inedible without the stuff !!
All the other yachties here are French or New Caledonian so Barbara is testing her schoolgirl French on them and Peter is bluffing his way with a combination of acting and international sign language that he has always relyed and swears never lets him down....'Look em in the eye and keep the smile at the ready !! No understanding of French is required when it comes to the RWC as the French guys are equally excited that they dealt to the AB's as they are the Poms got beaten in the final.
As there were never any taxi's each time we went to town we put the finger out and we were picked up instantly. It was not until we hitched a ride into the town for dinner on Saturday evening that we met a real local.... a Kanak chief, the Kanaks being the ethic Melanesian people of New Cal and the Loyalty Islands.
French speaking and English challenged Chief Michel Luepak stopped as we hitched a ride outside the marina and delivered us to a restaurant in town. Michel circa 55yrs and father of 6 off-spring ranging from 6 to 26yrs is a very busy man with a dual role in life. In Noumea where he lives he is the headmaster at a local primary school but once a month he flys back to We for the weekend to fulfill his chiefly duties to his village of 600 souls.
He went to great trouble to tell us that he is a small chief only, but next morning when he collected us from the boat to visit his village we were more than impressed by his spread out village all just 5kms from town beside the lagoon.
Here we are 10am on a Sunday morning and after walking us around the beautiful lawned village he took us into his childhood home, the chiefs house overlooking the lagoon. He opens the shutters and sits us down to can you believe, a bottle of Johnny Walker to celebrate our meeting, and its just gone bloody 10am on a Sunday morning....We soon joined the dots as he like us is a non-practising Protestant. Seems the London Missionary Society rocked up to the Loyalty Islands in the 1830's before the other faiths and the whole population is Protestant which is an oddity in largely Catholic New Cal.
Must tell you after the dinner on Sat night the cashier at the restaurant gave us a ride back to the marina which was much appreciated as it was about 4km and pitch black as no street lights. Native Kanak Sondra by name, proudly informed us a few years back she had spent time a most enjoyable time Christchurch Polytech on an English language course with a visit to Queenstown the highlight of her trip.
Must say the quality of life here seems a notch up on the other Pacific islands with the French obviously doshing the Francs around....big modern hospital, local body offices and general air of efficiency with good roading and power reticulation to villages. The people dress well with the ladies in colourful dress and floral headwear. The quality of the vehicular rolling stock is somewhat younger than NZ with small Peugeot and Renualts de-riguer.
Back to the sailing business we spent the rest of Sunday prepping Musketelle for the overnight crossing to New Caledonia. This included emptying our water tanks of the limey and scaley Port Vila water and refilling with the absolutely magic We water...we now have 700 litres of We water to consume.
