Text Author: John-Frederick Thye

We sailed into the Havannah Channel with the rising sun, under the blue morning sky, on 10 October. The southern tip of New Caledonia, a 220 nautical mile long narrow island, greeted us with it's steep 200 meter tall red cliffs. The shores were clustered with white beaches, palm trees, and yes, tall pines (the first we've seen since Chile) that stood like soldiers, guarding ragged mountain ridges. I had to think of Captain James Cook who discovered and named this land New Caledonia in 1774.

The terrain reminded him of the Scotland highlands which was called Caledonia by the ancient Romans. We navigated our way through 30 miles of passes and bays into Noumea, New Cal's metropolitan nerve center, where 40 percent of the island's 222,000 inhabitants live. Here Melanesian tradition blends with French sophistication as New Caledonia's economy centers around successful mining and metallurgy industry. It is the third largest nickel producer in the world after Russia and Canada and processing plants and extensive strip mines scar the landscape. The factory smoke and the areas of red earth, laid bare by the mines, stand in stark contrast to the green of the vegetation.

The indigenous people, called Kanaks, as well as their culture, has suffered greatly under the European influences. Luxury Western cars and villas seem out of place on a South Pacific island that is famous for its Grande Case (big hut), the strongest symbol of the Kanak community. The huts are built around the immense trunk of a tree, which symbolizes the chief. The walls and roof are made of pandanus leaves and from its top protrudes a long spear-like carving raised in respect to the ancestors.

The Kanaks fought in WWI in the French Pacific Battalion that went to North Africa, Italy and southern France. New Cal. also served as a US Allied military base in WWII. In1946 the Kanaks were given French citizenship and partial voting rights. With much local bloodshed and violence, however, the Kanaks have pushed for independence and the French government signed the Noumea Accord in May 1998. It focuses on the gradual transfer of power from the French State to New Caledonia and on the recognition of the Kanak culture. A referendum on full independence will be held between the years 2013 and 2018. Since the Accord New Cal. is no longer a French overseas territory, but a special territorial entity within the French republic.

We found a spot for WILDLIFE at the famous cruising stopover and only clearance point, Port Moselle Marina. Surrounded by half a dozen languages and flags, WILDLIFE made friends with New Zealanders, Australians, French, Canadian, American, and German boats. We did find that some cruisers entering the port were a little too excited about seeing land again, as WILDLIFE was placed into precarious situations more than once while other boats tried to dock near by. She survived mostly unscathed, however, and will now proudly sail us to Bundaberg, Australia, where we hope to arrive in approx. 5 days. We are holding a strict watch, as at least a dozen other yachts are making the same journey to escape the local cyclone season that will begin in a few weeks.