Tag Archives: New Caledsonia

Lifou Loyalty Islands New Caledonia

16/9-18/9-2017 Crossing to the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia with the ICA Pacific Circle Rally.

We started, early in the morning but after most of the others. When sailing out of the bay we met Lisa and Sven-Gösta coming in to Port Villa in there sailingboat Randivåg. We started out with two reef and jib and not like most of the rally boats that went for motor and full sail. The swells were up to 3.5 meter. It was not a comfortable upwind sailing and the speed was low (sometimes only 3.5) but a short distant so we did not care. Sometimes we changed the jib with staysail and during night we had only main with two reef. Once we had a sudden wind change from east to west. In shorter periods we had to use the motor.

Going with the rally meant that we could clear in to New Cal at Lifou on the 19/9 and that was a great advantage. Now we had a lot of the westerly island close by. The clearance took 3.45 min per boat and we were 30 boats so very good.

Sailing in New Cal 20/9-10/10 2017

Big bus arranged by the rally to village with post office for buying net and supermarket with nice French food like baguette and goat (chèvre) cheese.

Lifou minibus tour 21/9 with Mike and Glenda on Manuhaea, Jim and Linaire on Panthera and Russ Jane on Vivacious. The south island is beautiful with the sandy beaches, stone formations, cliffs, flowers etc. We had expected to see caves and finally Glenda managed to convince the driver to get a hold of a guide for to see a cave. An interesting old man had knowledge about the cave and showed us the way whiled packet in the trunk. Al of us had clip-clappers on and when we saw the cave we realised that at least the women could not go deep down into the cave. We enjoyed talking with the old man while waiting for our men to turn up from the deep. Lars got beautiful pictures of the inside of the cave.