Good time at Isle of Pines
Firstly, we should explain that the Island is about 115Km from Noumea and about 55Km South-East of the bottom of the main Island (Grande Terre). We also forgot to mention that we saw whales spouting on the way.
There are two giant sea turtles, just over a metre long, which visit us each morning and evening (swimming around the boat). We have named them "Pierre" and "Claudine".
Claudia has delivered delicious home-baked bread as well as a Pizza. She brings them over in her rubber ducky. Excellent service and fantastic eating. Yum!
Penny's knee survived the walk up the 262metre Peak Nga and the views over the whole island were spectacular. That afternoon, we went snorkelling which was great.
We'd done a fair bit of walking around the day before so have had several nights of very good sleeps.
The reserving of the Velos (cycles) went well and we spent a long day cycling around. The Vao Market was a bit small and there was not much left just 90mins after it opened. No fruit left and hardly any veggies. We did buy some delicious home made Papaye jam and an excelent wood carving (to add to our heaps of Solomons wood carvings!)
We saw the pirogues (large dugout sailing canoes) sailing, visited many bays, visited ruins from the convict days and looked at a number of local dwellings. People are shy but friendly. Lifts are offered if they see you walking. The language barrier restricts our communications somewhat.
We plan to leave on our sixth day- Monday- as the Westerly change will have come and the wind will be favourable. We are heading for Port Boise and then onto Mare in the Loyalty Islands. We'll need to leave around 0200 for Mare to get out of the sometimes-nasty Havannah Passage.
All the Best,
Dave & Penny
