Exercising Caution

Sunday, June 30th – The winds that forced us to move anchorages this morning abated a little from last night’s levels but continued strongly blowing from the west all day. Needless to say, we did not head on back to anchor off Lekiny for dinner at the resort. Calling them by phone, we cancelled. In the late afternoon, we are surprised to see a new boat showing up on the AIS and appearing to come from the direction of Lifou. Why would a boat be traveling that direction today? Looking up its particulars on the AIS, it states that this is a 150 foot boat with a 40 foot beam. It must be one big catamaran! So, we figure it is one of the luxury charter yachts one sees throughout the Pacific. These conditions are no problem for it. We follow the boat’s progress and are surprised to shortly see a small catamaran coming around the end of the island. Large, luxury yacht it is not. Bad data on the AIS it has. What a sail they must have had! Well, not a sail. It was head-on wind motoring over from Lifou, not what most sailboats relish doing at any time. S/v Sundowners is soon anchored not far from us.

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As The Captain starts to pull up the anchor, the dinghy from s/v Sundowners is launched and heads out towards us. We stop our departure activities to meet Scott, another Aussie. Why was he out yesterday? He has a schedule to meet. His guests are leaving tomorrow from the resort in Lekiny and shortly after, another round of guests is arriving. Planes wait for no one, and a cruising schedule based on the arrival or departure of a plane is very hard to alter even due to the vagaries of weather. Scott is a talkative, very likable man. He keeps his boat In Raby Bay, where we often keep ours when we are in Australia. In fact, the friends shortly arriving are the owners of the dock where he keeps his boat. Wouldn’t it be nice to meet them? If we’re anchored anywhere near, we will certainly do so.

Scott then tells us some alarming news. Two days ago, a luxury charter yacht had been boarded by locals brandishing guns and machetes. They roughed up the Australian passengers, knocked the captain around, shot their guns at the boat and damaged the electronics and one of the engines. This all occurred right here off the northern end of Ouvea, the island where we are now anchored. The attack occurred at Beautemp Beaupre, a small island that is known for its wonderful underwater coral and sea life and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One must obtain permission from a local chief before visiting there. Scott does not know all the details of this incident, but it certainly raises warning flags with us. Our sailing plans include a visit to Beautemp Beaupre for a day of exploration. We know there is widespread discontent among the Kanaks, but targeting tourists is unusual, and the use of guns is frightening, even for us from gun-violent USA.

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While waiting for the store to open, we do an internet search for further news on this attack. The incident is being called an act of Piracy. It was the tender to the luxury yacht that was boarded. Still, a tender to a yacht that size is a good-sized boat. Nobody was hurt badly, though people were pushed around and roughed up. The most alarming fact was the use of guns and significant damage to the boat. No exclamation was given as to the actual cause of this incident. Aboard Avante, we wonder if this was really piracy or the culmination of feelings of abuse or neglect of tribal customs. Had the captain of the yacht neglected to obtain permission from the chief? The news articles state that permission had been requested from appropriate authorities. Was permission granted by the local chief? The articles do not say. All this is speculation on our part. We are left with few solid facts and a lot of questions.

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As it is now too late in the day to move Avante to another anchorage, we decide to walk down the beach for some exercise. In about half an hour, upon looking inland, we see what looks to be a gas station. We walk through a narrow stretch of woods, cross the street and walk up to the gas pumps. Maybe they have diesel. We would then go back to Avante for our containers if they do. No diesel, but there is a store. A good sized store it is, too. Scanning the fresh produce, The First Mate cannot believe her eyes. Tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, parsley, apples, pears, oranges, lettuce — Oh, the abundance! All would be too heavy to carry back to the dinghy so we decide to walk back and motor the dinghy up here.

That done, we cut through to the store. Coming in from a different angle, we pass near a group of young men loitering under the shade of the trees across from the store. Beer cans are strewn around them, and several are drinking. Alcohol is a growing problem out here on the islands where a large part of the male population do not have jobs or meaningful activities in their lives. This is the first time, however, that we have encountered it. We walk briskly passed them and on into the store.

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A man, slightly weaving, comes up to us as we are walking out the gate. He is obviously drunk. While The First Mate continues on across the street, The Captain does his best to make it known that he does not speak or understand any French. He makes a non-hurried retreat, and fortunately, that man does not follow. Swinging wide of the group of men by the trees, we get to the dinghy and push off. 

It is a relief that Avante is anchored several miles down the coast and away from those men who were hanging around. Who knows what they could have been thinking after that recent attack? We take if for granted that, beyond any doubt, every single local on this island and probably all across New Caledonia knows about the attack. Anchored below the Aquatic Center in an area where there are enough locals sending their children to this center for lessons does give a feeling of relative safety, but in The First Mate’s mind, we are just 10 nm south of the village where the chief is located – the chief from whom one must get permission to visit the site of that attack. Much too close! It is an uneasy night for her. In the morning, we search for more information on that attack, but nothing new is mentioned other than that the search is still on for the attackers. If the attackers have not been found yet on this small island, where are they or who is hiding them? In an area where the tourist industry is one of the few things bringing in money, why attack a tourist vessel? Whatever the cause, we decide that we are not going any further north in Ouvea. We will stay near the southern end where the hotel is located and tourists are not uncommon. Exercising caution we are. Playing it smart is the way to go, and that is what we intend to do.