During my watch last night the winds died and I cranked up the engine. It’s been going ever since. We’re making better time with it and at the current rate will get there tomorrow.

New Caledonia is held firmly in the grip of the French government. It’s very sad how the native Kanaks have been treated over the years. They’ve been having repeated non-violent uprisings, striving for independance only to have the rug pulled out from under them time and time again. The story of this in our guidebook is really awful. The French have been terribly underhanded, sneaky and downright mean about the whole thing. New Caledonia has a big stock of minerals, high grade nickel being the primary one. Nickel accounts for 89% of exports. It’s a great resource for France and they won’t let it go. Colonialism at it’s worst. It’s as bad as Tibet and Taiwan.

New Caledonia looks like it should be a snorkel and dive paradise, although as cool as it is we’re having trouble imagining donning our bathing suits. We don’t have much information on the marine life. We hope to find a guidebook when we get there.

I spoke by phone the other day with the boys in Kauai for the Hawaii-50 weekend. It sounds like a great time was being had by all. Happy 50th Birthday to those guys.