Tourists in Noumea

Of course, we did not spend all of our time out in the lagoon or playing with our toys.  We also tried to remember to be tourists and see and do things a bit in Noumea.

Liz wrote about it here and below are some picture.

The aquarium in Noumea is excellent.  The fun thing is that we have seen many of these fish in their natural habitat but Benjamin normally misses out as he does not snorkel much.  I have seen Napoleon Wrasse quite a few times while snorkeling but have never managed to get a good photo.

Shark ! 

No Benjamin.  That is not lunch.  We spearfish these guys pretty regularly but not at the aquarium.

Victoria with a sting ray.  This is how we normally see them: http://sv-fluenta.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/sting-rays-and-kids-and-more-sharks.html

Mystery solved: Victoria found some of these on the beach.

Hmm ... easier to photograph in the aquarium than while holding your breath underwater:  http://sv-fluenta.blogspot.co.nz/2017/08/efate-underwater-photos.html

We see turtles daily in New Caledonia but these ones were in the aquarium

Making baby Nautilus 

Mandatory cheesy tourist photo.

Cultural Center Visit

Cultural Center Visit - I stayed on Fluenta to try to fix fuel lines.

Visiting the French Gendarme Maritime patrol ship.  They were very welcoming and a bit surprised by the detail of the kids' questions.

Visiting the French Gendarme Maritime patrol ship.   They came by for an inspection of Fluenta to check that we had the required mandatory safety equipment.  Halfway through showing them the equipment they said we could stop as it was clear we are well equipped.

And on the volunteer lifeboat (similar to Coastguard Auxiliary in Canada or RNLI in the UK).  The Noumea Harbourmaster is actually giving us the tour.

And Victoria and Ann making fudge on SV Cavalo

Not in the aquarium but rather trying to get into our dingy.  A rather poisonous but not aggressive sea snake.

Playing the park

Playing the park

and maintenance.  Cleaning the watermaker filters.

and gravity filling propane (actually butane).  Normally I find a nice secluded beach and a tree to hang the French tank from .  A little harder in downtown Noumea.

and what a way to finish off our time in Noumea.  A lovely dinner with James and Chantal of SV Q at their AirBNB before they head back to Montreal.  Thank you again James and Chantal.