New Caledonia trip - story and video njoi...

1 hour and 55 mins on the plane from AK and a 2 hour drive north and you can camp wild. The groundhog day of kiting destinations (wake up kitesurf - eat kitesurf - eat - kitesurf - eat kitesurf - wine - sleep - wake up..) Not the variety of New Zealands kiting but if waist deep flat water and wind so steady it seems like you are riding in cheat mode landing everything you know clean and even moves you did not know you could land - then check it out. The reef is good as well but if it goes pear shaped you have a long walk across 6inch deep razor coral (ie your feet will look like they got stuck in the electric waste disposal) and a 2 km swim with thewildlife. I scored some reef tattoos even with a wetsuit on (ie good idea).

The surfing sucked because it has some sick peeling left waves but all the surfers are driving bmws because you need a decent boat to get to the reef breaks and I did not get a lift off one of them, or have my gold visa card with me...

The kava houses are cool in Neumea (remortgage your house before you go out on the beer lash) as they are very chilled and the kava does not cost too much. Fifteen was enough to loose normal communication techniques.

Never got to ride Noumea - just rode up north - maybe next time.


video
www.kiteforum.tv/index.php?option=com_vi...54&Itemid=30

cool NC is definately on my travel plans. Crew out our way have been in november and loved it. They went to noumea and watched the world champ meet there and scored 30 knots every day.

If you cannot play file install dix /xvid codec or if that is all sounds like a load of crap

go here www.videolan.org/vlc/ and install vlc player on your pc

this is an awesome free media player that plays nearly all formats without any hassle (mac version also)

Hi, we are planning to go there in Sept - just a couple of quick questions:

-can you kite anywhere on the island or are kites banned from some beaches?
-is it all shallow reefs?
-it is crowded?
-did you get to any of the outer islands?

can you kite anywhere on the island or are kites banned from some beaches?
ride where you want - not necessarily on the huge outer islands off the east coast though as police stop it in some places in case it might upset the locals (a tense relationship!) the main new cal islets are fine though


-is it all shallow reefs?
mostly - some great patches of sand too though which is a real bonus in the tropics as the usual story is it looks like paradise but teh coconut trees come up to the water and just under the water surface are loads of coral heads - not totally the case here

-it is crowded? Noumea/Meridian hotel can be, but plenty of scope to find your own spot. Everyone knows everyone in Noumea - it is that kind of size/place. I never rode there though - just went on a big road trip north.

-did you get to any of the outer islands? yep but no wind

some of the islands look sick - take a 9m/10 kite

jeez I gotta go back and score me a job there!

Looks awesome ian,

love the helmet cam footage, its like you're taking the viewer out for a high speed run over the reef- without leaving the armchair, great news for all those forum kiters who don't like to get wet!!

cheers, 8)

ok for all those that could not see this video once downloaded due to not having the right codec or whatever click here and watch it straight away

video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8379982507578217999

wow that sounds awsome