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This page :   Noumea beaches 2

page ground (1978 photo files) ; this beautiful palm tree and the tree behind are not there anymore and the beach is a little less wide than in the past ; there is always shade and remains very pleasant.
. The Anse Vata.. Following the development of the large promenade - a beautiful idea - as well as the widening of the two-lane road - indispensable - the back beach, which was unique, collapses in places, too steep. Distressing but alas usual. Another unique feature of this beach is to be lined, across the road, by rich properties with deep land, private or state (ORSTOM), coveted.
Some shading remains, partially compromised by a bungalow and its rental of nautical gear. Further on, it is the hotels that have totally deprived of shade what remains of the beach. Segregation that doesn't say its name.

The beach is still beautiful and some shade shading remains..

The evening, in a large tree, the blackbirds of Molluques squawk.

Let us either look at filaos branches.

The Anse Vata, close to the Ouen Toro (hill). It is in this part that one finds, on the other side of the road, various catering services, ice creams, curios, postcards, agencies and the small train.

Kanaks sit always in the shade and generally go into the water without slipping out their clothes,. Now, a festival is awaited.



In the back ground, the bungalow of the tourist information booth, rented boats and boards, as well as motorboats for the closest small islands.
The Anse Vata is the most beautiful beach, but it is not too much attended because it is often a little windy. It is the place of the festivals and all animations. Festival at the Anse Vata. See people and festival


Anse Vata, shops and high rank hôtels area a four houses restaurant on piles has just opened after our own stay; I was told very good and of course very expensive.  So much that it closed its doors a few time after. Everything is so changing there. Wether it is open or shut, sort of thing that can take a couple of years here, it is there now, in the setting.

There has always been a fisherman there with his sparrowhawk, close to the tourists, in the vicinity of largest hotels and the commuter boat to the <Amédée headlight(here arriving). A fishermen replaces another, perpetuating the tradition, the later more confined by the touristic development. Formerly installed in the stream which emerges here, linking the hippodrome to the sea (now funneled inside two gutters), the fisherman stays now in the middle of the passage of the boats; he will be among the the piles of some bungalows too; until when ? One also comes on this beach to admire the sunset and the famous - and hypothetic "green ray"- ! who knows, perhaps will it appear. What we see is un tiny green point and not a ray. This ray has been described by Jules Verne.
"did you see it at the time when the upper part of its disc coming down the water, it is going to disappear ?  at the exact time when he is launching its last ray and if the sky, free of mist, has a perfect clearness". (my own translation from the text in French).

No, we are not going to see it this night, the sky is red-orange.


It is at the Meridian Hotel, at the end of this beach, that Japanese comes to marry.
  2me vue de la plage au clic

 
At the extreme point of the beach Anse Vata, cut from its principal part by a short rock, lay  first class hotels. However, beach is free and young people usually pose their towels and clothing on the barrier, very close to the rooms guests ((former Club Med). A manner of making knowledge with this country.

Aerial shot of the extrême point of the Anse-Vata beach (left hand view).


Right hand picture, Ilot Canard (duck islet) possibly confused with "ile aux canards", same pronunciation in French, (island of the ducks)

The "sliding" on the water is widely used here, whose sailboarding knows a real success due to the very steady tradewind reachind often close to 30 knots. Contests always gather many participants coming from far. New coming, the surfboard pulled by a sort of wing-parachute is also practiced, sometimes to the dismay of bathers and people on the sand, when boards get flying too much closely above the skulls by these Icarus of a new kind. They sometimes encounter an obstacle they did not really choose.


..After the beach, or at late afternoon, we always would end on the top of the Ouen Toro

There isn't too much room there but there is generally enough. One remains there there to locate the cutting of the peninsula, to locate the hotels and especially the small islands. All is not clear sight and one cannot see on the back, but reaching the back face, where is writed Ouen Toro, the sea side continues and the Mont Dore is in the background.

From this face, You will really ressent what trade winds means.



translation : "baie des Citrons" means, Bay of lemeons)


BARE BREASTS. Kanaks would bathe themselves quite dressed, so bare breasts are not recommended on public beaches. We forced them to dress and it is like justice ! Altough this occidental fashion seems to be vanishing, it is replaced in these 2010 years by nearly bare buttocks.. another vigilance !
 

From the Ouen Toro top.

closest islets

ilot Canard : an "underwater path " is arranged and marked out, so that it is possible appreciating the nearby watery life.  
Anse Vata and Baie des Citrons.

view towards the Mont Dore


Rainy interlude..

The Anse Vata offers a new spectacle. There will be some other insane, surfers, joggers; the weather is not cold.

Follow the change of the sky by clicking, that is worth the sorrow.

With such a sky, one is anxious for the following day and yet, the weather will be nice.
While waiting, one benefits from the moment which runs and the colors which change.

Yes, it rains in the Tropics, even in Noumea, on the coast known as dry. Like everywhere, the weather is a little ruined, Isn'it ? But it is hot and the sun always ends up shinning.

One benefits from it to go to the museum, the aquarium or the movie. There is also the Tjibaou Centre, but not under the rain, it would be a pity.. Museum of Noumea: top hut arrow (kanak) and mast of ancestors (origin New Western Guinea, Irian Jaya, Asmat).

Northern Nouméa (industrial, commercial, parks)


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