New Caledonia.... PARADISE!!

I have just got back from a 7 day trip to New Caledonia running my first International charter as part of my business, Great Barrier Reef Bluewater Charters. Three years earlier I had visited my uncle who lives there with his family and got the opportunity to go spearfishing inside the lagoon which was amazing although I wasn't much of a diver back then. I remember shooting and losing my first decent fish, a Purple Cod the size of a dive bag! The water was crystal clear and I guess I wasn't close enough as the shaft pulled out...

Myself, Rick from Aimrite and 4 guys headed over to see what New Caledonia had to offer in the way of Bluewater Hunting and Reef Spearfishing. Our vessel for the week was my uncles boat, a 33ft luxury Riviera game boat. With a little less than perfect weather we were forced to dive inside the lagoon for the first few days and although I was worried it wouldn't produce from some of the reports I had heard it did, big time! Our Captain for the week, Stephane has been diving these waters for a number of years and was able to put us onto the spot every time be it on the reef or out in the blue.

We were constantly surrounded by Wahoo and although we landed a few great fish we lost a few BIG ones as well. Bag limits kept us under wraps inside the reef with only 40kg of reef fish (20kgs of fillets) allowed per boat per day. This may seem like a lot but when the Purple cod, Green Jobfish and Mangrove Jacks are averaging 6-8kgs with a few well over 10kgs it only takes a few fish to hit that limit. This being said I told the guys to chase quality not quantity on this trip and that's exactly what they did...

After the trip we were socialising and having a beer at Stephane's house, discussing the trip and how the vis was never below 30m, how thick the Wahoo were in numbers and the size, quality and amount of reef fish that were around. Stephane then says to us that if we think thats good, Summer will blow our mind! Yellowfin Tuna, Dogtooth, Marlin and the reef fish are in bigger and better numbers!! This trip was by far the best 7 days diving I had ever been a part of and now he is telling us it gets better?? My question is who's coming back with me in Summer???

For anyone interested in more information about these trips, visit our NEW website  www.gbrbluewatercharters.com.au which will have our latest trip report and all the info on New Caledonia you need.

I could write a 100 page blog on the weeks events but I think I will let the photos do the talking! Here is a very small selection from the trip....

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