Re: New Caledonia diving

Certainly is. I actually learnt to dive there in May/June year before last,
and the conditions were great (not that I really appreciated them fully
until I came back and started diving the NSW south coast !!!!!).

There is a dive club - Amedee Dive - who actually have a club house on the
island and if you dive with them you can utilise the facilities (not that
there are many). The club/dive/fishing store itself is in the middle of
Noumea city, and this is where you would book your dive trips to the island.
However, diving over there isnt cheap - the ferry trip out from memory cost
around xpf 4500 and their courses were - basic scuba (resort-type
qualification) - xpf24000 and full PADI OW qualification (additional two
dives) xpf13000.

The island clubhouse mainly consists of the hire gear store, kitchen where
they cook your lunch, large covered eating area, and a relaxation area with
hammocks, hammock seats, deckchairs, etc. The crew there are great and you
can really expect to see some pretty reasonable stuff, especially if they
take you to dive the Boularee (sp?) Pass. This is a cutting in the outer
reef to the inner reef, and you quite regularly get some big action in the
channel. You can also drift dive the outer wall of the reef which has some
pretty spectacular corals, fans, etc and some pretty awesome dropoffs !

"BrianM" <bmorris@nilads.co.nx> wrote in message
newsan.2004.03.08.01.28.43.419781.2540@nilads.co .nx...
> Amedee Lighthouse Noumea.
> Worth a winter visit with snorkel and u/w vidcam?.
> The pics at http://www.amedee.ws/
> look inviting. Only 3 hrs flight time from home so it appeals
> as a change from other Pacific islands we go to, Fiji,
> Raro etc. What do you think?
>
> cheers
> Brian
>
> p.s My French is terrible.

Stayed at the Surf Novotel which wasnt too bad. So long as you get a room
with a water view that is !! Watch out for the local beer too (Number 1 I
think it is called), tastes fairly mild, but the kick is in the hangover
afterwards !!!

"BrianM" <bmorris@nilads.co.nx> wrote in message
newsan.2004.03.09.00.05.43.563384.2387@nilads.co .nx...
> On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 22:59:31 +1300, Andrew S. wrote:
>
> > Certainly is. I actually learnt to dive there in May/June year before
> > last, and the conditions were great (not that I really appreciated them
> > fully until I came back and started diving the NSW south coast !!!!!).
> >
> > There is a dive club - Amedee Dive - who actually have a club house on
> > the island and if you dive with them you can utilise the facilities (not
> > that there are many). The club/dive/fishing store itself is in the
> > middle of Noumea city, and this is where you would book your dive trips
> > to the island. However, diving over there isnt cheap - the ferry trip
> > out from memory cost around xpf 4500 and their courses were - basic
> > scuba (resort-type qualification) - xpf24000 and full PADI OW
> > qualification (additional two dives) xpf13000.
> >
> > The island clubhouse mainly consists of the hire gear store, kitchen
> > where they cook your lunch, large covered eating area, and a relaxation
> > area with hammocks, hammock seats, deckchairs, etc. The crew there are
> > great and you can really expect to see some pretty reasonable stuff,
> > especially if they take you to dive the Boularee (sp?) Pass. This is a
> > cutting in the outer reef to the inner reef, and you quite regularly get
> > some big action in the channel. You can also drift dive the outer wall
> > of the reef which has some pretty spectacular corals, fans, etc and some
> > pretty awesome dropoffs !
> >
>
> thanks Andrew, fills in the gaps nicely. - I think the one-day trip out
> to the island works out at about $AU150 pp that's without any dive gear
> hire or dive trips.I'll call in at the dive shop when we get out there.
> Where did you stay in Noumea?
>
> cheers
> BrianM