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This New Caledonia Anchorage sphere image was taken from a kite flying about 200 metres above the Ilot Mato anchorage. We launched the kite from the stern of the Moira, let it up about 20 meters, and then attached the camera rig. I thought it prudent to use a little waterproof GoPro Hero 3 camera just in case the kite decided to go for a swim. The kite behaved perfectly and easily lifted the camera and it's servo-operated mount. I let out about 450 meters of kite line from an Alvey trolling fishing reel bolted onto the stern rail. Then I used a wireless controller to rotate the camera, tilt it from up to down, and used the GoPro WiFi trigger the shutter. I waited until the camera looked vertical and not swinging very much and then fired the Hero 3 - Burst-shooting 30 frames in 3 seconds. Then I triggered the servo-tilt to get the down shot.
The camera didn't go swimming, the kite behaved itself very well, and the results from this little camera are excellent. Autopano Giga stitched the image in seconds with only a few glitches in the horizon to fix in Photoshop.
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New Caledonia is the closest South Pacific Island to Australia and New Zealand. It is a French Territory and although the official language is French the culture is a blend of Melanesian, European, Polynesian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesian, and more. There is one large mountainous island called Grande Terre and 6 smaller islands - the three Loyalty Islands, Belep and the Isle of Pines.The islands are remarkably unpopulated and there are vast areas of wilderness. There are hundreds of kilometers of walking treks, camp grounds, more than 42 parks and reserves, and crystal clear rivers with sparkling waterfalls. Almost one third of the population is located in the capital city of Noumea. Nickel mining is the primary industry and is the major contributor to the high standard of living in the country. Grande Terre is surrounded by the second largest barrier reef in the world and the protected lagoon created by this barrier reef is the largest in the world. Listed as a World Heritage Site in 2008, the lagoon is 24,000 square kilometers and supports a diverse and luxuriant fauna of fish and invertebrates.The vibrant, clear and rich colors are one of the first things that visitors notice when they arrive. Noumea has a complete range of hotels, resorts, restaurants, and activities to welcome visitors.
