The New Caledonia Lagoon is the largest coral reef lagoon on the planet. The more remote parts of the lagoon are still listed on the charts as "unsurveyed" but people (like Freddy and I) do sometimes venture into their labyrinth of coral reefs and islets to seek out lovely wilderness areas - hopefully filled with sea birds, thriving coral reefs with shoals of colorful fish. Our cruising guide to New Caledonia lists just about every practical anchorage but we had not explored the uncharted waters of the most southern part of the Great Southern Lagoon. So we sailed all the way down to the most southerly tip of the New Caledonia lagoon, 52 nautical miles southeast of Noumea. The southernmost part of the barrier reef is generally called "le Coude" ( French for the elbow) because it ends in a sharp, V-shaped reef.

The water here is crystal clear and the anchorage well protected. As soon as we arrived we anchored in the vast shallow sand area behind the barrier reef and sent up the kite to take this aerial sphere image so you can admire the magnificent blue colors of the lagoon.