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The little waterfall entering the Carenage River on the right, looking downstream, comes straight out of a round hole about 1 meter in diameter in the forest floor. It is one of many springs feeding the birth of the Carenage River and the water is crystal clear and delicious.
There is something special about this particular little part of the river - maybe it is the dense forest, maybe the great big rocks of iron and ancient sedimentary rocks, maybe the source itself. Whatever it is, when we came out of the forest and saw the clear pool it seemed special and very secret, as if nobody had been in this particular place for a long time.
The pool has lots of fresh water crayfish and two of the famous tool-using New Caledonia crows barked at us from the trees. We could see the hang-in-there tree, perched on it's cliff down river.
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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.
