New Caledonia 10 Day Itinerary

Marina Entrance

Fresh Produce in the daily market.

Plenty of room to play, The Catana 47 in Port du Sud

Marina Du Sud is a modern marina excellently appointed with facilities for the cruising fraternity. A 1km walk over the hill is the city centre where shops open early and a colourful array of fresh produce is available from the morning market. The Kanuk and Asian traders speak very little English but we came away laden with healthy provisions for our 10 day charter. Just up the road from the Marina is a supermarket where quality French style food can be found at reasonable prices. Both are an easy walk from the marina and taxis are easy to find for the return trip laden with groceries.

Preparation is important in any charter but especially in Noumea as there are few places to take in stores along the way and the remoteness of the anchorages means technical assistance is going to be over the phone. Spend time with the briefing skipper to make sure you understand the boat especially the larger cats which are well equipped with all the mod cons that take some understanding. We spent a full day provisioning and going over the boat with the base manager, you should expect to spend the first night in the marina or Ilot Maitre, an isle just 3 miles from Noumea.  

Native hut overlooking Turtle bay.

Turtle Bay Ilse Ouen

Day 2 leaving early to make the most of lighter morning winds and headed for the Baie de Lar Tortue (Turtle bay) recommended by the base manager. This is on the south western tip of Isle Ouen and is a pretty sandy bay well situated as a good night anchorage for exploring the adjacent reefs of the southern lagoon during the day. The resort that occupies the flat land under the coconut palms has since closed down, unable to compete with the Isle of Pines that is now well serviced by fast ferries. There are easy walks to take in the view of the cruising ground beyond or an introductory snorkel off the beach or adjacent reef.

Beach at the eastern entrance to Prony Bay.

Prison ruins up the river of Rade Du Norde

Motoring up river in dinghy.

It is a leisurely 10 miles through Canal Woodin to Prony Bay on the mainland.

The Cruising Guide to New Caledonia states that one could easily spend a week in Prony Bay but on the tight schedule of a charter cruise 1 or 2 days is ample. The Southern end of New Caledonia is famous for its mineral rich red soil which contrasts brilliantly against the deep green cover of the pines. We motored to the eastern side of Prony Bay to anchor at Bonne Anse Rade De L’est a bay that extends to the east of the large Recif Du Prony. The sandy beaches are fringed with coral reefs and provided a colourful selection of shells for which Prony Bay is famous. The adjacent land is all nature reserve and there are well marked tracks that take you around the shoreline or up to the lighthouse from where you can view the entire cruising area up to Isle of Pines. In the first couple of bays the bottom is extensively coral so it pays to anchor further up the bay and explore by dinghy or along the foreshore track.

As you venture into the bay there are 2 arms, on the starboard side is Rade du Norde which has an interesting river at its headland that can be navigated by dighy past the ruins of a colonial prison. On the port side past Ilse Casey you come to Grand Norde famous with divers for De l Aiguille pinnacle that extends 35m from the sea floor. As you extend into the upper regions into Baie Du Carenage the water takes on a reddish tinge and the high wooded landscape either side closes in. This area is also national parkland and there are many walks and interesting places to explore in the dinghy if you have the time.

Kanua Tera Eco Resort In Port Boise

View over Port Boise with Isle de Pines on the horizon.

On our itinerary we spent one night in Prony Bay and the following night 5 miles up the coast at Port Boise. Port Boise is an anchorage well sheltered by a reef across its entrance. There is a wharf which services the Eco resort who welcome casual diners, there is no need to book. Our purpose for visiting the resort was to watch our countrymen play the French in the Rugby world cup on the TV in the lounge and it was a memorable stop. We left early the next morning to take on the windward passage of 35 miles up to Kuto Bay in the Isle de Pines. From here we were sheltered by the extensive reef marine park to port as we motor sailed at 30 degrees to the wind, half way up we crossed into open water and experienced a longer swell which the Catana 47 rode over with relative comfort.

Isle de Pines from the boat

Anchored in Isle de Pines

Tropical scene at a resort on Isle de Pines

After an early start we were safely anchored in Kuto Bay in time for lunch. After a 6 hour passage you feel you have arrived and will never want to leave. The best things to do on the Isle de Pines is not a lot, take a couple of days at least to just enjoy being there. We had a couple of resident turtles in the bay and the water was alive with marine life. Throw scraps over the side and the small Remora sharks appear from nowhere having adapted to suck on to cruising yachts rather than their evolved partners sharks and manta rays

The Isle de Pines is the tropical jewel in the crown of the New Caledonia itinerary. Kuto beach has sand so white I told the kids they may have to take their shoes off when they went ashore and the sand extends out into the bay unlike so many tropical bays that degrade into coral rubble beyond the low water mark. High mountains provide the backdrop dominating a picture perfect foreground that so defines paradise. 

The following day we were shown the area around Kuto bay by friends we had made the previous night and that evening we dined on fresh cray fish and mahimahi, the fruitful produce of an enjoyable day in paradise.

Day 7 of our trip was spent in a rental car exploring the Island which would have been more enjoyable spent on the boat but it allowed us to see more of this beautiful island and keep to schedule.

Footprints on a desert Island

Expect whatever you catch to be of a decent size.

Sailing past one of the many Isles

Day 8, We set sail on a reach across open water heading for the reef that encircles the southern Isles. Fish are plentiful here and expect whatever you land to form the basis of several meals. The Southern Isles are a watery wonderland over an expanse described by virtue of its size as the largest lagoon in the world. Sailing downwind at a respectable angle to the wind navigating around these coral clusters is surprisingly easy. The crystal clear waters cast colours that define what lies below. Blue is good, turquoise look out for brown and brown is out of bounds. It is interesting to note this evolution of a coral Island being played out in stages. 

The Isles we are heading for lie close to the outer reef. There is a cluster some 40 miles from Kuto bay being Ilot Kouare, Marmite and Ua which offers spectacular snorkeling, diving and fishing as well as providing shelter from all winds.

At anchor the scene becomes somewhat surreal. Around dusk sea birds by the hundreds appeared searching for a meal in the waves but never engaging to fish. A dark shadow glides past some 50 meters astern that I am left to believe was a manta ray. A squawk from the dark joins us in the cockpit which by the time a torch is at hand the bird has been spooked leaving his dinner on the duck board. The southern Isles are a fascinating route by which to return home, following the trade winds weaving your way past points of interest allowing enough time to stop and enjoy nature. 

Sailing in the Lagoon approaching Amedee light house

Amedee Light house.

Sun setting on our holiday

Having arrived late in the day we made a point of not leaving early the next morning, spending time swimming, snorkeling and being on the boat. We set sail with time to head back along the outer reef to spend our last night at Amedee light located inside the passage, 12 miles out from Noumea. This Island is a great anchorage and a nature reserve though it is the 45 m high light house that is most impressive. Made in Paris in 1865 of formed iron sheets to be shipped out and bolted together on site. Its rolled base and 16 sided structure is a fascinating piece of architecture and well worth the visit on a day that it is open and you can climb to the top. Other attractions in this area include some excellent snorkeling in the bay, several wrecks located close for any divers on board and a shark observatory.

The following day there was no hurray as we did not have to be back in Noumea until 5pm. We relaxed on the boat timing our departure to make easy passage back to the Marina. We were met by the base manager to safely park the boat where we would spend our last night before departing the following morning. As a final note we finished our holiday in a resort for the last 2 days to connect with our flight home. After the sophisticated adventure we had just completed this luxury resort felt like an extended stop in a departure lounge, a poor comparison to being on a sailing holiday.