3rd June 2025 - Too many islands - so little time

We made it to Ile des Pins on the sixth day after leaving Noumea.  We spent the first five days hoping from anchorage to anchorage working our way down the south west coastline before completing the 40NM crossing to Ile De Pins.

First day out we stopped at Ilot Bailly – a small island only approx. 20NM from Noumea.  From there we carried on South and stopped at Bay Ire in the north of Ile Ouen to ride out a squally period then on through the Woodin Canal (where I got a quick lesson on tidal streams) to the Baie Du Prony and Ile Casey.  At Ile Casey we spent a couple of days and then headed for the Ile De Pins.

Ilot Baily

The scenery is just spectacular.  The sea is various shades of blue / green and tourquoise depending on the depth and the presence of reefs and generally it is very clear.  The backdrop of the land is equally impressive – from the hilly coastline to the magnificent ridge lines of high mountains behind them which always have a kind of haze about them which adds to the allure.   The entire land mass is green with lush vegetation.  In the south there are red scars through the hillsides from both man made and natural causes.  The earth is the same colour as in the Pilbara (NW Australia) – a very red dirt and also similarly there is extensive mining activity here.

The Pilbara'esque terrain of Ilot Casey

The anchorages are for the most part deserted and typically we were alone or had only one other boat nearby.  Around Noumea there are a lot of local boats getting out at the weekends but further afield there are very few boats and the few we did come across were Australian.  Its very surprising given the cruising grounds although its not a cheap place onshore.  There were riots here not that long ago which made headlines and it could be that the tourism side has not recovered.

All our anchorages were very remote with no services onshore at all.  It was very relaxing.  Typically we spend our time in transit, exploring onshore, snorkelling around reefs or just relaxing on deck.  It is very easy to just tune out and watch what is going on around the anchorage – its kind of like people watching but there are no people.  Then of course there are the chores which have to be done which to be honest are pretty light – the main one being cooking.  The evenings are just magical when we sit and watch the sunset until it becomes dark.

Ilot Casey

We waited for a northerly wind which came on Wednesday 28^th May and then sailed downwind to Kuto Bay on the Ile Des Pins in very light conditions.  It’s a 40Nm crossing and we took most of the day to complete it picking up a mooring around 15:30.  When we arrived the bay was deserted.  Given what we had heard about how popular the Ile De Pins was and the 20 plus mooring field we had expected to see a few yachts but there were none.  We thought that maybe there was some reason that we were not aware of but turns out its just quiet.  Four other boats arrived over the next few days.

Kuto Bay

The Ile des Pins is beautiful.  The island is about 40KM long and 20km wide and has some height to it around the south with Pic N’ga at 280m being the highest point. The island is surrounded by reefs and shallow lagoons of azure water. As the name suggests there are stands of pine trees everywhere some becoming forests.  Kuto Bay is a wide open bay with a long sandy beach fringed with palm trees and pine trees running around it.  The entrance to the bay has protective reefs both north and south with some impressive surf rolling in when conditions are right.  Across a narrow ithmus is another bay called Kanumera which is just stunning – see photo below.

Kanumera Bay - Ile Des Pins

The island is very un-developed and has a kind of Rotto vibe but much more remote.  There are a couple of hotels and resorts and some Gites and places to camp and a few shops selling just the bare necessities (plus baguettes of course).  We thought we would  be able to stock up here on fresh produce but no such luck.  And there very few people about and even fewer tourists.

Piscine Natural

Initially the plan had been to sail around the island and visit the three or four spectacular anchorages but unbeknown to us anchoring in these areas is now forbidden so instead we hired a car and had a look around the island.  The scenery is stunning but there is not too much else to see.  We watched some traditional piroques sailing in one of the lagoons and then visited a place called the Piscine Natural which if you have minimal French you will understand is a natural swimming pool.  This is a pine fringed lagoon protected from the surrounding sea with water as clear as glass and coral beds. 

Piroques sailing on Baie d'Oupi

We spent five days on the island, met some other cruisers and generally took it easy.  The weather finally looked right to return north and we headed out on Monday 2^nd stopping overnight at an isolated reef called Ilot Mato, welcomed by a small pod of dolphins, before sailing on to pick up a mooring off Noumea at the Ilot Maitre.  It’s a glorious calm evening here and we are planning next week’s schedule which will involve visiting the islands to the north of Noumea.