Posted March 2015

Before leaving Vanuatu, some of us visited the French Embassy to get permission to stop at the Loyalty Isles.  They said they did not give permission, but all we had to do was report to the police station on Mare, inconveniently on the other side of the island to the anchorage.  The police on Mare were not interested and took no boat details.

On the main island, you can anchor to stage but not go ashore before clearing.  Many have to do this – if coming from the north it is 50 nm from Havana Pass to Noumea and you must get your tides right at Havana, potentially not leaving enough daylight to finish the passage to Noumea.

On arrival at Noumea, it is not necessary to go to the quarantine dock at Port Moselle marina.  Anchor out being especially careful to be out of the shipping channels which are well marked.  This is a busy military, shipping and cruise liner harbour. Dinghy ashore to Port Moselle where the marina office will give you a map of the offices which need to be visited (even a photograph of one office to help you identify it). Immigration closes at 1130 so start early.  Walking from the marina I finished all formalities in 45 minutes.  Bring all of your forbidden foods (see the biosecurity website for full info.) in plastic bags for disposal.  Bio Security will reserve the right to visit your boat.

If you go to the marina (assuming that they have room for you) and wait for the officials, there is a danger that immigration will not arrive before 1130 and you will have to wait until the next day before you can clear and go ashore.  By going ashore yourself you are in control.  None of the officials made any comment to anyone who walked in rather than waited aboard.

Anthony Swanston

SV Wild Fox

Posted December 2012

Regular contributor to noonsite, Jason Trautz of SY Yolo, visited New Caledonia for the month of November 2012.

The following clearance and cruising information is provided to help sailors who visit New Caledonia. This information is based on two U.S.A. citizens on the 42-foot catamaran “YOLO” with no pets.

ARRIVAL DAY/ DATE: Monday, November 5, 2012

ARRIVAL PORT: Port Moselle, Baie de la Moselle, Noumea, New Caledonia

DEPARTURE DAY/DATE: Friday, December 7, 2012

DEPARTURE PORT: Port Moselle, Baie de la Moselle, Noumea, New Caledonia

The only official arrival and departure clearance port in New Caledonia is Noumea. This capital city houses over 40% of the country’s population, is French through-and-through and has just about every good and service you will likely seek. New Caledonia is a highly subsidized French Territory and the excellent infrastructure throughout the country reflects the huge amount of money sent to NC from Europe.

If you have very deep pockets and can afford flying government officials to and from remote islands for clearance procedures, make advance arrangements with yacht clearance agents to clear-in wherever you wish. We’re not gold plated, so this does not apply to us and we don’t have any agent contact information to share.

REQUEST PERMISSION TO ENTER PORTS ON VHF CHANNEL: Not required. Cruise liners, tankers, and cargo ships use VHF channels 12 and 16 to speak with the commercial pilots and port office.

TYPICAL TRAVEL ROUTE: Most yachties visit New Caledonia after cruising in Vanuatu. They typically sail around the southern end of New Caledonia via the Canal De La Havannah and Canal Woodin in the Southern Lagoon area before arriving in Noumea. This route is a wide well-marked shipping channel. We arrived at about midnight on a moonless evening in 28-knot winds. Once inside the lagoon the waves basically disappeared and all navigational aids were easily located and identifiable.

We have four different types of electronic charts on YOLO. All of them reflected the accurate chart information displayed on them. New Caledonia has hundreds of navigational aids and all of them appeared to be identified on our charts and were in working order. We felt comfortable sailing in the southern lagoon in surveyed areas at night. However, during the day we did sail over one 18 foot deep part of the lagoon that was surveyed as 65 feet deep on all of our charts. The contour difference was obvious to us because of the excellent daytime visibility. When near reefs use eyeball navigation.

CLEARANCE AGENT REQUIRED: No

BOND REQUIRED: No

ARRIVAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES VISITED: When you first enter New Caledonia waters fly the Q flag. After clearing in at all government offices raise New Caledonia or French flag.

In theory, when you arrive in Noumea you should tie up at the Q dock at Port Moselle Marina. The Q dock is at the “T-Dock” end of the dock furthest from the seawall entrance. Hail the marina on VHF channel 16 to see if the “free Q dock space” is available. In reality, the marina is in business to make money and they typically have to pay mega-yachts parked at the Q dock. It is common for the marina to casually invite you to use one of their open slips for clearance procedures. Only later will you find out that by doing so you are now considered one of their paying customers.

You are NOT required to be on a mooring ball or in a marina to clear-in, or out. Anchor near Port Moselle Marina, or on the west side of the bay, or in Baie De I’Orphelinat if you like. Do NOT anchor in the shipping channels, near the military base on the south side of Baie De I’Ophelinat, or near the commercial wharves. If you do, a governmental vessel will convince you to move.

Make sure your first land visit includes a stop at the Port Moselle Marina office. It is open from 0800 to 1600. The people who work there are very helpful and will give you a map of Noumea which has the location of the four governmental offices you will have to visit. All of the offices are within walking distance. Some cruisers take their dingy to the north end of the bay/port and have a crew member tend the dingy while they visit the nearby clearance offices. Upon request, the Port Moselle Marina will give you a detailed local area chart which notes where you can anchor your vessel at no cost.

If you can make the governmental rounds first thing in the morning start with Immigration (P.A.F), followed by Douanes/Customs, then conclude with Service Phytosanitaire/Quarantine. You do NOT have to visit the Capitainerie du port/Harbour Master of Port Autonome when clearing-in. Douanes/Customs will give you the completed Formalites D/Arrivee Des Navires document as proof of clearing-in.

If you are doing the governmental shuffle during the afternoon, Immigration is closed in the PM so you will visit Douanes/Customs, then Service Phytosanitary/Quarantine day one. Then first thing in the following morning visit Immigration. Ignore the Harbour Master office when clearing-in.

DEPARTURE GOVERNMENT OFFICES VISITED: When clearing-out you are required to start with Immigration (P.A.F) which is only open in the morning. The officer will give you a clearance form which must be handed to the Harbour Master. Stop number two is at Customs, which will also give you another clearance document which must be carried to the Harbour Master. Your last stop will be at the Capitainerie du port/Harbour Master office. His office is located on the top floor. The Harbour Master will collect the documents from Immigration and Customs, then issue your Permis de Depart (clearance) form. Officially, you must depart New Caledonia within 48 hours, yet many cruisers have been known to ease out of the country up to 10 days later without apparent concern or penalty.

Per the norm in French countries the paperwork is minimal and the officials are polite and professional.

If you anchor near Port Moselle Marina you might want to lease space at their dingy dock for about $5 USD per day, short-term. This entitles you to a convenient place to park your dingy, hot clean showers, Wi-Fi, trash disposal, and dock (portable) water.

NORMAL GOVERNMENTAL BUSINESS HOURS:

Immigrations P.A.F.: Monday, 0805 to 1130 and Tuesday through Friday, 0730 to 1130

Douanes/Customs: Monday thru Friday, 0800 to 1200 and 1300 to 1600. On Friday they close at 1500.

Service Phytosanitaire/Quarantine: Same as Douanes/Customs.

Capitainerie du port/Harbour Master: Monday thru Friday, 0700 to 1100 and 1300 to 1700

“ADDITIONAL” CHARGES FOR SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AFTER HOURS, AND HOLIDAY CLEARANCES: It was implied that government officials never work on holidays and weekends. So, if you arrive on these days you should remain on your vessel until the next business day. However, if you want to depart New Caledonia on a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday, clearance paperwork will be processed on the prior business day.

DESPACHO/ZARPE/EXIT PAPERS FROM PRIOR COUNTRY REQUIRED: Yes

MUST CLEAR IN AND OUT OF EACH PORT: No. When you originally clear-in at Douanes/Customs you will be issued a Formalities D’Arrivee Des Navires form as proof that you officially cleared into New Caledonia.

BOAT INSPECTION REQUIRED: Yes, Service Phytosanitary/Quarantine will make an appointment to visit your vessel for an inspection. In most cases, you will need to provide the official with a dingy ride out to your vessel if you anchor out in the bay. When the inspection is completed you will be issued a Certificat De Saisie.

HEALTH EVALUATION REQUIRED: No

VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S.A. CITIZEN: None, most visitors are granted an automatic one-year tourist visit.

DECLARED: You must declare the usual items. I.e., guns, ammunition, obscene publications and materials, illegal drugs, “hidden compartments,” pets, spear-guns/slings, blah, blah, blah… Go to www.douane.gouv.nc for specific Customs, duty-free, and importation details.

CURRENCY AND BANKING: New Caledonia’s official currency is the French Pacific franc (know as CFP or XPF). During our visit, 116 francs equaled one U.S. dollar. There are numerous banks and ATMs in Noumea and they are seldom seen outside of the main city. Most Noumea businesses and tourist resorts throughout NC accept VISA and MasterCard. Some tourist-oriented merchants accept Australian, New Zealand, and U.S.A. currencies. Outside of Noumea franc cash is king.

GOVERNMENTAL FEES:

CUSTOMS:

Clear-in per vessel: 0 XPF, $0 USD

Clear-out per vessel: 0 XPF, $0 USD

Cruising Permits: None 0 XPF, $0 USD

IMMIGRATION: 0 XPF, $0 USD

VISA FOR U.S.A. CITIZENS: Not Required

QUARANTINE AND INSPECTION SERVICE: 0 XPF, $0 USD

PORTS AND HARBOURS: Clear-out document 0 XPF, $0 USD

DUTY-FREE FUEL PERMIT:

Gasoline:  0 XPF, $0 USD

Diesel:  0 XPF, $0 USD

Look at all those zeros! No, you aren’t seeing things and there aren’t any typos. Isn’t it great to know that there are a few places left on the planet that treat cruisers like it was the good old days when using the surface of the communal oceans was free? Congrats to New Caledonia, you won’t have to dump a wallet full of cash on the desks in NC governmental offices to visit their country. However, you are going to have to save every XPF you can, and give it to the nearby extortionists who charge unjustifiable high governmental fees in Vanuatu and Australia.

DESPACHO/ZARPE/EXIT PAPERS FROM LAST PORT: Yes

DUTY-FREE FUEL: Only during the clearing-out process at Douanes/Customs can you secure a special permit to purchase duty-free fuel. You will be issued one permit for diesel (gas oil) and another permit for gasoline (sans plomb). You can requests as many liters as you want, so make sure you exaggerate the amount you think you need. Once you start purchasing duty-free fuel you cannot exceed the number of liters issued on your permit at the discounted price. If you do, you will have to pay full retail price for the excess amount of fuel you pumped.

The Port Moselle Marina has an easy to access, yacht friendly fuel dock. It is open seven days per week from 0730 to 1800. The super nice lady who runs the fuel dock will throw you her dock lines and help you tie off when you approach and depart the pumps. Portable water is also available at the fuel dock for 250 XPF (about $2 USD) for 15 minutes of hose time. The water hose has a lot of pressure. We purchased 15 minutes of water time and received over 200 U.S. gallons/760 liters of water. We observed some yachts which tied off at the fuel dock and used the hose to simply wash off their vessels. For two bucks, how can you go wrong?

Before you leave the fuel dock pick up a few 60 XPF baguettes and pay for everything with a credit card.

SOUTH PACIFIC FUEL PRICES:

In late 2012 the cost (cash price) of diesel fuel in US Dollars per US gallon were:

Fiji (does not have Duty Free fuels): $ 4.62 USD

Vanuatu – Non-Duty Free: $ 7.05 USD

Vanuatu – Duty-Free: $ 5.51 USD

New Caledonia – Non-Duty Free: $ 5.75 USD

New Caledonia – Duty-Free: $ 4.91 USD

Australia (does not have Duty Free fuels): $ 5.81 USD

In late 2012 the cost (cash price) of gasoline in US Dollars per US gallon were:

Fiji (does not have Duty Free fuels): $ 5.19 USD

Vanuatu (does not have Duty Free gasoline): $ 7.30 USD

New Caledonia – Non-Duty Free: $ 6.72 USD

New Caledonia – Duty-Free: $ 4.78 USD

Australia (does not have Duty Free fuels) $ 5.37 USD

Fuel is sold by the liter in Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Australia. There are 3.785 liters per US gallon. Plan your fuel purchases accordingly.

MARINAS: The cost of staying in a marina in New Caledonia is reasonable. The weekly fee for our 12.8-meter catamaran at Port Moselle Marina was $204 USD, and Port Du Sud Marina charged even less. Monohulls tie up for about 25% less than multihulls. Electricity and water are not metered and included.

LAUNDRY: In Noumea, you have several laundry options. The marinas (Port Du Sud and Port Brunelet) in Baie De L’Ophelinat offer coin laundries. In Port Morselle, the marina does NOT have coin laundry machines. However, the Port Morselle Marina fuel dock facility will do your laundry for you. Per five kilos they charge 850 XPF ($7.30 USD) to wash and 1,450 XPF ($12.50 USD) to wash and dry. The best deal in town can be found at the Youth Hostel located at the top of the hill, 100 meters from the prominent “505” building. A large load of clothes in a commercial washer will cost you 400 XPF ($3.50 USD), for the effort of walking up the hill.

BOAT PARTS: Noumea, like most French Departments and Territories, has a very active sailing community. Boats abound. As a result, there are marinas and boatyards for every shape and size vessel. Marine Corail, the West Marine of New Caledonia, and other merchants offers a wide variety of boat parts. If you a making a pricey purchase for your yacht you can often get it duty-free, or the merchant will typically give you a discount which will cover the VAT and/or duty on the item. I was told that the paperwork related to duty-free purchases would be considerable if you sail in that bumpy sea of bureaucratic paperwork.

WI-FI: Several of the marinas, such as Port Moselle Marina, and tourist resorts offer “free” Wi-Fi. Several cafes also have wireless networks for their customers.

LANGUAGE: Almost all business and government employees speak three or more languages. The most common ones are French, one of the indigenous Kanak languages, and English.

SECURITY: During our visit to Noumea one dingy was stolen from a visiting yacht. The dingy was tied, not locked, to the stern of the yacht and was stolen at around 0600 by a person swimming in the bay. Many locals lock their dingies in Noumea. Do as the Romans do…

EXPLORING: The “lagoon” area around the main island is huge. You could easily spend an entire cruising season slowly moving around and exploring the hundreds of reefs, islands, and bays. In some of the marine reserve areas, such as those near Ilot Maitre and Ilot Amedee (both south of Noumea) there are free mooring balls. And, at Ilot Maitre you can tap into free Wi-Fi from your yacht.

You must visit the large island at the southeastern corner of the lagoon, Ile Des Pins. Baie De Kuto offers excellent shelter and one of the purest talc white beaches in the Pacific. The bay can easily hold 50 yachts, drop the anchor in 20 feet of clear water, the bottom is sand.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Stop in the tourist office (Office De Tourisme) in the large central park (Place des Cococties) in Noumea for sightseeing information. Then visit several of the free or nearly-free museums, gardens, cultural center, and zoo in the capital city. Don’t forget your camera when you walk up to the top of the nearby hill via Rue Olry and enjoy the harbor and city vista. Grab a copy of “The New Caledonia Weekly” at the tourist office or any marina. It lists all of the fun events happening in New Caledonia.

If you get a weather window for traveling south or east in New Caledonia waters, take it. The trade winds and the location of reefs tend to make it difficult to head south or east under sail. To get to Ile Des Pins from Noumea we left very early in the morning and motored due east until the winds picked up. We then dropped the hook in the nearest bay. The same was done the following day to get more easting in. The third day we sailed south to Ile Des Pins.

Before leaving New Caledonia stock up on cheap wine, brae cheese, duty-free fuel, and other blue light specials. If you aren’t offended by table wine in a box, you can find it in the Noumea grocery stores for less than $3 USD per liter. Despite the rock gut low price, the wine imported from Spain it didn’t smell, taste, or act like paint remover!

Jason and Karen Trautz

S/V “YOLO” (You Only Live Once)

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