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Passages and weather windows to New Caledonia
Sailing or motoring to New Caledonia is an enjoyable experience so long as you pick the correct weather window and the vessel is seaworthy.
Picking the weather is easier than ever these days with long range weather forecasts and satellite imagery. But there is a knack to doing it.
My wife, Frederique and I have made these passages over the past 30 years we have been annually migrating between the Pacific Islands aboard the Moira.
90% of our passages have been relaxing, and pleasant. The methods we use are described in full detail on the cruising guide to Vanuatu and on the cruising guide to New Caledonia along with time-lapse images, month by month, of the weather patterns in the south Pacific. On the guides you will find complete details on ocean passages, where to leave from and when to go.
If you want to make "magic" passages get our cruising guides and go over the instructions. But meanwhile, here are some preliminarytips on how to make an easy and happy passage.
1. Don't leave until the weather window is right. This means getting ready to go well in advance of the expiration of visas or customs requirements and then being prepared to wait (as in ready to go today). Getting ready to go also means going to the place you wish to leave from (see below for suggestions on departure ports).
2. When you are ready and in position, start watching the weather by going to two or more of the long range marine weather forecast sites. There are 4 main models available, NOAA and the US Navy in America, IGES in Canada, and the European Model (UK Online Sailing Weather). Each of these give 5 day forecasts or more.
3. The Weatherzone.com.au is especially useful because the map formats are the same for the major computer models. In addition, you can now directly compare the maps from several models by opening separate browser tabs, each with Weatherzone, and then moving from one to the other (thumbnail maps for up to 1 days are all on one page)..
When you open Weatherzone you will see the 10 day Australian BOM sea level charts. You can also select other charts in the 10 day forecast - like winds.
Open the second browser tab and select the 8 day US forecast. Compare what the two computer models say for the coming 8 days. If they differ considerably, the weather is not predictable. Save or print both sets of maps.
4. After three days, download the same set of maps from the same site. Now you can compare what each model said the weather picture would be on the third day (from the maps you saved earlier) with what the maps look like after the prediction period has elapsed. If the predicted maps match the actual maps - the weather is predictable. If there are significant differences between the maps the weather is unpredictable - don't go.
5. Do this again after 3 more days. Now you will have an idea if the weather is predictable or not and which weather model is doing the best job of getting it right.
6. Watch for a 7 day prediction that offers winds from a favorable direction (you can go a long way in 7 days with the right winds). One model will be doing beter than the others, but the other models should be close. Again, if the models give a significantly different set of maps with one set saying the wind will be unfavorable - don't go.
7. When you see the right wind pattern for your trip and both models essentially agree - go immediately. Go as soon as you see the favourable winds on both models - even if you have only been watching the weather for 3 days. (We have gone immediately on the first day of watching the weather when the winds were looking good and both models agreed - but that does not happen often).
The Next Step - plotting the right course
Picking the right weather to go is one thing - but working out your route can be difficult because the chances are that the wind will change direction along your route. So what is the best heading when you set sail? And what is the best heading for the next day - and the next - as the weather system breezed by you and the wind direction changes?
Fortunately a new online sailing route weather planner will solve this complicated problem for you in a way that you could not do yourself without buying some really expensive navigation software. I am in the process of testing this online service myself and so far I have to say I'm really impressed. It is easy to use with plenty of tool tips to explain each step. Their tables and graphs make comparing different weather prediction models amazingly easy to do. You will want to use the service for your own local sailing activities but where it really pays off is for computing your blue water passage.
Check it out on PredictWind.com. You will need to register and to get the full range of services you need to pay an annual fee. The free version won't do you much good for serious sailing. The benefits fof enjoying a comfortable, safe passage - and not breaking gear or getting injured by making an uninformed weather decision far outweigh the small annual fee they ask for.
Where is the best place to go from ?
This is not a major issue if you are heading to New Caledonia from Vanuatu or Fiji (normally a downwind trip unless you really mess up on the weather window planning).
When coming from New Zealand you don't have a lot of options, although it pays to leave from as northerly a port as possible because the passage to and from New Zealand is long and the weather can be extremely hazardous. So when you see that 5 day window open up you don't want to waste one of those days cruising along the coast of New Zealand. The further north you can get before your weather forecasts run out, the better. Generally this means entering and leaving from Opua in the Bay of Islands.
Sailing to New Caledonia from Australia and from New Caledonia to Australia offers a wider range of options - but, for us, there are really only two ports of entry and departure (especially now that Brisbane's port of entry has shifted to Manly).
The best place to leave Australia for New Caledonia is Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. This will give you the least time at sea with the best chance of getting a good weather pattern for the crossing. Since customs and quarantine are located at the marina you can depart the instant the weather window opens. (This year we went to Noumea from Bundaberg with North to West winds 10 to 15 knots, sunny skys and full moon nights for the entire passage but this was a very unusual and welcome weather window).
Going back to Australia from New Caledonia head for Bundaberg in Queensland. There are several reasons for this.
- It is the shortest passage,
- The route is through the southern coral sea and avoids the often severe weather south of Fraser Island
- The entry is clear of reefs or other dangers
- Customs and immigration are at the Bundaberg Port Marina .
- The famous Port2Port boat rally now has a departure point from Koumac Marina on the NW coast of New Caledonia. They put on a full week of departure parties before leaving. Click here for full details on the Port2Port rally.
Download or order the very best cruising guide to New Caledonia right now and find the answers to all your questions about passages and weather windows to and from New Caledonia.
DOWNLOAD YOUR CRUISING GUIDES RIGHT NOWSAVE TIME AND MONEYIf you want the guides without delay and without the postage and handling fees, and if you have a good fast Internet connection you can download your guides now and save time and money. After payment you will be transferred to a page with installation instructions and download links. At the same time you will also be sent a receipt for your purchase and a separate email with the links and more detailed installation and activation instructions. The links are only valid 48 hours so be ready to do the big downloads within 48 hours. Before you can use the cruising guide you will need to activate it on the computer you will use while cruising (it will only work on the computer you activate it on). If you use another computer to download the file (for example your office or home computer), transfer the downloaded files to your cruising computer via a USB key and then install and activate it. (The companion tourism guide does not need activation). For details on downloading and installing the guides click here. |
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Download the Cruising Guide to New Caledonia - Windows Installation Program 563MB and the companion Activity and Travel Guide 724MB. AUD $155.00. The download links are valid for 48hrs. |
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Download the 4 guides to Vanuatu and New Caledonia (245MB + 548MB +724MB + 563MB) for AUD $240.00 The download links are valid for 48hrs. |
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This is an excellent gift for someone who plans on cruising, chartering, surfing, kayaking or diving in New Caledonia. AUD$165.00 includes shipping and handling anywhere in the world. Allow 3 to 4 weeks delivery depending on your address. |
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This option covers all the islands of Vanutu and New Caledonia, so you can plan your cruise in both these south Pacific destinations. AUD$260.00 includes shipping and handling anywhere in the world. Allow 3 to 4 weeks delivery depending on your address. |
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Order a DVD with the Windows Installation Programs for the Nautical Rocket Guide to New Caledonia and the Tourism Rocket Guide to New Caledonia.
If you are also planning to cruise Vanuatu, we have a special offer for all 4 guides that includes the New Caledonia cruising and tourism guides plus the latest
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