Baie de Uitoe

Isolation at its Best: Ile Ducos and Ile Puen

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Matt and I needed to decompress after returning from the States. We decided to go find some isolation and that is exactly what we found at Baie de Uitoe, Ile Ducos, and Ile Puen.

We left Noumea and headed west.  Our first stop was Baie de Uitoe which is part of the mainland, Grande Terre.

Sugar Shack tucked up next to the shore in 4m of water with excellent holding and protection.  We had the lovely Ilot Mathieu behind us.

Baie Uitoe, Grande Terre

Baie Uitoe, Grande Terre

We had a beautiful couple of days here with pretty calm waters and a gentle breeze.

Sweetie brought us over to Ile Mathieu where we were able to walk the long 3 mile beach.

Ile Ducos

Time for a change of scenery so we moved to Ile Ducos. We took Canal Ducos up to the north western end of the island and had a beautiful dolphin encounter.

The anchorage was stunning, calm, and peaceful.

Most cruisers head to Baie Des Moustiques which translates to Mosquito Bay.  It did not sound appealing to us so we anchored west of Baie Des Moustiques.

This is a protected islet whose fragile ecosystems require strict adherence to environmental rules (prohibition of fishing, hunting, collecting shells or plants

Matt was able to capture a few really pretty sunrise photos with the drone.

Love these glassy conditions.

And of course we had several really pretty sunset photos.

Ile Puen

Our next stop was Ile Puen.  Matt and I were able to snug up close to shore and dropped the hook in 3m of water during mid-tide.  We had great holding and were super protected.

Our only neighbors was a small herd of cows that liked to come out to bathe each morning.

Sea Treasures

We enjoyed a leisurely walk along a lovely beach and came up with a few sea treasures.  

I had never seen this cushion sea star (Culcita Novaeguineae) before.  It has a lovely pentagonal shape. 

I was not sure if it was 100% dead since it was still a bit soft and had some black on the bottom.  So, I put it in the ocean with the hopes he will come back to life.

A few beautiful shots of our home.

Our blog posts run 4-6 weeks behind actual events. 

We spent time at Ile Ducos, Ile Puen, and Baie de Uitoe toward the end of August 2026.

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New Caledonia to New Zealand: A Surprisingly Happy Sail!

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Some passages are memorable for their wild seas, howling winds, and tales of survival. Others are memorable because nothing much went wrong! And after leaving beautiful New Caledonia for New Zealand, we were delighted to have the latter.  Come along with us as we have a lovely sail across the Pacific.

Note:  As you know, our blog posts usually run 6-8 weeks behind live events.  However, I inserted this update in true time so you know where we are now, New Zealand.  Our blog posts will resume tomorrow from New Caledonia until they catch up with us 🙂

Our passage treated us to light winds, favorable seas, and sunny skies. Sugar Shack sailed along happily, the weather cooperated, and Mother Nature seemed to have decided we’d earned a little kindness.

We happily repaid her kindness with some Citizens of the Sea Sampling three times a day, every day.

Ideal Conditions

Now, those of you who follow our adventures know that I’m not exactly the poster child for enjoying a rolling ocean. I get seriously seasick, so a passage with gentle conditions and sunshine is about as close to sailing paradise as I can get. No dramatic waves, no wrestling with the elements, and—best of all—far less time negotiating with my stomach!

Of course, even an easy passage requires watchkeeping, navigation, and keeping an eye on the weather. But when the seas are friendly and the skies are blue, it’s a whole lot easier to appreciate the magic of life at sea.

Navigating at night always keeps us on high alert.

And just like that, our New Caledonian adventure gave way to the familiar comforts of New Zealand. We arrived grateful for a safe, pleasant passage and reminded once again that sometimes the best sailing stories are the ones where the ocean lets you enjoy the ride.

Matt hoisting the yellow quarantine flag.

Matt and I sailed from New Caledonia to New Zealand in 5.5 days with an average boat speed of 6.4kts.  We crossed the Pacific Ocean in early October 2026.

Out blog posts typically run 6-8 weeks behind live events.  However, I inserted this into our schedule so you know where we are now.

Our blog posts will continue in New Caledonia – but rest assured, we are in New Zealand.

Matt near a Mat on Ilot Mathieu

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We find a beautiful and secluded spot called Uitoe Bay.  It is just off the mainland of Grande Terre and in front of Ilot Mathieu. 

Sugar Shack enjoys this sweet spot all to ourselves.

We had calm conditions despite the winds blowing between 20-35kts from the SE.

All around us are stunning turquoise waters.

 

Ilot Mathieu

We took the dinghy over to the neighboring Ilot to do some exploring.  We anchored Sweetie on the north side of the island where there was a beautiful 3 mile stretch to wander.

There was not much of a “beach.”  The shoreline was covered in rocks, coral, and shells.

Strangely enough, there were lots of cacti on the shoreline as well.  This is the second place we’ve seen cactus by the shore.  

It seems so out of place!

But even the cactus can’t take the beauty away from this little Ilot.

And Matt finds a mat on Ilot Mathieu.

Find Ilot Mathieu on No Foreign Land.

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Our blog posts run 4-6 weeks behind actual live events.

We anchored at Uitoe around mid-August 2026.