The Western Pacific - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 401

On Noumea's Doorstep
Just a short sail out of Noumea lies an embarrassment of riches in terms of anchorages -
but even that hop is enough to transport the jaded city-goer to the wonders of the aquarium-
like lagoon. Islands like Ilot Maitre and Laregnere fall within protected marine sanctuaries
and shelter the richest sealife. The turtles, sharks, rays, and occasional dugongs there are a
confident lot and therefore much easier to snorkel among than the flighty denizens of un-
protected areas. The marine reserves also provide free moorings - though it pays to check
the line before trusting your boat to it.
For a quick escape from the city, nothing beats Ilot Maitre, just four miles south of Noumea
(see map, #1). The proximity means weekend crowds of dozens, but the island falls back to
an easy slumber on workdays. The water clarity and marine life are outstanding and dozens
of mooring buoys await the lazy cruiser. Although the shoreline is marred by hotel bunga-
lows, a drink at the hotel bar buys you Internet access, making Maitre a good place to mon-
itor weather reports for an upcoming passage while staying within spitting distance of the
city for a final provisioning run.
Ilot Mbe Kouen, fourteen miles northwest of Noumea, feels like a place on the edge of the
world (map, #2). We shared this reef-encircled anchorage with just one other boat and
spent days playing Robinson Crusoe on the sandy cay. It's also a reliable spot for dugong
sightings; at least one regular spiced up our quiet days. On weekends, the “crowd” swelled
to six boats, many of them kite surfers who put on a spectacular show. There's no wind
shelter at Mbe Kouen, but the reef proved to be an effective barrier during a period of
thirty-knot southeasterlies we sat out, comfortably anchored in fifteen feet over a sandy
bottom.
Ilot Laregnere (map, #3) and Ilot Signal (map, #4) are neighboring islands and protected
marine reserves with free mooring buoys seven miles from Noumea. The wildlife is well
accustomed to visitors; we were able to snorkel casually alongside sea turtles here rather
than stealing furtive glances as in other areas. Another reptile well represented is the Tricot
Raye, New Caledonia's striped sea snake. They're fascinating creatures that move easily
between land and sea. Though poisonous, these sea snakes are perfectly safe - the venom is
located so far back in the throat, you'd have to force one of the poor creatures into biting
you. A walk around either island provides an opportunity to stretch your legs, beach-comb,
and observe nesting sea birds.