From Australia to New Caledonia aboard the ILIAD 62

From Australia to New Caledonia aboard the ILIAD 62

by ILIAD Catamarans 12 Aug 05:32 UTC

From an exhilarating 796nm Coral Sea crossing from Bundaberg, Australia to Noumea, to unforgettable dives, remote anchorages and life in New Caledonia aboard the ILIAD 62 (the predecessor to the new ILIAD 60), this owner’s latest adventure showcases the freedom and capability of long-range cruising at its finest.

Enjoy a firsthand account of the journey, with memorable encounters including hitchhiking seabirds, orcas, challenging weather, gourmet meals at sea and a race to stay ahead of an approaching low-pressure system.

After arriving in New Caledonia, the adventure continued for the crew with days spent exploring pristine reefs, thermal hot springs, secluded bays and spectacular dive sites. Along the way, the ILIAD 62 proved just as comfortable at anchor as she was offshore, delivering the range, performance and onboard comforts that make extended cruising a genuine pleasure.

Whether you’re dreaming of your own blue-water adventure or simply love life on the water, this action-packed voyage is well worth the read.

Part 1: Australia to Nouméa aboard an Iliad 62

There is a unique blend of adrenaline, strategy, and freedom that comes with setting off on an ocean passage, and crossing the Coral Sea from Australia to Nouméa aboard an ILIAD 62 had it all—from hitchhiking seabirds and gourmet helm meals to busy shipping lanes, deep-sea features and a race to beat an incoming weather system. Read on as crew member Karl Silverlock shares the story of this memorable 796nm blue-water voyage to New Caledonia.

Day 1: Customs Departure & Leaving Hervey Bay (Queensland)

Monday 13th July 2026

• 15:30 – Met with Australian Border Force at Bundaberg Marina for official customs departure clearance while loading up the final supply run of fresh food, provisions and drinks.
• 16:00 – Officially cleared for departure.
• 16:15 (First Log Book Entry) – Speed:10.2 knots | Main Fuel Tanks: 7,100L
• 16:26 – Cast off the lines and navigated out into Hervey Bay.

Just an hour into the voyage, we welcomed our first visitor at sea—a friendly Booby bird who swooped in wanting to hitch a ride!

Steak at the helm and fast currents

Just as Karl settled into his first night shift, dinner arrived at the helm. Warren had cooked fresh steaks on the BBQ and chips in the oven. One thing is certain: when Warren is onboard, nobody goes hungry—he thoroughly enjoyed taking advantage of a full luxury galley while under way! Rounding the tip of Fraser Island, we caught a fast-moving current, recording a top speed of 12.5 knots at 1350 RPM.

Day 2: Shipping lanes, orcas and deep ocean

Tuesday 14th July 2026

• 00:00 – Karl takes over the night shift. Warren heads off for rest, leaving Karl to navigate the busy main shipping channel into Brisbane.
• Seeing a couple of cargo ships on the display, quick calculations showed one would cross 4nm ahead and another 9nm behind. Relief! No course or speed alterations needed, meaning no woke crew members or altered cabin motion. Condor joined at 01:30 with plenty of sea stories to pass the time.
• 03:00 – Warren on shift.
• 06:00 – Karl back on watch for a stunning sunrise (helm blinds came in clutch heading straight into the morning sun!).
• 07:45 – Pod of Orcas spotted! Multiple pods surfaced over a 10-minute period (left).

Seamount Trivia: The Fraser Mount

Rising 4,060 meters from the ocean floor—nearly twice the height of Mt Kosciuszko— the Fraser Seamount reaches close to the surface at a depth of 360m. We passed right along its outer edge! It’s deep water out here — over 4,000 meters — far beyond the range of our sounder! The conditions were absolute perfection. We ended a glorious day at sea with a magic sunset.

Day 3: Heavy seas and 17 knots

Wednesday 15th July 2026

• 00:00 – 03:00 – Warren’s shift. Ocean started getting lumpy; dropped engine speed from 1350 RPM down to 1200 RPM dropping the speed 1-2 knots, making it more comfortable for those sleeping below.
• 03:00 – Karl takes over. 16-knot gusts and heavy seas in front. Maintained 1200 RPM until daybreak to catch another beautiful sunrise (right).
• 14:30 – The call was made to throttle up to get ahead of an incoming weather system. We pushed the boat up to 17 knots. What a difference! The ILIAD sat right up on top of the waves with real purpose in her ride.
• 15:00 – Passing scattered rain showers with a vibrant rainbow to the south. At 17 knots, our ETA was just 18 hours.

Skipper Condor, who has done this trip multiple times, commented on the handling and performance of the boat; he was especially impressed with its ride doing 17knots.

Day 4: Outrunning the Low & Final Approach

Thursday 16th July 2026

• 01:00 – 201nm to destination.
• 02:55 – Steady at 10.3 knots at 1350 RPM. Moving time: 57 hours, 41 minutes.
• 03:46 – Passed the 600nm mark with 200nm left to go
• 04:07 – Overnight hitchhikers on deck: a flying fish landed on the aft deck and a small squid landed on the port deck!
• 07:37 – Morning sunrise ahead.
• 09:16 – Checked the Windy app: a Low-pressure system was pushing onto the Queensland coast. Our narrow escape window around its northeast edge paid off, dodging the nasty stuff behind us.
• 12:47 – Booby birds returned, diving into our wake to snatch up flying fish.
• 15:11 – Roughest seas of the trip. Completely overcast and raining, but with only 60nm to go, nobody minded.
• 20:00 – Seas noticeably calmed as we arrived at the main shipping channel through the barrier reef.
• 21:00 – With the city lights of Nouméa glowing in the distance, the excitement kept everyone up on the bridge. Once through the reef passage, the water turned to glass for a calm midnight cruise into Port Moselle.

79 hours, great food, epic wildlife, smooth teamwork, and an unforgettable crossing of the Coral Sea!

Read Part 2: Island Hopping & Reef Diving in Paradise