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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.

Crossing the Pacific Ocean….Again

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Matt and I are taking the big blue watery road across the Pacific Ocean again.  This time we are departing from the amazingly beautiful country New Caledonia and heading for our beloved New Zealand.

Our trip should take between 6 to 6.5 days to cover the roughly 900 nautical miles.

Please follow us Crossing the Pacific as Matt blogs “live from the sea” and you can track our progress.

Predict Wind Tracker:

https://www.predictwind.com/tracking/SugarShack?mapMode=useAtlas&windSymbol=WindStreamlines&weatherSource=ECMWF&trackDuration=0

Crossing the Pacific is never easy, but we are hoping for fair winds, calm seas, and no storms.

As always, we appreciate your well wishes, prayers, and hopes for a safe and uneventful passage.

What’s Swimming Beneath Us? Citizens of the Sea

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While most sailors are busy collecting sunsets, fish stories, and the occasional wayward flying fish, we’re helping collect something a little more scientific—DNA from the ocean itself!  As volunteers for Citizens of the Sea we play a vital part in this scientific discovery.

Citizens of the Sea, a New Zealand-based citizen science program that equips sailors with the tools to gather valuable ocean data while cruising some of the most remote parts of the Pacific.

Their mission is simple but ambitious: use the sailing community to help scientists better understand ocean health, biodiversity, and the impacts of climate change.

Our job is to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. Every creature in the ocean leaves behind tiny traces of genetic material in the water.

By towing a torpedo-shaped device called the TORPeDNA behind the boat, seawater is filtered and these microscopic clues are captured for later analysis. No marine biology degree required—just a boat, a steady hand, and a willingness to play with science equipment at sea.

eDNA Ocean Samples

The samples we collect will contribute to a growing database covering Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, and the vast stretches of the South Pacific in between. Scientists can use this information to identify thousands of species, monitor biodiversity, track ecosystem changes, and improve our understanding of ocean health across an enormous area.

Matt launches the torpedo 4 times.  First to rinse it, then 3 consecutive times after that to collect samples.  The torpedo drags 15 meters behind the boat for 10 minutes.

It was a bit tricky with the difficult sea conditions.  We had 2-3 meter seas and 20kts of wind each time we were taking samples.

But Matt and I were clipped in and took extra precautions.  

After Matt pulls the torpedo in, he drains it and hands it to me.

I remove the end cap, take it inside, and remove the gasket.  Slowly and carefully, I fold the filter in three and the store it in a vile.

Next, I insert a new filter, place the gasket back on and put the end cap back on the torpedo for its next launch.

We repeat this process three times each day between 1000 and 1400 (when the sun is at its highest).

The Results

The results so far have been impressive. Participating sailors have already helped generate more than a billion DNA sequences from over 1.5 million square kilometers of ocean, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional research vessels. That’s a lot of science from a lot of salty volunteers!

We’re excited to do our small part. After all, if we’re already crossing these waters, why not help scientists learn a little more about what’s swimming beneath us? And let’s be honest—telling people we’re “collecting eDNA samples for marine biodiversity research” sounds much more impressive than saying we’re just out for a sail.

Our blog posts run 7-8 weeks behind actual live events.  

We collected samples for Citizens of the Sea on our passage from New Zealand to New Caledonia.  Early June 2026.