Chesterfield Islands - General Info
Description:
Lying some 800 kms (500 miles) west of the northern end of Grande Terre, this is an area of small, uninhabited islets and coral cays and reefs which have been part of the Coral Sea Natural Park since 2014 and a nature reserve since August 2018.
Since the Covid Pandemic the area has been closed to visitors, and remains so. The only way to visit is to apply for permission. See the latest situation as reported by the Down Under Rally in their Ahoy Newsletter (August 2023 pages 32-33) here.
Applications to visit can be submitted and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, however, no yachts that have lodged applications to visit have been granted permission as of September 2023.
Cruiser highlights:
It provides a useful stopover when on passage between Vanuatu and Australia and it is tolerated if yachts need to anchor here in order to shelter from weather without having a visa or marine park permit. The French Navy will want to know your intentions.
Huon Atoll which is part of Entrecasteaux Reef and Chesterfield Reef are splendid places to visit with gorgeous beaches and thousands of birds.
Chesterfield Reef photo courtesy of SY Maunie of Ardwal.
Entrance notes or cautions:
Authorization is required to visit to this marine sanctuary and yachts must clear into the country first before visiting. See the Clearance section to download the appropriate forms.
It is advisable to swim and snorkel near the beaches as cruisers have reported many sharks in the area.
Position:
19°53’S, 158°19’E (Long Island, Chesterfield Reef)
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Related to following destinations: Chesterfield Islands, New Caledonia
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Thanks for amending the information, Sue.
As an update, in October 2019 Temptress spent 6 days at Chesterfield Reefs in company with 7 other yachts. We diverted there and waited for favourable weather before continuing to Bundaberg, Australia. We had cleared out of New Caledonia and did not possess a permit to visit the marine park.
During our stay we experienced an aerial surveillance patrol by the French Navy in an executive type jet. They made several low altitude passes and contacted yachts via VHF radio (channel 16). They asked about our reason for being there, our estimated duration of stay and whether we knew Chesterfield Reefs were marine sanctuary.
They accepted that yachts were anchored there for safety reasons. There were a couple of yachts present whose crew had gained permits to visit. The Navy had their details on database and seemed happy that they were visiting, despite having cleared out of New Caledonia.
It seems from this single interaction that the French Navy prioritize the Marine Park Permit over the requirement to have an immigration visa.
The information provided seems to me, a little misleading. It seems to imply that the permit to travel to Chesterfield Reefs somehow negates the need to be checked into New Caledonia with a valid visa. This is not so, but forgive me if I mis-read.
Whilst there is a permit available to visit Chesterfield Reefs, it is still a requirement for foreigners to be checked in to the country. To put it plainly; it is illegal for non-French citizens to plan a visit to Chesterfield Reefs ( French territory ) without first clearing in at Noumea and gaining a valid visa. Similiarly, it is also illegal to clear out and then visit Chesterfield Reefs.
The correct way for foreigners to visit Chesterfield Reefs, and for that matter reefs in the D’Entrecasteaux and Bellona groups, is to obtain the permit as per the Noonsite instructions, clear in with Customs and Immigration in Noumea, visit the reefs, clear out back in Noumea and depart.
Just like any other country in the world, having a permit to visit a National Park does not imply that you are legally entitled to ignore Immigration Laws. Gaining a permit to visit Chesterfield Reefs and then doing so whilst not holding a valid visa shows a clear intent to flout Immigration law. This fact was made abundantly clear to us when discussing visiting Chesterfield Reefs with French Customs (Douanes) in Noumea. French naval vessels do periodically patrol with the aid of satellite surveillance.
I don’t pretend to be an authority on international law, but I’ve been told that yachts in transit may shelter (at say, Chesterfield Reefs) for reasonable time periods if circumstances demand.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
Thank you very much for confirming these details. We have now updated the clearance section accordingly.