Minerva Reef Outbound Day 3

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 27 08S 179 05E steering 200M, motoring at 5 knots.  The wind was 3G5 from the WNW.  Our noon to noon distances were 96nm by the log and 103nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 239nm and 251nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 551nm.

The screenshot below shows weather and boat positions at noon today.  We are the third blue dot from the left in the 'bunch'.  We're 'in the blue' meaning there ain't much wind here!

PredictWind Tracks at noon today

Yesterday afternoon we continued sailing in light 5G7 airs from the ENE.  We were down to 3 knots of boatspeed for much of the time but it was pleasant enough sailing.  The 1.5m S swell didn't help.  We continued sailing until 0500 when the wind lightened further and our boatspeed fell to 2 knots.  The autopilot was struggling so it was time for the donk.

We had a 60% moon last night and after midnight the broken cloud broke up to reveal a wonderful starscape.  The Southern Cross rose above the horizon but not the 'pointers'.  Orion was high in the sky.

We've continued motoring this morning.  For a short period we tried motor-sailing but without success.  We expect to be motoring for another 24 hours or so.  A 'blue hole' is opening ahead of us.  On the far side we expect to find wind and possibly thunderstorms with E winds.  We should have E-N winds all the way from there.

Trust all's well where you are.

 

Minerva Reef Outbound Day 2

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 25 42S 179 44E steering 205M, sailing with full main and full yankee at 5 knots.  The wind was 7G11 from the ENE.  Our noon to noon distances were 123nm by the log and 126nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 143nm and 148nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 647nm.

Gentle Sailing

Early yesterday afternoon we motored over an almost glassed-out sea.  By 1500 enough wind had come in for us to start motor-sailing.  Then at 1815 we were finally able to sail, just in time for the Gulf Harbour Net on SSB.  We've been taking part in this net whenever at sea since arriving in Samoa.  On this passage we're following it with a chat session with other NZ-bound boats.

Cirrus clouds - not seen for a while!

Overnight the wind held in at around 9G13.  This was enough for us to keep sailing.  The wind gradually backed into the ENE which reduced our apparent wind.  Mid-morning today we chatted with two boats on the VHF, both much bigger than us.  Both were motor-sailing.

At 0418 local time this morning something significant happened...

Before

After

Yes, we crossed the Date Line from the Western to the Eastern hemisphere!  These are screenshots from a video of our Maretron DSM410 which can display all our NMEA2000 data in user-customisable screens.

We hope the wind holds in but it's predicted to gradually decrease over the next 24-36 hours.  We'll probably be motoring again eventually.  In the mean time we're enjoying very nice sailing conditions.

Trust all's well where you are.

Minerva Reef Outbound Day 1

Hi everyone,

We departed North Minerva Reef at 0745 this morning in very still conditions.  We've been motoring all morning.  We're in company with at least six other yachts.  At noon we'd covered 22nm of the 790nm in our route direct to Opua.  Our ETA is Wednesday or Thursday next week.

Dawn Today

Most of our preparations were done yesterday afternoon.  So this morning it was simply a case of a last tidy below, attaching the main halyard, starting the donk and weighing the anchor.  The latter is still very heavy.

We expect to have several days of light airs, several thunderstormy days crossing a trough, and several in moderate to strong E-N winds.  Bu only time will tell!

Departing with sv Thestral following

Trust all's well where you are!

Minerva Reef

Hi everyone,

We've spent 5 days at Minerva Reef.  What an absolutely wonderful place!  We spent our time snorkelling, socialising and completing hull cleaning.  We were anchored in 15m over deep sand.  Going in further would have put us amongst bombies and the sand is reputed to be shallow.  We shared the NE anchorage with 25 to 35 boats which some say is a record.

Anchored at Minerva Reef (sv Deriska photo)

View towards the pass (sv Deriska photo)

Great Sunsets

In NE anchorage

Anchorage from the shallows

There are a host of snorkelling spots around the reef.  Sadly our soft-bottom dinghy and electric outboard limited our options.  The best spot we visited was the "Aquarium".  Small but full of fish and one small shark.

The "Aquarium"

Small (1m) white-tipped shark circling

Fish!

Fish nursery under a coral ledge

On Monday afternoon we hosted a dinghy raft-up for OCC and friend's boats.  At least 17 boats attended including Aura, Bandit, Bengt, Beyond the Stars, Clair de Gouet, Deriska, Flora, Kerpa, Magic, Muna Nui, Paikea, Scout, Tarpan, Thestral, Wanderlust & Wild Iris.  Possibly others too!  Ralf of OCC sv Flora brought along his drone and got some great shots.

All aboard Zen Again

Raft-Up (sv Flora photo)

Raft-Up (sv Flora photo)

Insta360 view

The raft-up concluded after sunset

It was great meeting new folks whose boats we'd seen on AIS for months and to catch up with folks we've seen only intermittently across the Pacific.

Completing the NZ Biosecurity mandated hull cleaning started with an overall scrub of hull and appendages.  This was followed by thorough cleaning of: thru-hulls; cockpit drains; keel bottom; rudder top & bottom; skeg shoe; rudder-skeg gap; stern tube; shaft; and propellor.  The latter was the toughest due to its complex shape and moving parts.  We're happy with the result.  Hopefully the NZ authorities will be too.  We can only do what we can do!

Looking Good?

Bow View

Stern View

Stern Gear

We expect to depart tomorrow morning towards Opua.  It should be a 7-8 day passage.  Initially winds will be light and we may need to motor for a day or so later in the week.  Mid-passage we'll have to pass through a trough containing thunderstorms and strong winds.  Then we should have an E wind backing to N as we approach NZ.  The next front isn't expected until 2-3 days after arrival.  It's about as good as it gets for a little boat.

Trust all's well where you are!

Tongatapu to Minerva Reef Passage Summary

Hi everyone,

Here is a summary of our 260nm passage between the Tongan island of Tongatapu and North Minerva Reef.  We sailed in close company with UK OCC SV Thestral.  It was a great passage with ESE 15G20 fading to ENE 10G15.  We departed two miles behind Thestral and arrived 10 miles behind - not bad considering they're a 43 footer.

Anchored inside North Minerva Reef

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

Here are the vital stats for the passage…

    • Distances/Speeds

        • Route Distance = 264 nm

        • Logged Distance = 258 nm

        • GPS Distance = 278 nm

        • Duration = 2 days 2 hours

        • Average speed = 5.2 kt

        • Minimum boat speed = 4.0 kt

        • Maximum boat speed = 6.3 kt

    • Weather

        • Minimum wind speed = 10 kt

        • Average wind speed = 15 knots

        • Maximum wind speed = 20 with gusts to 27

        • Apparent wind angle range = 120 to 150

        • Seas 1-2m

        • Swell 2m

        • Cloud varying from 2/8 to 8/8

        • New moon

    • Engine

        • Total = 1 hour

        • Driving = 1 hour

        • Charging = 0 hours

    • Failures

        • None

    • Stars

        • The boat - as always

Kami the autopilot in control

We had a nice broad reach under double-reefed main and single-furled yankee for the first 36 hours, staying within 5nm of Thestral.  Last night the wind eased and backed which forced us to head up while Thestral maintained their course.  We shook out a reef and unfurled the full yankee.  Both Kazi the WindPilot vane gear and Kami the autopilot did good work.

The initial approach to North Minerva Reef is interesting because the first thing you spot are the anchored yacht masts.  Then their hulls and the reefs appear.  The pass is wide and deep, or at least much wider and deeper than many in the Tuamotus.  And within the reef depths are consistent at around 20m.

View NE in the pass

View SW in the pass

As we motored across the lagoon towards the anchored boats we recognised several friends.  There were about 15 yachts already here.  Further boats are expected to gather here over the next day or two.  Many will probably be staying for about a week since there's currently no weather window for the passage south to New Zealand.  We anchored in 14m over sand.

We're looking forward to a lazy few days here.  Winds are predicted to be light.  Hopefully we'll finish off our hull cleaning and do some exploring.

Trust all's well where you are!

Minerva Reef Inbound Day 1

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 22 28S 177 27W steering 230M, sailing with double-reefed main and single-furled yankee at 5.5 knots.  The wind was 16G20 from the E.  Our noon  to noon distances were 129nm by the log and 133nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 155nm and 161nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 108nm.

Sunrise Today

Conditions have been quite stable since departure.  Wind E to ESE 15G20 with cloud varying from 3/8 to 6/8.  There are at least two wave trains which make the ride a little irregular but very little spray aboard.  It's not champagne sailing but we're making good progress.  Thestral is about 4nm ahead of us.  The wind is expected to ease to 10G15 this evening.

Track

The above screenshot shows our track to noon today.  It also shows the widely varying depths in this part of the Pacific.  From seamounts within metres of the surface to trenches over 10km deep.

Trust all's well where you are!

Tongatapu Outbound Day 1

Hi everyone,

At noon today (Wednesday) we were at 21 13S 175 32W steering 230M, sailing with double-reefed main and single-furled yankee at 6 knots.  The wind was 15G20 from the E.  We departed Tongatapu at 0700.  We sailed through the Egeria Channel, around Atata Island, to reach the ocean.  Winds were ESE 18G22 initially.

Kazi the WindPilot in control

Here's our departure track...

Departure Track

We were once more in company with OCC sv Thestral.  They were 2nm ahead of us initially.  Once out into the ocean we had great sailing conditions.  Winds are expected to gradually lighten and shift into the NE.  Clouds have been gradually clearing.

Into the afternoon

Trust all's well where you are.

Tongatapu

Hi everyone,

We spent only four days in Tongatapu.  The weather and our expiring visas dictated we leave.  On arrival we anchored at the SE end of the harbour.  The next day we moved over to Big Mamas.

Big Mamas used to be a popular resort but was mostly destroyed in the tsunami a few years ago.  Happily no one on the island was injured.  Since then Big Mamas has been gradually rebuilding.  Currently they have a small bar and can put on Tongan feasts by arrangement.  They also run a ferry to and from Nuku'alofa.

In Nuku'alofa, capital of the Kingdom of Tonga

We had a lazy weekend at anchor off Big Mamas.  That included a sundowner ashore at the bar with the Thestrals and Silhouette.

Big Mamas Ferry

Beers at Big Mamas with Thestral and Silhouette

On Monday we ferried into town to do our domestic clear-in and to shop.  We had a good walk around town with a nice lunch at Friends restaurant.  There are great markets, bakery and butcher.

On the ferry

Nuku'alofa Port

Dinghy and Ferry Dock

Catholic Church

Church Interior

Great Coffee

Awesome Bakery with Lamingtons!

Ice cream at Friends

Friends Restaurant

Produce Market

Craft Market

It's always good to find the local Aussie HIgh Commission/Embassy.

Aussie HIgh Comm

Leaving Nuku'alofa

On Tuesday we returned to town for our international clear out.  Nice and easy once you find the correct offices.  We cleared out for Opua, New Zealand but will visit Minerva Reef on our way.  We can wait there for a weather window for NZ.

We had a great two months in Tonga.  Each island group is different and well worth exploring.

Trust all's well where you are!