23: 39.0 S

178: 53.6 W

 

Distance last 24 hours:             134     nm

Distance since Nuku’alofa:      336     nm 

Distance still to go:                788    nm                                                 (All distances are in nautical miles:  1nm = 1.8km)

 

Well, from yesterday’s blog you could have bet that there was zero chance of us being anchored in North Minerva Reef atoll today. As you can see, (if you are connected to the Mailasail blog’s Google earth view), that’s exactly where we are now.  We arrived about an hour ago, and if ever I could have ordered the perfect day to be in Minerva, today would be it: There is not a breath of wind, cloudless sky, the lagoon in the centre of the atoll is like a turquoise tinted mirror. As we were coming up to anchor, a turtle popped its head above the surface, almost to say: “Who the hell are you guys, this isn’t a place for humans, just for all us sea creatures..!” We anchored in 14 metres of crystal clear water, on a sandy bottom, and as I was checking where the anchor was there I could see our friend’ the turtle, swimming ‘sedately along the bottom.

The atoll is oval, just off circular with a 3 mile short axis and a 4 mile long axis, with just a single entrance of about 70 metres wide. It was low tide when we entered and the reef the whole away around the atoll was exposed above water. The depth inside the atoll is a fairly constant 18-20 metres, until one gets to the encircling reef where it gradually reduces to the reef.

 

There were just two other yachts anchored here, but we are expecting a whole lot more from Tonga in the next day or so. We will enjoy the paradise and solitude until then.....

 

So, how did we come to end up here?

 

Following yesterday’s blog, the very light wind and thus the motoring continued, and so did my level of disenchantment with the whole situation. It seemed that we were caught in a prison of needing to get to some place, before some time, irrespective of the wind, and we would just use the engine to achieve this!  This was never the philosophy, and all you sailors know, that have a destination deadline to meet is a recipe for a bad trip.

 

Yesterday afternoon  I downloaded new weather files, and saw that the weak high pressure I’d mentioned yesterday had increased its influence as a low expected from New Zealand moved further south than originally forecast. This all meant that there would be more light wind on our path ahead, and in fact we were right in the centre of this weak high pressure and about to move with it...... All not good!  We could continue to Opua (NZ) as planned, but the trip would end up being a motoring trip, and also it would stretch our fuel resource. I purposely didn’t take on the full amount of diesel the boat can hold, because I didn’t want to get tempted into ‘the easy choice’ of motoring to NZ! So with all the information at our fingertips, I cut the engine, and Ruth and I had a ‘meeting’ to decide on what to do? Well the silence of no engine helped swing it very quickly to a change of plan and course to North Minerva Reef. Here will we ‘luxuriate’ in the peace and quite of a very special atoll, i n the middle of nowhere, and wait (yet again) for a better wind window...... How long that will be, is anyone’s guess, but my current forecast shows that Thursday or Friday this week may be a good time to be leaving..... More tomorrow!

 

So what are we going to do for all those days on a small yacht together.....?    Haha, you’ll have to read the blog, and maybe sometimes between the lines, but one thing is for sure the dingy will be in the water within an hour and I’ll be snorkelling the reef, with a view to maybe scuba diving tomorrow. (I have all the kit on board, so we shall see...) Apparently it os possible to walk all the way around the atoll on the reef, so that maybe a plan......

 

Right, I know you want to know about my fishing...?  Well, 5 hours of trolling yesterday didn’t produce even a hint of a fish.....!! This morning as we approached the reef, and seeing lots of flying fish around, I tried again, but with a diffewrent lure, but still nothing.....  The journey continues, and you will be kept informed.

 

Sorry no pictures, it is really hard to capture the atoll experience, and photos would devalue what we are experiencing....Sorry!

 

Finally, it is so very quiet hear, it feels like another world. Probably a lot has to do with having no engine going anymore, but I do think there is a very special, away from the world, quietness here. There is the soothing (for me) sound of the small ocean swell breaking as it abruptly encounters the reef outside. Other than that, just total stillness..... A good time for collecting oneself!

 

That’s all for today......

 

Cheers for now

 

H