North Minerva reef
Kachina
Richard and Rachel Caswell
Sat 24 Oct 2009 13:52
|
23:38S, 178:55W
North Minerva Reef,
Arrived here from Neiafu, Tonga after our
slowest passage yet to get here, as our timing couldn't be rushed yesterday as
we knew we wouldn't make it in with good light, so we slowed right down and
averaged 4.3 knots for the 406 NMiles from Neiafu to here. But I must admit some
of it was up-wind, which we haven't done much of in Kachina, so took it quietly,
not wanting to stress anything, least of all ourselves !
We're here way out in the middle of nowhere it
seems, with just a big circle of reef only - quite strange, but very protected.
Have a look for it on Google Earth - very interesting pics.
Hopefully everyone else that has come through
here has left us some crayfish, but we haven't seen any yet from
our exploring round the reef . The water seems a tad chilly, but at low
tide you can walk on the reef, and the surrounding shallows.
So now our arrival time is
looking more like the 5th or 6th of November at this stage, but could be later,
if we don't leave on Saturday.
We've just been buzzed by NZ Orion Airforce
airplane to get all our details from each yacht....our excitement for the day.
Seems it's really hard to just sneak into NZ these days....
There's now 6 yachts here, compared with just one
when we turned up.
Weather's turned blusterly now, but should expect a fine day tomorrow. |
