20:39.258S 172:53.831W
Shaya Moya
Don & Susan Smyth
Tue 4 Oct 2011 18:46
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So we're just 119nm from Tonga and will be arriving
with plenty of time to find a nice anchorage, close to a restaurant, hotel or
bar with a TV to watch SA give the Aussies what-for! So looking forward to the
game! As you might already know we been getting weather forecast and routing
help from a chap named Bob out of New Zealand, he must think we've lost our
marbles because the number one priority on this part of our trip/route has not
been the usual i.e.. beautiful beaches, volcanic islands or any other
sightseeing... nope the instructions were quite clear : Get us to the Rugby on
time! So far so good.
We did however manage to stop off at an
out-of-this-world spot just 120nm SE of Nuie called Beverage Reef (Don't ask we
couldn't work it out either, although we did see an empty bottle floating passed
that might have had a message in it, or an explanation as to why Beverage Reef?)
  We had a landing drink and just stared at it for
hours, there was no-one else there. Beverage reef is a smallish atoll, just 2
miles across and surrounded by a live reef which is apparently quite rare these
days. On the inside of the reef, all the way around, is a 30m-50m wide sand-bank
that's only 1m-3m deep. The shallow water is an amazing light blue colour which
forms a ring around the deeper, darker water. It looks like an angel dropped her
halo in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The first day we planned to go diving
in the atoll but we were very worried about the strong current and being just
two of us we decided just relax on the boat and have a braai instead.
The next morning we moved along the inside of the
sand-bank over to the eastern side where we found the wreck of what looked to be
an old Fishing Trawler. We hopped in the tender and went to investigate armed
with masks and fins. The wreck wasn't as old has we'd originally thought but it
must have been a terrifying experience to know that you're stranded so far away
from help. We braved the current and tried to swim closer all the while amazed
at the abundance and variety of the fish and coral. It was all dandy-do until I
saw it!! was probably only 6 feet in length but my initial reaction was: Big
shark, very big shark!!
 I shouted to get Dad's attention and when he heard
what I had to say, well, he was into the tender faster then any pirate could
board a vessel! I tried to keep an eye on the shark while holding onto the boat
so I wouldn't be dragged away in the current but then remembered where we were
and thought the risk of getting just a nip from the big fellow so far from a
doctor to much for me. So our expedition lasted a whole 20 minutes which is less
than the time it took us to get the tender in the water and then out again.
We left Beverage Reef and headed on a bearing of
260 straight for Tonga. The next days were a little less eventful, plain sailing
as they say. Except for the hit 'n miss fishing that's been going on since we
left Tahiti. No idea what's happened but we've hooked 5-6 fish and had near miss
with a shark chasing one of the lures, but so far only boarded one tuna...one!
I'm starting to doubt my abilities. Yesterday as we were sitting down to
dinner (chicken fajitas) we must have hooked a monster, the big reel
was screaming out and we reacted as always with me on the rods and Dad slowing
the boat down (not so easy when you doing 8kts).
 I reeled in on the small rig to get it out of the
way while the big reel kept screaming out. In a hurry to get back to the big rig
I only reeled the smaller one as far in as I thought necessary so that nothing
else would take the second lure. Then I bolted across the deck to the big rig on
the starboard side and started to adjust the friction. The reel calmed down a
little and the line went pretty taught but not to taught, just then I saw a
movement in the water right behind the boat and shouted to Dad to reel in on the
small rig. A bloody big shark was chasing the tiny lure around and couldn't seem
to grab it. We got it in just in time. Unfortunately I had lost the heavy leader
a few days earlier and only had 50lb line on which then gave way as the monster
dived deeper and we were still doing 4.5kts in the wrong direction with very
little line left on the reel.
After the excitement died down we discussed what we
would have done if that shark had got hold of the other lure. I said we'd have
had to pull him up and get my lure back... Dad just looked at me. I think we
might have had a lot more difficulty getting whatever had the big lure on
board.
So that's all for now folks, it's 7:20am and I'm an
hour late for my morning nap. Just have to set the lines up
quick.
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