North Minerva to Tonga

Once the anchor was set and we were happy with our position, we had our traditional cuppa and snack and then because I had been on watch since 0100 I really needed to have a nap, so went to bed for a few hours while the kids played and read quietly, enjoying the fact that we weren’t moving too much that they could draw etc. They didn’t go for a swim as while we had been enjoying our cuppa another boat at the reef had come over the VHF just to let us know there were a couple of Tiger Sharks hanging around and if you wanted to swim it was best to do so from the shallows by the reef! Later we learned that Tiger Sharks were often at the reef, especially on the outside, but it was best to take precautions! I woke at the perfect time, just in time for lunch, then after lunch we all got stuck into housekeeping jobs of cleaning, sweeping, de-salting the boat and making yogurt/bread/dinner. The next day we were keen to explore the reef but as the tide was higher in the morning, we spent that time having a school work day and then as the tide dropped we headed off to explore. The Reef was amazing. I don’t quite know how to explain it but it is approximately 700m across with about three small tiers that drop down from the outer edge into the centre. At low tide the waves from the ocean don’t really come across the reef, so for six or so hours of the day it is like you are anchored in a marina, with hardly any boat movement. Either side of high tide is slightly different with the waves coming right across the reef, but the swell wasn’t large while we were there so it wasn’t too uncomfortable. There is also South Minerva, which I have heard is beautiful also, with a lot more coral to snorkel over and explore, but it is not as protected and only good to stop there if it is really settled weather. We walked right out to the outer edge and watched the waves crashing against the reef. The reef appears to be always covered in ankle deep water from the constant wash of the waves, with only isolated rocks becoming fully dry. We enjoyed watching the fish that washed up with the waves then swam/flew back to the ocean seemingly skimming over the water in the shock of being washed up onto the reef. We also were amazed to watch other reef fish skim on their sides from small pool to small pool. A couple of these fish must have thought we were a treat though and played dead, not moving in the pool they were in allowing the kids to get some very close contact. The other life we were really surprised about were the clams and all of their magnificent colours. When we get better internet access I will add a few photos but they don’t do them justice, and some of the best ones were when we didn’t have our cameras! The kids saw reef sharks on both the days we went snorkelling, but they were very shy and had disappeared by the time I realised they had been around. The mornings were spent doing school and light house (boat work) and Dan got to work resealing the Perspex under the mast to stop the sea water getting in, as well as tensioning the new shrouds and finding that there was a bit of chafe already in the new lashings, so end for ending them and carefully sanding of the sharp edge that had been causing this. He also did his usual routine of checking the batteries for water level and running the generator. We also finally finished the family read aloud book we had been reading over several months in Whangarei and have now started the Twilight Saga, which Paige has already read but thought we would all enjoy. We were going to leave on the Saturday around the slack tide, to try and avoid the turbulence through the entrance but we had got caught up in doing our jobs for the day that we ended up leaving on the Sunday for the last run up to Tonga. We had an early lunch then headed back up to the entrance under genoa, and once we were clear of the entrance, set the main sail and once again headed north east toward Tonga. We had a great sail that afternoon, but that night the wind died down and we started another 48 hours of sailing with light winds 5-10 knots. Tuesday late morning was the first sighting of land and we past between Tongatapu and Eua late afternoon which was celebrated by catching a couple small tuna. We always planned to clear into the Ha’apai Island group so we continued North, but because we didn’t want to get to the pass we needed to negotiate in the dark we put in a reef at 2000 but that didn’t slow us down enough so at 0100 when I took over we reduced sail right down to third reef which put as at the pass at the bottom of Uoleva as daylight was breaking, perfect timing really!! It was quite a nervous watch for me though as I had to ensure we stayed far enough off of all of the reefs on the way up, and in the dark you really need to have your ears out and trust that the GPS and charting programmes you are using are accurate! We had heard the pass we were using can be a bit difficult if there is an outgoing tide against the prevailing wind and swell, but it was fine for us, with plenty of bird life but unfortunately no fish for us. As we past the western side of Uoleva we saw friends of ours on their Schionning Catamaran Wildlife, so we were on the radio to let them know we were here and that we would see them later in the day once we had done our official paper work. We continued on the 5nm up to Lifuka Island and the town of Pangai where we had been in 2010 and Dan went ashore to collect the Customs Officer, Health Officer and Quarantine Officer. Once they had given the boat the once over, asked if we had Yellow Fever cards and checked out our supplies of fruit and vege Dan then had to go to the Immigration Office. By this time it was midday (but we were an hour out on our timing and didn’t discover this until we had been here a few days!) and we didn’t require any supplies so we headed back to Uoleva so hang out with our friends, which resulted in the first beach fire of the trip, a shared meal on shore and the kids playing happily with other kids their age. A great way to end passage!