Southern Tonga & Minerva Reef | E060
December 23, 2025 · 5 min · 878 views · Récif Ebrill
Sailboat surrounded by dinghies in turquoise Minerva Reef waters
What this video covers
Nicki and Mike depart Tongatapu after four days, cutting their stay short because visas were expiring and a weather window opened for Minerva Reef.▶ 0:59 Before leaving, they used a Big Mommas ferry to reach Nuku'alofa for domestic clearing-out and provisioning — stocking up at markets, bakeries, and a butcher ahead of the run south to New Zealand.▶ 0:36 The 260-nautical-mile passage to North Minerva Reef was a broad reach for the first 36 hours; overnight wind shifts forced them to shake out a reef and unfurl the full headsail, with both a windpilot vane and autopilot sharing steering duties.▶ 1:56 The pass into the lagoon is wide and deep, notably easier than Tuamotu passes.▶ 2:43 They anchored in 14 metres over sand at the northeast end, avoiding coral bombies deeper in.▶ 3:02 About 15 yachts were already there, all waiting for wind to resume for the New Zealand passage.▶ 2:53 A dinghy raft-up drew at least 17 OCC and friends boats; Ralph from the yacht Flora flew drones for aerial footage.▶ 4:00 Hull cleaning for New Zealand biosecurity consumed multiple sessions, covering through-hulls, cockpit drains, keel, rudder, skeg, stern tube, shaft, and propeller.▶ 4:28 After five days, a seven-to-eight-day window opened for the 900-mile passage to Opua.▶ 5:20
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