At 0900 we lifted the hook for sailing to the Minerva Reef were I intend to drop the hook in the northern reef. Being in the wind shadow of Pangaimotu Island it was very comfortable to motor around the big reef. It’s a good place to wait for the right weather window to take off to NZ.

The northern Minerva Reef is located at 23deg 38.539minS, 178deg 54.679W. Although it belongs to no country, Tonga and Fiji are struggling to take this island into their territory. If I’m not mistaken there could be some information in Wikipedia.

Later, during our way out, we got the wind for most of the time pretty much on the nose. Especially in the Phiha passage into which we comfortably sailed through a few days ago, we had, for a few miles the wind from 10 deg STB. Additionally the current was against the wind, thus the waves were steep. Wave height 1 – 2 m.

In about an NM I can turn more S, thus I hope that we even can use the genoa; maybe we could even start sailing.

A lot happened during the last days! I’ll write a few throwbacks.