sailinghigh 0 Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Light house North Minerva Reef. Can any body confirm that there is a light house at North Minerva Reef or south Minerva reef for that matter. If so could you please advise the height above sea level and advise the flash sequence and colour. Sailinghigh Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 North Minerva Fl2. 10S. 8M South Minerva Fl. 5S. 10M Can't confirm that they are operational but above are the two descriptions on Navionics Sailed past but never stopped yet ! Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 John B your more likely to know better than me as I said it have only sailed past. I will add a screen shot of the charts below Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Just goes to show you still can't trust charts in the tropics At least some things don't change We past 3 to 4nm west of both last September, could see the surf breaking on the other side but nothing else. Link to post Share on other sites
sailfish 0 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 There were 28 yachts anchored there over the last couple of days. Even the tongan navy was there. NZ Orion flew over and made every boat check in via vhf. Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 There were 28 yachts anchored there over the last couple of days. Even the tongan navy was there. NZ Orion flew over and made every boat check in via vhf. Are you going there? Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Wonder what the reason for the orion check was? They would all be sailing away from NZ? I have heard of them doing that when the season is ending and the boats are heading ourway. Link to post Share on other sites
erice 732 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 There were 28 yachts anchored there over the last couple of days. Even the tongan navy was there. NZ Orion flew over and made every boat check in via vhf. good Link to post Share on other sites
sailfish 0 Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 There were 28 yachts anchored there over the last couple of days. Even the tongan navy was there. NZ Orion flew over and made every boat check in via vhf. Are you going there? no not for a good few years. We missed it last time due to stopping at the kermadecs for three days. Next time we will go to the kermadecs and then to Minerva then to Fiji. Blog from Minerva from yacht Rafiki Two days of sitting couped up on Rayfiki aint too bad - when u wonder how others are getting on in smaller quarters. However two days of having the wind howling so loudly that you could not hear the surf and most books on board getting exhausted, it was a welcome relief to hear the forecast that the wind was dropping this morning. Well it did subside but only really by lunchtime?when the sun came out as well. We were also joined by a Tongan Navy vessel who circled the reef so we could see how big the waves were as they ploughed up and down and rolled around. After demonstrating their naval skills they thought they should come into the lagoon to seek shelter and deal to their collywobbles?. Any thoughts of being invited onboard for Kava cocktails with the Captain were dashed when they anchored as far from us mere yachties as they could. Anyway wasn't long before the VHF radio crackled with the voice of NZ Airforce Orion heading to Minerva and he wanted all yachts to identify themselves and provide departure and arrival details. OOOPs on his first fly over and getting the first report he spotted said Tongan navy also ensconced in the lagoon. ooohlala,,,he tried to call them as well and got a rather mumbled kava induced and inane response. He advised us that he would get back to us. Sure enough he did 10 minutes later?..i bet there were frantic calls to Wellington as what to do next. (There is conflict between Tonga and Fiji as to ownership of Minerva Reef. At the moment with the whole Tongan navy protecting us and NZ fire force above it look like we are safe form Fiji invading - for the moment.) Once the diplomatic channels had cleared the way the interrogation continued. In all 28 yachts in N Minerva with a few more in South Minerva. Once our man in the sky had satisfied himself that all yachts were accounted for he (as requested by Ross) he put his lights on and did a low fly past and headed back to NZ and the rain and cold. We exhausted by all this excitement decided to cool off with a much needed swim. At the weather sled on Radio Minerva in the morning I had suggested we all meet at low tide around 4.30 on the reef for a meet greet reunion and drink. What a sight: at 5pm with 50 people standing on the reef - dingies lining the reef wall and the water cascading off the reef. The wind had dropped but was still cool so we left to get back to Rayfiki and lift dingies, stow engines and get ourselves ready for a after breakfast departure tomorrow. taken from www.yit.co.nz Link to post Share on other sites
ex TL systems 63 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 There were 28 yachts anchored there over the last couple of days. Even the tongan navy was there. NZ Orion flew over and made every boat check in via vhf. We were talking about Minerva yesterday , thinking that it was one place warm you could perhaps go for a sail without all the formalities of customs and immigration, just sail up there for a few days in the sun and then come back again. NZ keeps a pretty good eye on boats approaching from the north, what would likely happen if a boat just went for a "sail" north of NZ without intending to go anywhere particular ie land so did not check out with customs etc. Or when the Orion flew over to enquire on the vhf. It seems a shame if the only place we can go without clearing customs is the Chathams, [too cold too windy] and we can,t land on the Kermadecs which also don,t seem to have any anchorages. ' Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,586 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I want to know what happens if the Orion calls and nobody can be bothered answering. (I normally have the vhf off anyway) Link to post Share on other sites
sailfish 0 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 and we can,t land on the Kermadecs which also don,t seem to have any anchorages. Not entirely correct, we stayed three days and also landed. You need a permit but it's worth the hassle and cost to get one. It was like Jurrasic park with walks over the island. The best diving I've ever done and my wife rated it as highly as the Galapagos islands. You need to leave one person on the boat at all times and you have to land yourselves which is interesting in itself. There is a yacht that does go head up and stay a week or two most years, from what we were told by staff there. Link to post Share on other sites
ex TL systems 63 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 now that sounds interesting, might look into it, would be nice to get up to some warm water one winter. Link to post Share on other sites
rossd 16 Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 With regard the Orion getting people to check in. I have always been surprised at the lack of discussion both in parliament and the press about the possibility of refugee boats arriving here, one caught of Indonesia a few days ago. I am sure when one does arrive all hell will break loose as a new experience to deal with. I am sure the Navy has a policy on this and is well aware of there role. This checking in sounds like serious stuff to me and maybe more monitoring going on than we think. Link to post Share on other sites
sailinghigh 0 Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 There were 28 yachts anchored there over the last couple of days. Even the tongan navy was there. NZ Orion flew over and made every boat check in via vhf. good Well it is Tonga territorial waters and they have not entered Tonga officially. The yachts where probably ICA rally yachts. It used to be don't announce you are there as the Tonga officials take a dim view especially taking their crayfish. When the dispute was happening re ownership between FIJI and Tonga, the Tonga navy barred all yachts from anchoring. Could be a safety check by NZ in case a yacht goes missing etc. etc. Link to post Share on other sites
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