The reefs were named after the australian whaler minerva in 1829 one of many ships wrecked on the treacherous rocks hidden beneath the waves, invisible at night. Minerva reef is the true story of the wreck of the tongan cutter tuaikaepau on the minerva reef and of the survival of ten. Both north and south minerva reefs are used as anchorages by private yachts traveling between new zealand and tonga or fiji. South minerva reef southminervareef map, weather and. Resplendent gorgonian sea fans spread their brittle limbs to the currents that encircle north minerva reef at a depth of between 20 and 60 metres. Minerva reef, like beveridge reef, is a coral atoll with limestone base elevated by volcanic activity. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Many other ships would follow, for example strathcona, which was sailing north soon after completion in auckland in 1914. Northeast south minerva has a pass, southwest south minerva does not. Many other ships would follow, for example the strathcona, which.
By the time it could be stopped, one man lay slain on the reef. An assembly of polyps, each of the thousands is fitted with fine arms that sieve nutrients from the sparse pacific. Minerva reef by olaf ruhen is a great book about 17 tongans who were shipwrecked on south minerva in 1962. Minerva reef is the true story of the wreck of the tongan cutter tuaikaepau on the minerva reef and of the survival of ten of the original seventeen for two and a half months. Imagine the rim of a cereal bowl barely submerged in a sink full of water. North minerva is almost perfectly oval in shape measuring approximately 3.
Our first day at north minerva reef has been outstanding. The architect was las vegas real estate millionaire and political activist michael oliver, who went on to other similar attempts in the following decade lithuanianborn oliver formed a. Before arriving at minerva reefs we were unsure if we would have the opportunity to explore the two submerged atolls that belong to tonga. Teleki tokelau offers the more protected anchorage, with a single, easily negotiated, west. In both cases most of the crew saved themselves in whaleboats or rafts and reached the lau islands in fiji.
While waiting for favourable weather for the approximately 800mile passage to new zealand, excellent scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing and clamming can be enjoyed. The sky had an almost constant parade of squalls marching by just outside the reef. South minerva entrance and west reef drone view youtube. Passage from new zealand to minerva reefs the life nomadik. An aerial photo of north minerva, could well be off a human egg, taken from a paper on artificial insemination, with the nwen entry in the lagoon, where the replacement nucleus is to. This is the true story of the wreck of a tongan cutter on minerva reef.
Book your hotel in or around using, our partner with a great selection of hotels and very good online prices. The minerva reefs tonga tonga islands ongo teleki are a group of two submerged atolls located in the pacific ocean south of fiji and tonga name. Dec 08, 2016 both minerva reefs are about 435 kilometres 270mi southwest of the tongatapu group. North minerva s pass and lagoon are both clear of coral heads fees and permits get around. On monday, 21 october, 74 hours after leaving vavau, we finally arrived at north minerva reef, a large atoll appearing out of nowhere in the middle of miles and miles of uninterrupted ocean. The atolls are on a common submarine platform from 549mto1097mm 1,801feetto3,599feetm below the surface of the sea. Minerva reef by olaf ruhen meet your next favorite book. Exchanging minerva for the lau islands a geopolitical joke lord maafu of tonga, minister of lands, survey, and natural resources, and one of the highest ranking chiefs of the island kingdom, could not have been serious when he told a reporter that he would propose that tonga give up minerva reef in exchange for the lau islands from fiji. Right enough not to be a total turnoff to actual divers. The republic of minerva was a micronation consisting of the minerva reefs. North minerva reef is the larger and most preferred of two large submerged atolls, popular as a stopover destination and place to await favourable weather for yachts in transit to tonga or fiji. The coral reef alliance would like to thank all of our partners in coral reef destinations around the world who have provided comments, suggestions, ideas, and constructive criticism that aided in the development of this resource guide. North minervas pass and lagoon are both clear of coral heads fees and permits get around.
For a couple of days, migration was the dive boat taking out the crews from some of the other boats. At times, we were beating into the wind and waves leaving a zig zag line on our electronic chart. At the bottom of the tongan islands, are the noth and south minerva reefs. As kelly and paul sail around the world, they stop in tonga. You can read detailed information about every hotel in there and see the hotels on maps. How to kitesurf offshore minerva reef by the seat of.
And whereas it is expedient that we should now confirm the rights of the. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The tall masts of the sailboats anchored inside the lagoon became visible first, then the pacific waves crashing over the barely visible reefs of the 3. In north minerva the sandy lagoon bottom shallows near the inner edge of the reef.
Minerva reefs is not to be confused with minerva reef 3815s. Whereas the reefs known as north minerva and south minerva reef have long served as fishing grounds for the tongan people and have long been regarded as belonging to the kingdom of tonga has now created on these reefs two islands known as teleki tokelau and teleki tonga. It is a nearlycircular reef with one small pass through it on its northwest corner. The architect was las vegas real estate millionaire and political activist michael oliver, who went on to other similar attempts in the following decade. The reefs are submerged at high tide but provide a spot to take. North minerva is almost perfectly oval in shape measuring approximately three and a half nautical miles across. A yacht anchored at south minerva reef, tonga, pacific ocean. Lithuanianborn oliver formed a syndicate, the ocean life research foundation, which. Both minerva reefs are about 435km 270miles southwest of the tongatapu group. Rainbows were the norm and for the first time, we saw one come down below the horizon. We are a little more than half way to north minerva reef. We have split off into different activities and among us we have swum with a manta ray and green turtles, seen grey reef, whitetip reef and grey reef sharks, and found some wrecks.
North and south minerva are atolls about 18 miles apart, set roughly 800 miles from new zealand, 250nm from tongatapu and 350nm from suva, fiji. It is this intimate knowledge and dedication which informs him in his sensitive reporting of an incredible tale of heroism and adventure in this new book. The republic of minerva was one of the few modern attempts at creating a sovereign micronation on the reclaimed land of an artificial island in 1972. Exchanging minerva for the lau islands a geopolitical joke. We are all a bit disappointed that our weather router has recommended we hold up in minerva for some time, waiting for a better weather window into new zealand. Many other ships would follow, for example strathcona, which was sailing north soon. How to kitesurf offshore minerva reef by the seat of my skirt. May 25, 2017 magique nz raoul, minerva, reefs, tonga adventure 126 may 2017. Magique nz raoul, minerva, reefs, tonga adventure 126 may 2017. Croz walsh relates that a tongan boat, the tuaekaepau was wrecked there on its way to.
The atolls are on a common submarine platform from 549 to 1,097 metres 1,801 to 3,599ft below the surface of the sea. Minerva reef is a great true story of men against the sea. His majesty king taufaahau tupou iv in council does hereby proclaim. North minerva is circular in shape and has a diameter of about 5. South minerva reef southminervareef tonga map, weather and photos. South minerva reef southminervareef is a reefs a surfacenavigation hazard composed of consolidated material and has the latitude of 23. Corals staff brian huse, executive director janine kraus, development director rick macpherson, program. For two and a half months, his task was to supervise the scantiest supplies of food and water and to keep everybody too busy to. Both north and south minerva reefs are used as anchorages by yachts traveling between new zealand and tonga or fiji. Captain david fifitas rare qualities of leadership and courage kept the loyalty of the crew of six and the surviving passengers.
It was one of the few modern attempts at creating a sovereign micronation on the reclaimed land of an artificial island in 1972. Yesterday dawn found us hove to about six miles short of this strange place after a slow but generally pleasant six day passage from new zealand. It is only accessible at half tide or higher by shallow draft dinghy. The lagoon is clear of coral except at the edges by the reef, the bottom is sand and showing a light blue when viewed by the satellite. The color of the water was unnatural with bright, glowing cyan and blue. It is also a profoundly moving document of human faith and endurance. Our captain said she would only attempt the difficult pass in good weather as the entrance is quite narrow and there are coral head to dodge. Our captain said she would only attempt the difficult pass in good weather as the entrance is quite narrow and.
Ont he night of 7 july 1962 the twenty ton cutter tuaikaepau, sailing from tonga to auckland, ran hard upon the outer edge of minerva reef, 380 miles south of suva in fiji. Entrance is over 100m wide, 20m deep and navionics charts position the location accurately. The story of the survival is in the tradition of robinson crusoe. Minerva reef is the incredible true story of the wreck of the tongan cutter tuaikaepau on the semi submerged minerva reef, 380 miles south of fiji, and of the survival of ten of the original seventeen passengers and crew for two and a half months. The latest confrontation between tonga and fiji adds to the significance of an odd incident on an unpopulated reef 1500 kilometres north of. Behind, giant trevally, predators in a coral reef system, cavort along the reef wall. If we were birds, we could soar above and see the thin circle of coral reef, the barely visible remains of a collapsed volcano, like the letter c penciled onto paper then erased. The best book written about the tongans shipwreck and subsequent survival and some who didnt on this wreck is the book minerva reef by olaf ruhen, published in the year after they were. Next, they took us to a low spot on the reef between lagoons. Teleki tokelau offers the more protected anchorage, with a single, easily negotiated, westfacing pass that offers access to the large, calm lagoon with extensive sandy areas. South minerva reef consists of two roughly circular rings of reef joined in.
North minerva reef is nearly circular, with an approximate diameter of 3. We sailed on to north minerva where it got very crowded over the next few days as the next wave of boats arrived from new zealand. The reefs were named after the whaleship minerva, was wrecked on what became known as south minerva after setting out from sydney in 1829. The reefs were named after the whaleship minerva, wrecked on what became known as south minerva after setting out from sydney in 1829. Minerva reef is located about 250 miles from tonga on the way to new zealand. As kelly and paul sail around the world, they stop in. North minerva is almost perfectly oval in shape measuring approximately three and a halfnautical miles across. The best book written about the tongans shipwreck and subsequent survival and some who didnt on this wreck is the book minerva reef by olaf ruhen, published in the year after they were rescued in 1962, by angus and robertson ltd.
The latest confrontation between tonga and fiji adds to the significance of an odd incident on an unpopulated reef 1500 kilometres north of new zealand. North minerva reef a beautiful coral reef atoll where you can find a small whitetip reef shark to go for a swim with, coral eating parrot fish and other tropical and colourful species such as clown fish, angel fish but not as much as i would have expected. Entrance is about 100m wide, 9m deep and navionics charts position the location accurately. Many other ships would follow, for example the strathcona, which was sailing north soon after completion in auckland in 1914. As so often happens the last twelve hours had produced an excellent sailing breeze and a favourable current. Minerva reefs prometheism transhumanism post humanism. Minerva reefs prometheism transhumanism post humanism part 2. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Both minerva reefs are about 435 kilometres 270mi southwest of the tongatapu group. Find more about using wikipedia, a great online encyclopedia covering many places of the world. Whereas the reefs known as north minerva reef and south minerva reef have long served as fishing grounds for the tongan people and have long been regarded as belonging to the kingdom of tonga has now created on these reefs islands known as teleki tokelau and teleki tonga.
Yet, this is another place, and a very special one minerva reef has a unique story. In most places it is not difficult to anchor a dinghy in 10 feet or so and step off on to the reef at low tide. The book is very entertaining and even though the author didnt delve too deeply pun intended into the meticulous detail of correct diving terminology, she got it mostly right. First day at north minerva reef kermadec expedition. Using a proper lookout, one can move around inside the atoll in order to anchor in the greatest protection for the prevailing wind. Ongo teleki are a group of two submerged atolls located in the pacific ocean south of fiji and tonga. One curious footnote to this incident states that as the convict work detail set about removing all trace of minerva from existence, a fight broke out between two of its members. For one thing the weather has become calm so we can dive and snorkel on all sides of the reef.