Passage from NZ to Minerva

Friday August 25, 2016 Posting by Barb: 25 56.635S 179 06.703W http://maps.google.com/?z=7&t=k&q=loc:25%2056.635S%20179%2006.703W We apologize for taking so long to post an update of our passage. Once we left NZ we realized that SSB was not working. That was on our ‘To Do’ list to check prior to leaving but we ran out of time as a very nice weather window became available. Luckily our Watermaker worked as that was on our ‘Check List’ as well. And it was a great passage. Getting out of NZ was a little rough but once we were away from the coastline we started our passage using our Spinnaker. Its the first time we used our newly fixed Spinnaker since we blew it out on our passage from Chile to the Marquesa. For our seven day passage to Minerva we had a gamut of wind speeds and directions so we were able to use all of our sailing options. So we sailed with the 160, the 160 poled out, the yankee, the main reefed, and the spinnaker. Nice way to get back to cruising and getting our sea legs back. We didn’t catch any fish so far but we did snag a piece of an octopus tentacle. Those suckers have super suction!! We arrived in Minerva very early on a beautiful, sunny day. The plan is to stay here until the Monday pending a weather window. Then three days to Fiji! While here in Minerva we plan to test the outboard motor, maybe use the Kayak if we can get the outboard going, search for some Crayfish to eat and basically hang out and relax in a beautiful, clean, isolated, pristine anchorage.