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Sailboat wreck on North Minerva reef

The Minerva Reefs are a group of reefs located at 23°23′S, 178°58′W in the Pacific Ocean. The reefs were named after the whaling ship Minerva, wrecked on South Minerva after setting out from Sydney in 1829. Many other ships would follow, for example the Strathcona, sailing north soon after completion in Auckland in 1914. In both cases most of the crew could save themselves in whaleboats or rafts and making it to the Lau group in Fiji. But of some other ships no survivors are known.

Famous became the Tuaikaepau (Slow but sure) a Tongan vessel on its way to New Zealand. Interestingly this 15 m wooden vessel was built in 1902 at the same yard as the Strathcona. It stuck the reefs in on 7 July 1962. The crew and passengers saved themselves in the remains of a wreck of a Japanese freighter. There they remained for 3 months in miserable circumstances and several died. Finally Captain Tēvita Fifita decided to get help. Without tools he built a small boat from the wood left over from his ship, and with this raft, baptised Malolelei (Good day), he and a few of the strongest crew members he made it in one week to Fiji.

The reefs gained notoriety in January 1972 in the Republic of Minerva incident. Following these happenings on 24 February 1972 Tonga made a claim over the Minerva Reefs, (called Teleki-Tonga and Teleki-Tokelau (not to be confused with likewise named islands in Haʻapai)) and annexed them on 15 June the same year. The move was recognised by the South Pacific Forum in September. Recently, however, Fiji made a claim.

Both North and South Minerva Reefs are used as anchorages by yachts traveling between New Zealand and Tonga or Fiji. While waiting for favorable weather for the approximately 800-mile passage to New Zealand, excellent scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing and claiming can be enjoyed. North Minerva offers the more protected anchorage, with a single, easily negotiated, west-facing pass that offers access to the large, calm lagoon with extensive sandy areas for anchorage. South Minerva is shaped similarly to an infinity symbol, with its eastern lobe partially open to the ocean on the northern side. Due to the lower reef and large entrance, anchorage at South Minerva can be rough at high tide if a swell is running. The lagoon also contains numerous coral heads that must be avoided. While presenting an attractive area to wait out nasty weather occurring farther south, the Minerva reefs are not a good place to be when the weather is bad locally. This does not occur often, but it is important to maintain awareness of the situation and put to sea if necessary.

Scuba diving the outside wall drop-offs at the Minerva Reefs is spectacular due to the superb water clarity and extensive corals, fish and other marine life. Because there is no dry land at high tide, there are few suspended particles and the visibility is normally greatly in excess of 100 feet. Of particular note are the numerous fan coral formations near the pass at North Minerva and the “shark bowl” area located by the narrow dinghy pass on the western lobe of South Minerva. Inside the lagoon at South Minerva is also home to numerous giant clams. Divers at Minerva must be entirely self sufficient, with their own compressor, and also should be aware that the nearest assistance is a multiple-day boat ride away in Tonga. Due to the vertical drop off and water clarity, divers must watch their depth carefully.

Yacht anchored at South Minerva with the reef in the background

O. Ruhen; Minerva Reef; 1963