Opua to the kermadec Islands to minerva Reefs to Tonga / 1,260nm / 6 - 19 May 2024
14 days / Cat O expedition / Event #2413 / salt lines: CREW full waitlist only
Overview
The Category 0 ocean expedition from Opua, New Zealand to Raoul Island in the Kermadec Island Group to Minerva Reef and finally onto Tonga is a true adventurers expedition. We depart Opua in the Bay of Islands and head 540nm northeast to the Kermadec Islands. The islands are uninhabited and the northernmost outpost of New Zealand. They have been used as stopover points since as early as the 10th century.
Footage from our 2022 expedition
Footage from our 2022 expedition
Passage plan
Crew registration
Secure your place on the crew with deposit options from 20%.
AUD$8,750
14 days
Expedition Description
Set sail for an extraordinary voyage with Ocean Sailing Expeditions, where the clear blue waters of the South Pacific are your playground, and every stop is drenched in both sunlight and history. From the picturesque Opua in New Zealand to the Kingdom of Tonga, you'll be guided by the stars and the timeless call of adventure.
Opua Begin your journey in Opua, the coastal gateway to New Zealand's stunning Bay of Islands. As the first port of call for yachts arriving from overseas, Opua is a community that breathes yachting history and culture. Here, where Maori navigators once voyaged in their waka hourua (double-hulled canoes), modern sailors find a warm welcome. Whether you’re restocking supplies or exploring the enchanting maritime trails, Opua is a serene starting point for your South Pacific exploration.
Kermadec Islands Sail northeast to the Kermadec Islands, one of the most remote and least disturbed areas of New Zealand. This archipelago is a living laboratory for scientific research, offering unparalleled opportunities to observe rare volcanic landscapes and a thriving marine ecosystem. The islands’ subtropical waters are a sanctuary for whales, dolphins, and myriad fish species, making it a bucket-list destination for divers and nature lovers.
Minerva Reefs Navigate further to the enigmatic Minerva Reefs. Located halfway between Tonga and New Zealand, these submerged atolls are visible only at low tide. The reefs hold tales of marooned sailors and WWII relics, and their surrounding waters offer a treasure trove of marine life, attracting those with a passion for fishing and underwater exploration in an almost otherworldly setting.
Tonga Conclude your expedition in the Kingdom of Tonga, an archipelago that remains true to its ancestral roots and Polynesian culture. Tonga’s warm waters and friendly shores offer an authentic experience of island life. From the humpback whales gracing its waters to the rich tapestry of tradition and ceremony on land, Tonga invites you to not just visit but to connect deeply with its people and natural wonders.
With Ocean Sailing Expeditions, you are not just a passenger; you are part of a lineage of seafarers who find solace, joy, and a sense of discovery on the open sea. Join us for a voyage that sails through history and dives into the heart of the South Pacific’s most treasured destinations.
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
Click the links above to review examples from previous sailing events across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE ONBOARD
Sailing: Hoisting, trimming and reefing both upwind (main, genoas, and jibs) and downwind sails (poled out headsails, spinnakers, gennakers and code 0’s (subject to weather).
Watch duties: Acting as watch captain (day and night), helming, navigating, checking weather and monitoring AIS and radar and for both traffic and rain squalls.
Weather: Downloading and analysing the latest weather forecasts and calculating best route to destination.
Navigation: Navigating, hazard identification, entering waypoints and calculating updated ETA’s.
Leadership: Watch roster planning, matching responsibility to experience, crew management and communication.
Safety: Familiarisation of all safety procedures, sail planning, storm preparation planning and abandon ship procedures.
Training: Use of PDF’s (Personal Flotation Devices), PLB’s (Personal Locator Beacons), safety tethers, dan buoy’s, storm drogue, liferaft and any other equipment required to ensure you remain safe in all conditions.
Personal wellbeing: Advice on how to take responsibility for managing clothing, hydration, sleep and nutrition to maintain your health and well being aboard.
Passage planning: Planning our arrival and route to safe harbour including timing with daylight (if required), weather factors, navigational hazards, communications / customs and sail/motor arrival plan.
Click the links above to review examples from previous sailing events across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
Weather impact
With any sailing event or expedition we have to plan around the weather. We always aim to plan our events to coincide with the optimum time of the year, for the best conditions. Safety and comfort of the crew and vessel, always takes priority over the original schedule. Sometimes we’ll need to adapt the schedule and modify plans, to maximise the onboard experience and enjoyment, to keep everyone happy and safe.
Extra resources
Relevant Podcast
Itinery
You can travel to Opua via Whangarei or Keri Keri Airports on or before the 6th of May 2024. When you arrive we'll familiarise you with the yacht, systems and safety equipment and you will join us for a crew welcome dinner. Our crew will officially assemble on the 7th of May onwards and we will aim to depart (subject to weather) on the 8th May 2024, when we will clear Customs and then depart Opua and sail northeast towards The Kermadec’s for an overnight stop* to go ashore (if permitted by DOC).
When we depart Raoul Island we’ll sail past the other islands in the group, before setting a northerly course for the Minerva Reefs. We’ll aim to visit both of the Minerva Reefs, where we’ll anchor in the lagoons, explore the reef at low tide, relax and snorkel.
The final leg is to Pangaimotu, a small island in the Tongatapu group of Tonga, lying near the capital Nukuʻalofa. It is reachable by a 10-minute boat trip from Nukuʻalofa. Aside from the beaches, a centrepiece of the island's attraction is a wreck jumping from and snorkelling around the hull of the upturned ship 50 metres off the island's main beach.
The island also contains the Big Mama Yacht Club, the Pangaimotu Island Resort and a vanilla plantation. The Pangaimotu reef was declared a national marine reserve in 1989. You are welcome to stay onboard from the date you arrive in Opua, but if you plan to arrive prior to the 6th of May, you will need to arrange accommodation ashore.
You can stay onboard when we arrive in Tonga on the 18th of May and depart out of Fuaʻamotu International Airport, Tonga on or after the 19th of May 2024. It is on the south side of the main island, Tongatapu, 20 km from the capital of Tonga, Nukuʻalofa.
Inclusions
Your crew package includes; all meals onboard, crew meals in Opua and in Tonga, accommodation onboard, your Ocean Sailing Expeditions crew shirt, marina fees, the use of a PFD (personal floatation device), PLB (personal locator beacon), and a safety tether. Your bedding, a pillow and towel is also included along with suncream.
*The stopover and shore visit at Raoul Island is subject to Department of Conservation approval based on the volcanic risk rating at the time. Safety is always the first priority when assessing risk to the crew and vessel.
Exclusions
Your crew package excludes; accommodation ashore, flights and transport to and from departure and arrival ports, alcohol, toiletries, clothing and wet weather gear. You will need to complete either a 5-hour online or 2-day classroom based Sea Safety and Survival Training Course or equivalent prior to departure.
Its always recommended that you book flights with date flexibility incase of unforeseen changes due to weather or schedules. Accommodation options if you want to stay ashore either side of trip: AirBNB, Booking.com, Wotif & HomeAway.
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