UNDERWATER OASIS

Minerva Reef is a hidden gem that offers a bit of South Pacific paradise—for those adventurous enough to find it.

Kia Koropp

The excitement was mounting as our plane closed in on our mid-Pacific holiday. We had little on the agenda but to dip our toes in crystalclear water and watch a dusky sun set on an aquatic horizon, rum punch in hand. There was just one problem: Our destination was submerged under a foot of water. There would be no shimmering black tarmac to provide a safe landing for our pilot. There was only one way in and one way out, and that was by sea. Few patches of submerged land hold the reputation of Minerva Reef. For South Pacific cruisers, it is the perfect break in a 1,200-mile passage between New Zealand and Tonga. The novelty of setting anchor in the middle of the ocean and watching the seas roll…

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Cruising World (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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