Bill--we are thinking alike. Having flown quite a bit around the waters of Beaufort County, SC (Hilton Head, Parris Island, ETC), there are alot of ways to bust your butt around here. Unlike Niku, we have alot of marsh, and rivers, emptying into the Atlantic. Jeff Nevill is very familiar.
As far a what AE 'might' have done, I think she had the right idea. not necessarily putting th Electra down close to the reef edge, but putting it in a position so it 'could' have been spotted from the air. On the shoreline in th elagoon would have been good to, but another thought came to mind.
'What if", she did set it down on the beach, and the plane was spotted in the search overflight. She is able to get word to them by radio that she needs fuel, so they make arrangements to get it to her by boat. She refuels, then takes off for Howland along with the carrier planes, so the plane can be serviced more effectively. Once airworthy, its on its way to Hawaii, and the around the world flight continues.
Landing gear up eliminates all of that. By landing gear down, she has a 'possibility' of taking off again, as long as the gear isnt damaged by taxiing towards the beach. (which is what I'm thinking). Rescue for her might have meant , "get me some fuel and show me where Howland is".
Ok ---Crazy idea, but a gear up at the lagoon shoreline eliminated any chance of flying the electra out, and possibly in her mind, was more dangerous than the reef landing, gear down.
just thinking--