We made it to Hawaii!

19 days travelling across the Pacific Ocean, and we finally made it to the port of Hilo, on the big Island of Hawaii late Friday night. It was a fabulous 3 weeks of sailing on such a big expanse of water, learning to live with 36 other people in such a small area. We are now in Maui, after visiting the big Island, and snorkeling in Molikini, and we are off to Kauai tonight, then we will end our Island hopping in Honolulu, Oahu by July 2nd, where we will be until July 13th (when we head for Marquesas, Tuamotus, and Tahiti). It is all very exciting, and there is much going on right now! I have a bit of time to kill before I need to go shopping for groceries, so while the trainees are off on the Island, looking around, I need to shop for food supplies. Gillian was cooking yesterday, so I had a day off to tour around Lahaina, Maui, and today is my day cooking, so I made fresh bread early this morning for sandwiches, with apples and pretzels for people to take to the Island, and now I have to stock up with fresh fruit, veggies, and other food we will need for the next few days until we get to Kauai, or Honolulu. Weather is fabulous, very hot here, so it's nice when we get to sail and have some fresh, cool breeze! Bonice (Skipper's wife) is writing a log every night or so of the trip, and what's going on. It's fabulous, so go to www.salts.ca to read about our trip. Right now, I am in the internet cafe with the two first mates, Jose and Antony, as well as Lindsay (a trainee) who will be helping me with shopping for food, and then Jordan (the bosun) will pick us up in the Zodiac and motor us back to the boat (as we are anchored, not tied up to the dock here in Lahaina). It's a beautiful place, but there's really no place like home. Yes, I do miss home already, but I'm looking forward to seeing the other places we will go to and all the things we will be able to do. Deck bucket showers are refreshing every couple of days. Shaving has reduced to once every week or more. Fresh water showers are glorious under a hose at the end of a dock, but my favourite is just getting to swing off the rope swing, or dive off the end of the bowsprit, go snorkeling, or bowsprit hanging off the front of the boat while underway (it's exactly what it sounds like - two people put harnesses on, clip into a rope and carabeener, and jump into the water off the very front tip of the boat while we are moving, under 6knots, and hand into the water, somewhat like shark bait, only we have had not casualties yet). I have gone twice now, but the second time I went with Karen, and she almost drowned me with her leech-like legs and arms, flailing about and trying to grab me and hold onto me. It was quite the scene, I have lots of pictures to prove it! Getting up is quite difficult though, as you can imagine. We have to wait for a big swell (wave) to come so the boat dives down into the water so we are floating and can reach the hanging rope. Then we have to climb up, pulling ourself vertically out of the water, harnessed in still, and shimmy our way up the bobstays (big wire bars) into the whiskers (netting) under the bowsprit and climb over onto the bowsprit, where we have to then reclip ourselves with another line and walk back along the whiskers onto the deck. It's quite elaborate, and - as Karen may tell you later - very difficult (we had to have two people pull her up because she was too tired after several tries to pull herself up). It's really a great workout! Another great workout is trying to cook and carry all the large pots while the boat is rocking side to side and front and back! I have already got a burn on my forearm, finger, and toe (spilled hot oil), and a few minor cuts, but nothing major. I'm getting really good at balance (good core muscles from all those years of dance)! There is so much more to tell, but I have to go shopping for food now. I never got seasick, but many others did! I am learning a lot about cooking, as well as dealing with many people on such a small boat (37). I am having a great time, but miss you all so much! Please send a message on my blog, as I will check this and update more often than my email! Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts. I will be updating again, hopefully in Honolulu (I have a few days break in between Legs 1 and 2. Love to all of you, my dear family and friends!