We are in Tahiti!

I am at a French computer right now on a French keyboard, so typing is a bit slower. Marquesas Islands were AMAZING! French Polynesia is so wonderful! I know now why they refer to it as "paradise". We visited an Island chain in the Tuamotus for a couple of days, before sailing to Tahitit. We will be here until August 20th. I hope I get mail today. SO now I'm on an English keyboard - I switched mid-way - and this is way better! I am waiting for the bank to open so I can exchange money for grocery shopping (Skipper gave me a big mother load for getting food)! We are all out of everything: no onions/carrots/potatoes, no oil, eggs, milk, enough meat for one meal, no produce, no fruit, no butter/margarine, no canned veggies. NOTHING! It's a little scary! Thank goodness we're in a busy city now and we can get supplies, but it's just a matter of things actually being open so we can purchase them (Island time: everthing closes at lunch, and re-opens at 1:30). It's just after 1pm now (4pm Vancouver time), so we will be leaving soon to go to the bank and then shopping for food (with Sara and Gillian). We have been having amazing weather! Really hot, some tropical rain to cool off and fresh water rinse in, and some wind coming over from the Marquesas and Tuamotus. Papeete (in Tahiti), is just another big city, so we will be here for the same amount of time we spent in Honolulu, restocking the boat, stowing all the food, getting more fuel, supplies, etc...having our two work days next week, each crew member gets 2 days off (Gillian and I get next Saturday and SUnday). I will probably be staying on the boat and eating out, as that saves money. I want to get some pearls down here. They're absolutely GORGEOUS! (LAdies, expect some good gifts - Mom, Amy, Bec, Judy)! They are so beautiful! I got about 4 just given to me in French Polynesia already. On a necklace, bracelet, hair decoration, and one just plain. They are amazing! The people down here are so generous and hospitable! WE have received so many gifts, mostly coconuts, pamplemousse, mangoes, small bananas, jams, jewelery, and just the amazing experience of the culture down here! Of course, with all the fresh, free, fruit, many people have had "G.I." problems (gastro-intestinal). I have lucked out and haven't got hit with that yet, but my Pepto-Bismol remains close at hand. Mostly the guys too - we think it's the copious amounts of pamplemousse, which makes for good jokes and poking fun. But I made bran raisin muffins last week, and Gillian and I are pushing the starchy foods and bran, and less fruit and local juices, so hopefully people will feel better soon. I just stick to my bottled water and moderation of all foods, and I seem to be doing well (thanks for all your tips, MOm). I am getting quite dark, but can't seem to shake the shorts tan. OH well, that's not why I'm here. This Leg has been so amazing, and it will be very difficult to say good-bye to some of the trainees (but 10 of them are staying on for Leg 3, to Fiji)! I am writing to Matt every day in my journal, so I have every moment documented, and I need to catch up with my letter writing soon, so I can send those off before we leave in 10 days! I have much to say and many thanks to give out to everyone, especially those who participated in my 22nd birthday gift (22 pictures with different people in each one holding/making letters that spell out "Happy 22ND Birthday Katie")! It was the most amazing birthday gift I have ever received - all due to Karen's scrupulous planning and idea from the start (she began last Fall). I have each picture perfectly hung above my bunk so I can look at everyone whenever I am lying down! It's great! I both laughed and cried when I was looking at the pictures! Thank you to everyone for that! And a special thanks to Mom, Dad, Amy and Jason for your birthday cards, Jamie and Judy for your present, EM for your gift to me (I've worn then already!) and to everyone for thinking of me on my 22nd birthday (July 25th). We crossed the equator on my birthday! It was also Jose's 33rd birthday (one of the first mates), so we had quite a bash that day! Singing, we got to wear our birthday pins, ("Birthday Girl" and "Birthday Boy") I had my favourite breakfast - granola, fruit and yogurt - and Jose got his - Shepherd's pie! At night we made a dance party in the hold, with lights out and everyone's headlamps on "flashing mode", and Jose and Tavish played drums while all of us danced around. I had to put on a coconut bra (over my shirt) and got to dance on the table, while we were sailing so it was really rocky, and the table was "gimbled", so the table moved as the boat moved around it! So awesome! A birthday I will never forget. We all got initiated the next day for crossing the equator by boat. We were all blindfolded and got sprayed down by the fire hose, one guy got his head shaved, some people had to eat nasty stuff, and we all got molasses guck spread in our armpits and I got "slopped" (food saved up from the previous week thrown on me)! I got a tame one, compared to some of the guys who had to have armpits/legs/chest shaved, and some girls had the guys' hair stuck on their bodies. So gross! I was cooking that day, so I just went down into the galley when it got really messy. But it was fun! WE have pictures! Now we're in beautiful Tahiti, right in the middle of the city (we have a perfect dock spot, for free for the next 10 days close by to everything). I have yet to take a fresh water shower (without a bathing suit on) and do some laundry! Nearly all of my clothes are dirty in some way, and I am desperate for clean clothes! But this is all the experience of sailing on a boat for the year. I am having a great time, and just loving all the excited adventures! I went snorkeling off of Tahuata in the Marquesas and saw a huge stingray swim right beside me! SO COOL! I have some underwater pictures, but was in shock when I saw the ray, so I wasn't able to get a picture of that. I am looking forward to enjoying some "down time" and relaxing while we are here in a port for longer than 2 days. I can't wait to sleep on deck again, rather than down in the stuffy hot cabin that Gillian and I share. I am getting along with everyone, and feel a lot more comfortable and familiar in my role, more so than last Leg. Getting more excited as the days go by, to see more Islands, and continue our circumnavigation of the PAcific. Sara (the amazing watch leader for these last two LEgs) is leaving us on the 21st, and I will miss her terribly, but we will get to have Stephen Duff as our new male watch leader, and then Sarah Brizan in Fiji! YEAH! I can't wait, Sarah! I love you and miss you! I miss all my family and friends back home! I think of you often and wonder what you are up to and how you are all doing! I am praying for all of you in your various roles. I can't seem to access my email here, which is quite frustrating, but I will try to mail letters and send my love over the ocean blue! I love all of you so much!

Matt, I am thinking of you all the time! Constantly! EVERYONE knows about you! I talk about you A LOT! I cry sometimes just lying in my bunk, thinking how much I miss you and love you, but I always feel better reading your letters, looking at pictures of you, and talking to others about you! I am praying for you, and hoping you are enjoying your summer! I will try to call you again today! And hopefully every day that I am here in Tahiti! Sometime around 5 or 6 at your house! I love you so much, Matt! Sending you all my love to you over the distance that I am away. Love always, your Katie xoxoxox

Take care, everyone, I love hearing from you and reading what you have to say, and all that you are doing!

Love always,
"Popeye"