Tahiti and Bandaged Thumb...

Yes, Mom, it's true. I cut my thumb badly this morning as I was cutting up Honeydew for breakfast, but Jeremy and Sarah have helped me bandage it today, and I am doing just fine. I feel sort of silly, though, typing with this huge bandage on my thumb (picture Karen's finger when she slammed it in the truck door at 5yrs). Anyway, I had a wonderfully relazing weekend in Tahiti. Most stores are closed on the weekends, so I did a lot of journalling, writing, cooking, and hanging out with Gillian, the Andersons and whoever else stayed on the boat (many people take off for the day to travel around the Island in rental cars and go sight-seeing, which is what I hope to do on my days off this next weekend). I went to a church service yesterday with Bonice, her 4 youngest, and Gillian, and then we walked to the grocery to get some food (I got fruit, granola, yogurt and water - heavenly!) and then took a beautiful walk back to the boat by the water. It was a very hot day, so I stayed on the boat for the most part, sitting in the shade, and then went shopping with Gillian before dinner. We had some Tahitian thief sneak onto the boat at 4am this morning when we were all sleeping up on deck, and he tried to steal one of the trainees Ipods. Luckily, Noah saw him and "raised the alarm", and Skipper dived over everyone and grabbed the guy, yelling at him just as he was about to jump ship. The guy fell into the water between our boat and the dock, dropping the girl's headphones down to where they lay on the ocean floor now, but she got her Ipod back. It was quite the excitement, and nervousness after that, and everyone took a while to fall back asleep, or just stayed awake. The officials came over from guarding the cruise ships and held the guy in custody, but because he's a minor they can only hold him for about 6 hours, unless we decide to press charges. Quite the nerve of the guy, to climb on board with all of us sleeping on deck. Anyway, we had night watch all last night (which is not typical when we are docked) just to make sure it doesn't happen again. We also tied further away from the dock, so we're not as close to it, and the lifelines are all up, making it more difficult to climb aboard, and more difficult for us to jump off. But it's much safer now! I am enjoying Tahiti, and love that I get to go to the market and buy fresh produce and fruit! I went early yesterday morning to get a bunch of produce for the boat (it's open from 3-8am on Sundays) and I got some trainees to pick up some fresh baguettes and cream cheese for lunch today - they loved that! We have our two work days this Tuesday and Wednesday, so we will be doing a lot of shopping, cleaning, and stowing! Our fresh shop will most likely be done next Sunday, the day before Leg 3, to allow for the freshest, and best selected produce, meat, and fruit! I must go soon, so I can start dinner for tonight, and do a few more errands before the stores close. Love to you all! I am doing well, and basking in the hot South Pacific heat!

P.S. Pictures are very difficult to download here, and take a long time, but I will try to get some on if possible, in the meantime, check out Gillian's blog (access by my links) or go to the SALTS website to find links to other blogs, such as Jose's or Antony's or Jordan's - they have AMAZING pictures!

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"

Last Day Before Leg 2

Today was filled with having fun with Ang, before I have to be back on the boat tomorrow when the new trainees arrive. I slept in until 9am, and Ang had scrambled eggs, toast, apples and cherries already out for breakfast (how so incredibly sweet)! We did some minor things at home before leaving for the Beach near Ewa (on the west coast of Oahu). We spent a few hours on this beautiful beachfront, where we sort of snuck into the resort and dipped into the lagoon, layed out on the beach chairs, swam in the pool, saw fish, stingrays and other sea creatures in the pond there, read, slept, saw a couple getting wedding photos done on the beach, and had a surprise call from Ang's parents and Bec Shulba! It was so nice to chat with her. Apparently BC is having record-breaking hot weather (38degrees), as compared to here in Honolulu (28degres today). But I shouldn't get too used to this nice weather, since we will be heading down South soon, crossing the equator and visiting the South Pacific Islands; an area where Skipper says the heat is constantly humid, and you are always sweaty! Oh great. But I'm really looking forward to Leg 2 to begin and to be out on the water, sailing again! I have had a great time here in the Big City - Ang and I went out for appetizers with her friend and her friend's baby, and then to buy a new digital camera and case for myself, and out for dinner with her and Domi - and so I feel prepared and ready to leave and see new places, have more experiences, meet new people, travel, and explore the areas we will be visiting. I miss you all, and I hope that you continue to follow the ship's daily log on salts.ca, complimentary of Bonice (Skipper's wife). They are amazing, as they include specifics of each day, where we are, what we're doing, and are updated more often than my blog! I encourage you all to visit that website. Also, I just recently joined Facebook (I finally succumbed, with help from Ang with setting it up), and so feel free to add me, and send me messges. I will get them the next time we are in port and I have access to a computer (in about another 2 weeks or more). Take care everyone. I love hearing from all of you and knowing what is new and what you are all doing! I am thinking of you all, and praying for you in your individual and personal lives. Love always, "Popeye" Katie

Spending Time with Ang

Thank you all so much for your posts! I love them! Please keep them coming, as the only form of communication I get from home is through the internet.
So, after 2 weeks of Island hopping around Hawaii, we made it to Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu on July 2nd, in time for the July 4 fireworks on the night of July 3rd. They were amazing - very patriotic (it's the States). We went hiking, snorkeling, and up to the top ofc the world's TALLEST mountain (dormant volcano, Mauna Kea) in Hilo (on the big Island), snorkeling in Molokini, shopping and swimming in Lahaina, Maui, more hiking, swimming, and surfing on the Island of Kauai (my favourite), and now we are in Honolulu, where we have been for over a week, and won't be leaving until this Friday, July 13th, to begin Leg 2 - on our way down to the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, and Tahiti.
I have loved sailing around the Hawaiian Islands, but after being in Honolulu for so long, I feel ready to leave and head out onto the open water again (for about another 2 weeks before we hit land). Gillian and I have been very busy shopping and restocking the boat for food and provisions for this next Leg of our Offshore journey. We have really been enjoying our time in port, and just getting to shop and hang out, spending thousands of dollars (not our money) on food. We are having a great time looking for shopping places, walking around, and learning how much to get of each item. Looking forward to going down South and over East where stores will be harder to find the things we need.
The Leg 1 trainees left yesterday, and Leg 2 trainees arrive on the 12th (Thursday) to leave the next day. All of us crew get 2 days off, and these two days in between Legs (the 10th and 11th) are holiday time for me, Gillian, and Jose (one of the first mates). I am spending these two days with Ang Haugo, who is living in the Big City here with her boyfriend, Domi. She has been great, coming by the ship to say Hello and pick me up, bring me back to her place to take a bath, check Email, go shopping, and show me the sights of Honolulu. She also did my laundry, booked me an appointment at the spa, and gave me a few bath "goodies" that I can use on the boat! She is so amazing, and sweet, and has been so incredibly generous and hospitable for me! I am really looking forward to these 2 days off and get time off the boat and a chance to look around the Island.
Karen had her two days off on the weekend, so Sunday (one of my days off of cooking duties), we went to Pearl Harbor and got the whole tour and went out on the boat to see the sunken U.S.S. Arizona, then took the bus to Waikiki, went out for sushi, shopped, laid on the beach, went swimming, tanned, wrote some postcards, went out for dinner, and then to see the new movie, "Transformers". Karen had already seen it, but she said she didn't mind seeing it again because it was so good. I was pleasantly surprised - a very good action movie. Cheasy in some parts, but it had the comedic, romantic breaks that were needed. I highly recommend it!
Other than that, everything else is going well! The weather is very hot here, so it should come at no surprise that I am really looking forward to sailing again and getting some sort of breeze, however warm it may be. Skipper is reminding us of how hot the tropics will be, and that as we travel further south, it will just get more humid and more difficult to stay cool - oh great! As if the galley isn't hot enough already! We are process of looking for fans for our cabin and for the Galley, so Gillian and I can stay a little bit cooled. I am doing very well, healthy and mentally stable, and I am enjoying every new experience there is.
Ang and I are off to the spa, so I have to take a shower quick before we leave. Thank you again for all your comments and prayers. They are much appreciated! I miss you all, and hope to post pictures soon...! Love to you all!

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!

One Week Before Departure

Well, Gillian and I finally finished stowing all of the food (seen in the second picture, before it was loaded onto the boat), with much appreciated help from our sisters, Karen and Jen, and other S.A.L.T.S. volunteers. The top picture shows the staff and crew of S.A.L.T.S. in the stern of the Pacific Grace, taken in early May. We have all been very busy the past week; Gillian and I with figuring out what we need, ordering, getting all the food on the boat, below deck, and then stowing it. It took us 3 full days, but it's all done! I was busy in the bilge (the sole, underneath the floorboards in the forward most part of the boat) for most of the 3 days storing all of the cans - literally, hundreds . All that is left to do is our fresh shop (fruits and veggies) and get our cabin ready (which is still awaiting a book shelf and - hopefully - some reading lights, as the one in there doesn't work very well (it decides when it wants to turn on). We are having more fun now that the food situation is taken care of, and are down to our final stages of preparing to leave. Everyone is in a state of a little nervousness, maybe some anxiety, perhaps some stress, and an underlying excitement. Families and friends are expected to arrive this week, as well as all the trainees for Leg One. Everyone boards on Saturday, but a few of us will be sleeping on the boat the night before. We set sail on this Sunday, June 3rd, but I don't think I'll feel like it's really happening until the following week, or so Skipper Tony tells me (he has sailed numerous Offshores, with his wife, and 6 children, and they are all coming - the most lovely family too)! I am getting nervous myself as the days draw nearer, but I am looking forward to seeing Matt, my family, and some of my friends, who are all coming out this weekend! 4 more days...WOW!

First Week Cooking Alone

Well, this past week proved successful in terms of my cooking skills. I was officially on my own. After 2 3-day trips helping Gillian cook and learning from her, I was on my own for a full 5-day trip (the last Spring trip on the Pacific Grace before we leave on the big Offshore trip on June 3rd). It was pretty exciting! I was a bit nervous to begin, but after the first day, I felt a bit better and got myself into a "groove" of my cooking schedule. It was quite exhausting at times, but I learned to love it! My routine is very different than any of the watch officers' routines:

0530 Wake up and start breakfast (for 35).
0720 First breakfast sitting.
0800 Second sitting. Eat. Rest.
0930 Begin lunch.
1120 First lunch sitting.
1200 Second lunch sitting (sometimes one-sittting at 1200). Eat. Rest.
1400-1500 Begin dinner (sometimes before or after depending on what it is).
1720 First dinner sitting.
1800 Second sitting (sometimes one-sitter). Eat. Rest.
1930 Begin mug-up (dessert and hot drink).
2130 Serve mug-up. Clean up galley.
2200 Devos with crew.
2300 Asleep and rest for same schedule next day.

It's quite a schedule. But I love it! I think my favourite - and most memorable - meal I cooked was the last night (Thursday). I cooked a huge Beef Roast (this thing rivaled the one seen in How the Grinch Stole Christmas), seasoned with olive oil, Rosemary herbs, Montreal steakhouse pepper, garlic cloves inserted into the meatiest parts of the meat, and I think some thyme or other seasoning. But after having to defrost this chunk of meat for hours, and then cut it up in its raw stage - to be able to fit on the pan and into the oven - I can understand how some people are vegetarian! In order to have it ready for first sitting, I had to have it in by 2:30, just to be the perfect tenderness for 3 hours later. The roast was accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes (I threw some grated cheese in to liven the flavour, which the trainees LOVED), along with peas and yorkshire pudding. The pudding didn't turn out quite how I wanted it to (I used half whole wheat flour to make them more healthy, but that prevented them from rising). Skipper assured me it was okay, but that next time I should stick to the recipe. He helped carve the roast, which was quite a challenge as we were sailing and the whole boat was keeled over to the port side, then the starboard, then port, and then starboard again (we were tacking). You can imagine how difficult this was for cooking! I will have to get used to that, though, as we will be sailing all over the Pacific! Anyway, with some paper towel, sticky mats, and help from the crew and trainees who weren't heaving over the side of the boat, everything got under control, and the meal was served somewhat on time. Everyone loved the food. The mashed potatoes went the quickest (we would have had more, but some potatoes were lost overboard when I asked some of the trainees to help me with the peeling process). I lost a potato overboard too, so I guess next time I will have to begin with 70 potatoes instead of 60 to allow for mistakes. All in all, it was a great trip! My hands are proof of how much I used the stove (after cleaning it for an hour, I was left with a nasty black film under my nails). Food was good (according to the feedback I received), trainees were amazing for our last trip of the Spring season, and my crew was awesome, although they weren't the full crew I will be sailing with Offshore. I am really looking forward to getting to work with everyone, and seeing how we will all get along for the year! We all went out for dinner together last night and I got a little taste of how great everyone is and what each person will contribute to our overall community on the boat. It's truly amazing, and I thank God everyday for this amazing opportunity and such wonderful family and friends!

This next week we will be working on preparing for our Offshore trip and getting the final details put together (a LOT of things to do)! Karen and I will continue to be living in Victoria at the place we are renting from two of the sweetest ladies, so we actually get to shower and sleep in a stable bed for the next few weeks before we set sail. Please continue to pray for the strength, energy, and persevearance we all need to get everything that we need to get done before June!