We have finally found some wireless. Yesterday everything was closed for the "4th," which was a little surreal, being in the middle of the South Pacific. This is the only American territory south of the equator and we are starting to get a sense of the island. We have been in French Polynesia (run by the French), Rarotonga and Niue (run by New Zealand), and now American Samoa, run by ours truly. It is extremely interesting to see how these island cultures, which were obviously very similar before Europeans and Americans showed up, have grown so different from each other with the various influences.

Matt and Riina found this lovely beach chalet/restaurant, run by "Tisa and the Candyman," that we went to for a real Samoan feast last night. It was by far the best food we've eaten since French Polynesia. They laid pork, turkey, shrimp, yellowfin tuna, coconuts, bananas, taro, breadfruit and more over rocks on top of a fire, and then covered the whole thing with huge wet banana leaves for 6 hours. After they pulled the steaming leaves off the fire we sat at a table, which was clothed in banana leaves, and ate the food with our fingers right off of the leaves. The meat practically fell off the bones and the rich taste of coconut enhanced every dish. It was fantastic. And to top it off some neighbors even set off fireworks right over the breaking waves.





Our cab driver back to the boat told us there are 3000 Samoans in the US military, and despite the fact that two of his grandsons have been killed in Iraq he says he loves George Bush. We are curious to meet some other locals and see what the general sentiments are on the island.

Our plan is to stay here for 4 or 5 more days, fixing things (too boring to write about but lots to do!) and then take off (with our new crew who flies in Sunday) for the Manua Islands. They are 60nm east and still part of American Samoa, with a protected marine park that is supposed to have incredible snorkeling.