Samoa July 8 2006

Hi everyone.Well our bust on the visit to Palmerston lead to a beautiful spinnaker runto Samoa. We arrived 4 days to the minute from our departure from Aitutaki.Frankly, we were a bit worried as Pago Pago (hereafter PP) has a really badreputation, and we didn't want to be here too long.. Getting here earlierthan planned meant we might have to be here too long waiting around forparts, mail, etc. Thebad rap comes from the alleged smell from 2 large tuna canneries and asupposedly filthy harbor. PP is THE most protected harbor in the Pacificformed as a large L-shaped fiord--a collapsed volcanic calderas. Totallybeautiful. Ah, you say, but whatabout the quality of the water? Well, compared to Am. Yacht Harbor, RoadHarbour or Simpson Lagoon, this place is pristine, so scotch bad rap one.Now granted we arrived on Sunday when the canneries are closed, and I amwriting this early Monday, but there is no Tuna stink. Guess we'll have towait to scotch bad rap two. In the meantime, we're sitting on the customsdock waiting for officialdom to come and check us in. It seems that Samoa,like most of Polynesia, doesn't work on Sunday. While we finally raisedPort Control on our arrival, they couldn't get anyone from customs andimmigration down to the dock yesterday.Well, it's 2 1/2 weeks later, and American Samoa has been a pleasantsurprise. Checking in was a very easy with all the officials coming down tothe boat. While the harbor has a bit of junk like plastic bags floating init, the water itself is relatively clean. Every now and then we get acannery smell, but it is not too bad and is short lived. Shopping forprovisions for the rest of the season has been a breeze and very reasonable.There's actually a huge Ace Hardware Center and a Cost U Less like in StThomas. Our spare parts lockers and our freezers are jammed!!! Anotherboat that was in Aitutaki pulled in, and we have been hanging out with them.There are some really nice bars and restaurants, including a Mexican placethat was quite good. Sadie Thompson's, the local, bar, restaurant and hotelhas a free fire dance show every Wed., and it is really good. We haveactually stayed here much longer than planned because it is so nice, and thepeople have been great, too.. I'm happy to report that all our spares havecome in, and we're just waiting for some mail before we depart for WesternSamoa this weekend---knock on wood. Also knock on wood, the boat is workingin all major respects for the first time since we arrived back in April.Fortress Anchors was very cool about our bent flukes from the Aitutakiadventure. They totally honored their life-time warranty and sent 2 newflukes for our 8 year old anchor for the cost of shipping--$21. A newanchor would have been about $500!!! Nice to find someone like that in themarine industry after our abortion on the dinghy! We've toured the islandand it is truly lovely. Don't understand why it isnot more of a tourist destination. the people are very religious so nothinghappens on Sunday, and they must have more churches per capita than anywhereelse in the world.Big surprise today while I was killing time reading the local paper waitingfor Sadies's to process my credit card for a car rental (Yes, they do that,too). Joey had decorated the boat with all our flags for the Fourth ofJuly, and there was a 1/4 page picture of the boat in the newspaperdescribing how the cruisers celebrate the 4th. Guess we're just famous allover the place.The bad news is that poor Rose has contracted Lyme disease. She had gottena tick all the way back in January in New Zealand. We finally discovered itin Sydney, and removed it. It was a paralysis tick that can actually killsmall animals, but we got rid of it--no problem. Discovered it in her headas she was getting a bit numb behind her ear. She even went to the doc inAustralia to make sure we got it all out. We did, but the doc neglected togive her a cautionary course of antibiotics for Lyme's. She has beengetting weaker and has a lot of rheumatism type joint pain since we arrivedback in Raiatea, and it has been getting worse, so we finally went to thedoc here, and Rose had the brainstorm that maybe her symptoms were beingcaused by the old tick bite. Sure enough, that was it, and it is not lifethreatening or permanent, but it takes weeks to get rid of. In the meantimeI have a tired, in pain girl friend who has uncharacteristically gotten abit testy on occasion. The woman hates pills!!! And pain, and has anothermonth or so of both. Wish us all luck. This is not the sweet Rose we allknow!!Tim, Rose & JoeyP.S. Sat, 7/8 Well, the problems never end. We're still planning on leaving, but yesterday we found a propane leak, since repaired, but last night someone put a nice slash in one of the pontoons in my brand new dinghy. Hoping to have it repaired and be out of here tomorrow. Ain't paradise great??!!