For a coconut grater/shredder go to
www.gourmetsleuth.com and search
coconut. There you'll find a shredder that looks much like a citrus zester (2/$5, shown below) with shredding holes on one end and on the other a loop for making wider coconut 'curls'. They also carry a shredder attached to a piece of wood ($7) that needs to be clamped to a counter, or the same shredder as part of a stool ($18; one sits on the stool for greater leverage). Additionally, at
www.kashmirspices.com, you'll find a hand-cranked SS shredder ($20) that attaches via suction. Try the zester-looking shredder first. It works well, is inexpensive and, unless upgrading to something more involved is necessary down the road, should suit you well.
You'll need coconuts, of course: select ones that are full of water (shake them to check); store them in the frdge till use.
A hack saw is handy. With it, you can score the coconut around its centerline (scoring is all that is needed) then, with a quick rap from the back of your cleaver (or hammer), the coconut will divide along the scored line. (If you wish, poke a hole in an eye first and drain the water; drink or discard).
You need chilies. See what you can get in the city and let me know. Both green curry (you'll need unripe serranos, jals or Thai peppers) or red curry (you'll need ripe peppers of any or all of the same varities) are good for seafoods (yellow is more of a chicken, veg or meat thing). Grab what you can. You can freeze them no problem.
Both ginger and lemon grass can be frozen (it is best to prep lemon grass first, though; let me know when you have some and I'll tell you the procedure). Get both. If you can get fresh galangal absolutely do so. It can be frozen like ginger. If not, dried is available from on-line retailers like Penzey's, but you might find it in the city at an Asian market (they very well might have fresh though). If not, no problem, we'll work around it.
Grab some palm sugar and fresh cilantro and nam pla as well, let me know what you've assembled, and we'll go from there.
(I have a friend selling his house in Alert Bay, north of you and on the other side of the island. I never got a chance to visit. He hasn't had it long.)