That Time Again

It's that time again, folks. Cruise ship season, Juneau's bread and butter. Time to roll out the red carpet for nearly one million visitors coming to our fair city from all around the world.  

Today, we welcomed our first two cruise ships of the year - Holland America's Westerdam and Celebrity Cruise Line's Solstice.  The MS Westerdam measures in at 833 feet long, and the MS Solstice is a whopping 1,033 feet in length. Simply put, the presence of these massive ships cruising down Juneau's Gastineau Channel is a sight not hard to miss. 

For me, it's always a delight watching boats - large or small - as they dock downtown. But on a bright and sunny day like today, with temperatures reaching 60+ Fahrenheit, I was especially excited for our first round of new visitors. Tourists certainly got a treat today with perfect weather, calm seas, and golden sunlight. 

Here are just a few snapshots from this spectacular day.  

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Million Dollar View

A week ago, I went on a spontaneous camping trip "out the road" here in Juneau. Our tents were set up near a rocky cliff high above the water, and after midnight, we watched orcas in the moonlight as they swam through Favorite Channel. The next morning, I awoke to this million dollar view. 

I think I need to go camping more often.

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Wearable Art 2015

There are a few major events that Juneauites anticipate with glee each year: Winter Solstice, December First Friday, Public Market, and Wearable Art.  Out of all the community festivities, Wearable Art continues to be one of the shindigs I look forward to the most.  The bright colors, heart-pumping tunes, and whimsical atmosphere is a much needed break from the greyness of winter.  This year's Wearable Art Extravaganza was no exception.  With the theme Juxtaposition: A Celebration of Contrasts, Juneau's Centennial Hall welcomed a packed house and morphed into a theatrical runway, fit for New York Fashion Week.

I hope you enjoy these snapshots from Sunday's inspiring show.  (click the photos below to expand and see full frame detail)

Sunday Stroll to the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Caves

What's one of the advantages of living in Juneau when the temps drop below freezing?  Trekking across the frozen Mendenhall Lake, of course.  This latest adventure involved joining friends for the two mile icy jaunt and into one of the lower Mendenhall Glacier ice caves.  It was a rare rain-free day, with the sun peeking through snow clouds on occasion.  What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

(click the photos below to expand)