Landing atop a glacier is one of those indescribable experiences where it's just easier to tell friends, "You'd have to be there!" TEMSCO's Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour and Guided Walk was recently featured on "Good Morning America" and has ranked as Juneau's #1 rated excursion. It's one of my favorites, too. If you're visiting Juneau or already call Southeast Alaska home, check out TEMSCO and their truly remarkable tours.
Mark Twain said it best: "Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
What I've noticed from my years of living in the Last Froniter is that exploring, dreaming, and discovering are the cornerstones of many Alaskans' lives. Take my friend, Captain Louis Hoock, for example. He's got a zest for adventure that's infectious, so much so that he owns and operates Alaska Adventure Sailing, a charter company based in Alaska's capital city.
There are three things you need to know about Captain Hoock:
In May, I took a day sailing trip with Louie and his friends. It was the adventure of a lifetime. Aboard his well-appointed and comfortable 54' sailing vessel, the S/V Arcturus, we were in very capable hands for our day of exploration. Departing from the Douglas Island harbor, we traveled south of Juneau down the Gastineau Channel and tucked into Taku Inlet. It was a sunny, picture-perfect day for sailing around Southeast Alaska. There was also a bit of stand up paddleboard skiing, too - which was an absolute riot to watch from the dry deck. All-in-all, what a terrific experience that's now got me hooked on Alaska even more!
Check out Captain Hoock's website - Alaska Adventure Sailing - for your own adventure on the water.
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I'm in sunny San Diego this week, spending time with dear friends and soaking up the warmth. As I meet new folks here, I've noticed I have the tendency to proudly announce "I'm visiting from Alaska." In response, one of the top questions I've received here in Southern California is this: "Don't you have 24 hours of sunlight up there?"
The answer? Yes and no. Juneau (where I call home) doesn't have the 24 hours of summer daylight like most people reference when bringing up Alaska stereotypes. Juneau is situated in Southeast Alaska, far south of the Arctic Circle. Today on the longest day of the year, Juneau will see 18 hours and 18 minutes of daylight.
Compare this to spots above the Arctic Circle, such as Barrow, Kotzebue, and Fort Yukon, which will receive 24 full hours of daylight today. That's a lot of sunshine! Starting tomorrow, days will become progressively shorter until December 21, the shortest day of the year.
One of the quirks of living in a rainforest that's bordered by ocean on one side and ice fields on the other is that you learn quickly to rely on alternate modes of transportation - like the ferry system - for fresh veggies for your dinner table.
This week, because of an electrical malfunction on the Alaska Marine Highway System's M/V Columbia, Juneau's largest grocery store found herself with empty fruit and vegetable stands. Fortunately, the disrupted service is just temporary.
This certainly isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened. Juneauites usually experience a few shipping disruptions each winter because of inclement weather. The photo below is an example from a few years ago, when I experienced a "veggies shortage" for the first time. Thankfully, rainbow chard and raspberries will be back before we know it.
