Surprise in the Summer Night Sky

I've seen my fair share of the aurora borealis (northern lights).  Sometimes I've even chronicled my aurora experiences on this website, like here and here.  I love hunting the great Alaska aurora.  Witnessing the ribbons of light bring me peace and fill me with hope.  Plus, the displays bring so much excitement!

Well, folks - I'm here to report: spotting the northern lights never gets old.  Especially when it lights up the night sky when you're least expecting it.  Like in the summer.

All the way up here in Alaska, some parts of the state experience 24 hours of daylight for most of the summer.  That's right, no sunset or no sunrise, just full time brightness.  Since the sky should be relatively dark in order to spot the northern lights with the naked eye, you can imagine how rare it is to spot the aurora in the summer.  For instance, it would be difficult to see the lights in Barrow, the northern most city in America, because the sun just doesn't set in the summer!

I admit the unfocused photos below don't do the aurora justice.  But I think the shots were decent enough, considering the facts: I was completely caught off guard with news of the aurora at 12:15am; I assembled my tripod in the dark; AND the view from Mother Nature was competing with another awesome view I had - on FaceTime - which frankly captured more of my attention.

Looking north, a dusky sky.

Aurora over Mount Roberts.

It was a terrific evening, full of surprises.  And hope.

Cruise Ship = Pot of Gold

Single and double rainbows blanketed downtown Juneau skies this afternoon.  For OVER AN HOUR.  On days like these, it reminds me: you can't have the rainbow without the rain. 

Partial view of double rainbow, as seen from Douglas Island. 

It kept getting brighter and brighter.

Gastineau Channel + yacht + rainbow = Alaska's playground

A rainbow and a massive cruise ship, as seen from The Alaska Club, a Juneau fitness center.

View of the double rainbow from my treadmill at The Alaska Club.  I LOVE Alaska!

Low Tide Critters

Today was one of the lowest tides of the year, a whopping -4.3 which occurred at 7:41 am this morning in Juneau.  A few adventurous friends and I explored the inter-tidal zone, which was teeming with critters of all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. 

There are plenty of low-tide hot spots throughout Juneau, but for today we chose the area at Indian Cove.  To get there, turn left on the first street (Otter Way) past the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal.  Then drive all the way to the end of the street, and you'll see stairs leading down to the beach.  Easily accessible and spectacular views - rain or shine!

An abandoned crab pot.

Photography buddies.  Their gear is probably worth more than my car.

No wildlife were harmed in the making of this photo. 

Three course meal: sea cucumber, starfish, and fish head.  Yummo!

As I faced these rocks, I noticed they were towering above me.  Hard to believe they're completely submerged during high tide.

Little treasures.

Sea cucumber.

Fragility. 

Another lucky feather. 

Chiton. 

Photo courtesy of Becky Nelson. 

Five and five. 

Fresh bear scat.

With two lovely ladies, my good friends Becky and Kerry.