Wranglin' Wrangell

I spent the Fourth of July weekend in the rural and remarkable town of Wrangell, Alaska.  Along with a group of fun friends, we took the Alaska Marine Highway from Juneau to Wrangell, then flew back on Alaska Airlines a few days later.  Such an adventurous trip!  Here are a few observations and pictures:

- Hitchhiking is a widely accepted mode of transportation. We hitchhiked as a group four times and didn't die.
- There's only one taxi in the whole town, and it doesn't operate on holidays.
- Wrangell does the Fourth of July like a boss: street parties, lumberjack competitions, and one heckuva fireworks show (probably one of the best in Alaska).
- I need to start training for next year's logrolling competition.
- The egg toss competition is as messy as it sounds.
- For one day a year (4th of July), open containers of alcohol are allowed. When you order a drink at the bar, you can specify if it's for "here or to go."
- Everybody knows everybody.
- There are new friends to be made around every corner, such a wonderful trait of Alaska.

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Sailing Away, Alaska Style

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:

  1. Louie served active duty sea service as a NOAA Corps Commissioned Officer aboard the NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette where he explored the farthest reaches of the sea.
  2. His whistle is so loud, it could rival Guinness World records.
  3. In 2010, Captain Hoock founded Coastal Footprint, a nonprofit environmental/scientific research organization.  That same year, he sailed The Jolly Roger from Alaska to Panama - almost 5,000 miles away - teaching more than 40 people to sail while simultaneously removing more trash from the shoreline than the entire NOAA Marine Debris Program accomplished in 2010.

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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Summer Solstice

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. 

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Veggies Shortage

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.