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Alaska's Scarcest Winter Commodity: Daylight

1/4/2016

7 Comments

 
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     There is nothing I love more than summer in Alaska when the days last forever. The flip side of that are the short, short days of winter. We don't have it as bad as those who live in the true North, like Barrow, where the sun never rises for months.
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     But it sort of felt like it when we were kids and we'd leave the house for school when it was dark and head home in the skiff as the sun was setting over Prince of Wales Island, as in the above picture. School got out at two-thirty and it would be dusk by the time we got home. We lived by kerosone light in those days.
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     Today we have 12V lights hooked up to a battery system, which is much better for our eyes, but the days are still short and I hunger for summer.
     Fortunately, every day now, since the winter solstice on December 21st, when the earth's northern hemisphere was tilted furthest away from the sun, we are gaining daylight.

     Because of my bad signal, I'm keeping this short with only two photos. The top photo was taken facing southwest at three-thirty pm, December 23rd. The Bottom photo was taken the same day only minutes later facing the northeast (that's a bald eagle in the upper right corner).
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7 Comments
Irene Squib
1/6/2016 04:43:54 pm

Your photos are absolutely breathtaking, but I do not think I could live there full time. I think I would develop a full-blown case of SADD within 5-6 weeks, or sooner! I have subscribed to your blog. Keep up the good work! Irene

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ADOW
1/6/2016 04:48:07 pm

Thank you, Irene! I really think it's next to impossible to take a picture that isn't amazing here. Everywhere you turn the camera there's something that gets you and makes you glad to be alive. It's an amazing place to live. But, yes, many Alaskans suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, unfortunately. There's nothing better than knowing the days are getting longer! And those long summer days are swoon-worthy.

Thanks for subscribing to my blog. I hope I can get back to a more regular output once my signal steadies down. Is there anything you'd be particularly interested in that I could do a blog post about?

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Carole
1/6/2016 05:42:07 pm

Absolutely gorgeous pix -- what a blessing to live amongst such beauty, despite the risk of Seasonal Affective Disorder. How do you deal with the darkness? I get gloomy living on the Gulf Coast when we have weeks of rain and no sunshine!

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ADOW
1/6/2016 05:47:36 pm

Carole, thanks! It really does feel like a blessing. Whenever I feel down I go for a walk and my perspective instantly expands and changes. It never fails to give me a lift--so much beauty!

I guess you adapt to the short days, they just become a part of life's cycle. I'm fortunate that so far I don't have SAD, but both of my parents do. It's tough but they wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Everything has pros and cons, right? :-/

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Carole
1/7/2016 07:56:18 am

Right, indeed. Everything does have its pros and cons. The beauty is breath-taking. It would make up for a lot. I am very eager to visit -- everyone I know who has been to Alaska loves it, especially those who were fortunate enough to live there for some space of time. And that's despite the long winter nights Every time we try to plan a trip, something happens to force us to put it on hold. One day . . . .

Susan Bernhardt link
1/6/2016 05:47:25 pm

Tara, yours looks like an interesting website. I'll be sure to read your posts. Beautiful photos...as you said, how can they not be amazing in Alaska. We have been to Alaska twice.

Best wishes,
Susan

Reply
ADOW
1/6/2016 05:49:33 pm

Thanks you, Susan, it's nice to have someone who has visited looking at the blog. I'd love to explore all of Alaska, but I've mainly seen Southeast and a little of the Anchorage/Seward area. But every single bit of it has breathtaking. What a state!

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