midnight sun

Here in Alaska we are blessed, or cursed, depending on the way you look at it. I am usually a half-full guy but when it comes to the midnight sun I can definitely say it is a curse. No, I am not a vampire but it sure does feel like it during this time of year when we have over 22 hours and 55 minutes of visible light.

Today is the summer solstice. It is the longest day in the northern hemisphere and even longer in Alaska. Our sun does not set until 11:51 PM and will rise again to all its glory about 3:30 AM tomorrow.

Alaskan’s by in large, love this day. It means midnight golf, baseball games hours after a normal person’s bedtime, yard work after the late local news and fishing all night long and you can still see your buddies without the use of a flashlight.

In Alaska we work hard AND play hard. You would be hard pressed to find any other place in the country where you can work a full day at your 9 to 5 job and then play for another 8 or 10 hours before heading off to bed. It’s why many of us tolerate winter.

Winter! Did someone say snow???

I can’t wait until the winter solstice sometime in December. Then we will only have a couple hours of daylight. That means more time in the dark and plenty of time to run my sled dogs.

Oh yeah!

What did you do to celebrate the solstice?

Midnight at Forto’s Fort in Alaska

As a resident of the Great White North for almost a year I have lived through my first winter. I have survived run in’s with moose on the dog sledding trails and seen my share of bald eagles. I have braved the Parks Highway with tour buses filled to the brim with everyone dressed like they just shopped at the Bass Pro Shop. And I have paid 5 bucks for a gallon of gas.

But what I am not used to yet is the nearly 24 hours of daylight. When they say “the land of the midnight sun” they aren’t kidding.

Today, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year. We will have exactly 22 hours and 55 minutes of daylight. But the sun really doesn’t set all the way over the horizon.

From now until the winter solstice on December 22 we will progressively lose daylight ending with about 4 or 5 hours of visible light sometime around the holidays.

I had no problem adjusting to the darkness or winter. I actually enjoyed it. I do know now why there are coffee huts on every street corner. People in Alaska need their Cup O’ Joe to get though the day in all that night-time.

But with enough sunlight to play a game of golf at midnight it’s a little hard to handle. I have on many occasions headed out well after 11 pm to dig in the garden or run around the yard with the dogs.

I am sure I will get accustomed to it. I know for sure I will buy some darker blinds for the bedroom next year and maybe even one of those cheesy sleep masks. But until then,

I guess I am still a Cheechako.

The land of the midnight sun

The Midnight Sun in Alaska