A tour of Mitkof Island...

Petersburg is the only town (ok, technically they are a borough) on Mitkof Island.  The island itself is 23 miles at its longest point and about 16.5 miles at its widest point.  It covers 211 square miles and has oceanfront and pine forests but is mostly muskeg (swampy bogs with pete moss, marsh-like vegetation and small trees).  Its highest peak is Crystal Mountain which is 3,317 feet above sea level.  Speaking of sea level the tides can vary as much as 23 feet in a single day.

Average annual rainfall is 109 inches.  The weather is typically overcast with or without a light misty rain (this is why is so exciting that we have had so many sunny days.)  June 21st was the longest day of the year and we had 17 hours and 15 minutes of daylight.  The sun set just before 11pm and rose around 4:30am but it was only dark from midnight until 3:30ish.  It's fun until you realize the 4th of July fireworks won't be going off until its dark (11pm).  

As of 2011, the population of Petersburg was 2,967.  There are 435 students enrolled in grades K-12.  And my favorite statistic is there are 1,455 pickup trucks, 1,442 boats and 1,708 cars/jeeps registered in the borough.  This means almost every household has a boat (and a truck to haul the boat to and from the water) as well as a second vehicle for driving around town.  The harbor parallels the main street and is quite large.

Recently we went on two different day trips to see some of what the island had to offer...

Greens Camp has 32 campsites and is on the ocean.  The plan was to get there in the afternoon and start a campfire that would burn down to coals to cook on for dinner.  Out of the eight of us, everybody including Rob and Gage went for a bike ride so I started the fire.  Just then it started drizzling and it didn't let up until after dinner.

Blind Slough is famous for its salmon hatchery but is popular for its  day-use picnic area and swimming hole.  A fun past time is to jump off the bridge that goes to the hatchery into the slue below.  The bridge isn't more than 15 feet over the water and in the middle, the water is at least 12 feet deep.  It's not dangerous but it is scary and takes quite a bit of courage.

Driving out to Greens Camp.

Some of the bike riders... Nance, Dan, Gage & Rob.

The view from our campsite at Greens Camp (while its raining).

Telling stories around the fire with Rob, Judy, Jo, Sandy and Nance.  Yes those are my & Gage's legs on the left.

I'm cooking dinner & Gage is playing in the background also Sandy, Nance & Judy are eating.

After dinner we broke out some Fireworks.  Jo shares a sparkler with Gage.

The rain didn't slow Gage down at all.  He rode his bike thru camp often.

Greens Camp before the rain, (high tide).

Greens Camp after the rain, (low tide).

The last rays of sunlight.  View from our rental house.  

The picture didn't do the moment justice.  Warm morning sun, a bald eagle calling (spec near mountain) and a light breeze bringing in salt air from the ocean.  Relaxing, happy & peaceful.

This is Blind Slough, a fun place to have a picnic.

Blind Slough, you can also walk across the small bridge (to the left but just out of the picture) to the salmon hatchery.

Gage admiring the view from the Blind Slough bridge.

Girls contemplating jumping into Blind Slough.



That's the end of the tour of the island.  The rest of the pictures are the other things we have done for the past week...

Gage has added cooking to his resumé (don't worry the stove is cold and he is actually playing with the dirty dishes like he does when he helps at the sink).

Gage playing in our yard.  Yes, that is sunshine!

There is always time to stop and smell flowers.

Gage getting a haircut.  I feed him crasins, one of his favorite foods, to keep him sitting while I cut his hair.  Cutting is ok with him until he gets hair in his mouth (the problem with using food as the distraction). Maybe next time I will give him my phone to play with instead :)

After the haircut...  My family in their pj's.

Bald Eagles!

Before coming to Alaska I didn't know what a bald eagle call sounded like.  I imagined an eagles' call was similar to the stereotypical movie shot of a ghost town with a sagebrush rolling thru.  Then I realize that bird call was probably a vulture and I had no idea what  a bald eagle sounded like.  

A bald eagle call sort of sounds like a tire spinning on a squeaky axel.  There is usually 4-6 chirps in quick succession and the call drops down in pitch slightly at the end.  Either you have heard a bald eagle and you know what I'm talking about, you can google the sound or like me, you can wait until you see one and learn what a bald eagle sounds like for yourself.

The only thing better than seeing bald eagles up close, is having an awesome camera to capture the moment (that and good weather!)  Luckily, Alaska provided the weather and the bald eagles.  Believe it  or not, all these pictures were taken from our rental house.  Enjoy!

A parent calling for it's young.

Very patriotic.

"I'm coming to get you!"

They were friends and sat next to each other in that tree for a long time after I took this picture.

Taking flight, 1 of 3.

Taking flight, 2 of 3.

Taking flight, 3 of 3.  Neat to see the talons hanging.

Fun to capture the bird in focus and all the trees blurred.  Did I mention I love my camera?

4th of July

4th of July Edition

Petersburg, Alaska and the Son's of Norway building at high tide with a replica viking ship to the left.

Six juvenile bald eagles watching three more eagles on the ground eating. They were hoping for scraps...

Juvenile Bald Eagle in flight.

Crow & Eagle fighting for territory.

Crow & Eagle fighting for territory.

Getting settled.

Juvenile Bald Eagle in flight.

4th of July fireworks.  I was playing with my zoom while the shutter was open.

Reminds me of meteors crashing to earth.

I haven't seen fireworks like this for a long time.  I wish New Mexico wasn't so dry in the summer.

Mr. Adorable discovered he has pockets.

Mr. Adorable playing in a bucket with a sock.

"Clothes? All I need is my hat." Says, Mr. Alaska 

Gage with his big catch.

Gage and April with a halibut.

Rob & Gage watching the 4th of July Parade.

Gage LOVES hats.  Here he borrowed one from the neighbor.

Rob, orange life jacket & blindfolded on left, competing in the "blind fold rowboat races".  One adult, one child teams, go around the buoy & back to the dock, the fastest time wins. (they didn't win)

Rob rounded the buoy first!

They were singing a duet.  She was making the chords with her left hand while he strummed with his right hand.  I really enjoyed listening to them.

Gage modeling the firetruck that led the 4th of July Parade.

Precious moments, Rob teaching Gage how to do dishes.

Happiness like this is contageous!

Mr. Adorable modeling my sunglasses.

Did I mention, Gage loves hats.