Alaskan Summer

Wednesday
9:00 pm
out the road.

We pull off to the side of the road at a spot illuminated by the golden tone of the setting sun. Before us stretches the dark blue water of the Lynn Canal, with the snowy Chilkat Range lining the horizon as far as our eyes can see. A slight breeze blows the salty smell of the ocean water towards us as we unpack our camping chairs and walk toward the grassy spot at the edge of the cliff.



We plop our chairs down facing the glowing orb that is the sun, sit back in them and sigh. Out of my backpack comes a bottle of Summer Ale, brewed only a few miles away, and I crack the top off.



Suddenly, we hear a loud puff in the water below. followed by the swoosh of water.
We jump to our feet knowing exactly what the strange sounds are. "Whales!" we exclaim in unison.



And so we sat on that cool summer eve, sipping a crisp ale, watching a family of Humpback whales feed and the glowing sun set, painting the wide sky.

The beginning of our first Alaskan Summer.