Last week at this time, I was fortunate to be able to travel with my husband to Southeast Alaska, specifically the towns of Juneau and Sitka. We flew into Juneau and it never really stopped raining until we arrived home several days later. It's no wonder then, that Southeast Alaska is home to the Tongass Rain Forest, the largest temperate rain forest in the U.S. Under the canopy of the trees, it was like we were in a fairy tale forest and we were waiting for gnomes and Tinkerbell to make an appearance amongst all the hummingbirds and moss covered trees. We were able to take a few walks and go on a few hikes around the cities we visited and it was so incredibly beautiful. The town centers themselves were quite touristy, as they cater to the cruise ships that come in the summer season, but we did find some pretty good places to eat and were able to visit some landmarks as well as learn a little history.
A few days into our visit to Juneau, we packed up and prepared to head to Sitka. At about 5 a.m. on a rainy morning we boarded the Columbia, a large ferry in the Alaska Marine Highway fleet. Our very wet, quite chilly, nine hour ride was one that I will never forget. From some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen, to whales, porpoises, deer, eagles and an occasional very off grid homestead, the peace and tranquility of being surrounded by mountains and water was awe inspiring. There were times the wind was whipping and it was raining sideways, and there were times when the fog and clouds were extremely thick and the water was as still as glass. I cannot recommend highly enough that if you get the chance to travel on one of the ferry cruises anywhere up and down the coast of Alaska, be sure to do it!
Sitka was a quaint little town, but as usual, the best part of the area was the views and photo ops that were at every turn of your head. Eagles were as populous as Robins are in the Midwest...they were everywhere. We drove around, stopping at every point of interest and also venturing off the beaten path at times. I took 1000+ photos during the time we were on our mini vacation - the images I made hardly do justice to the beauty of what is out there. To the dismay of my bank account, we happened to come upon a gentleman with a drone and let's just say, I will be placing an order for one of those very soon. ; )
The more I get to see and experience of this place, the more I love it. I have always been drawn to water and living in a place surrounded by water and mountains has certainly spoiled me. I am so excited to continue to travel and explore this last frontier I am so lucky to call home.
The Serenity Project is a collaborative photography project featuring words and images from several amazing artists that in some way, bring them encouragement or a sense of peace and calm and it is our hope that the feeling is conveyed and passed on to you. Please continue the circle by going to
Joan Showers, Charlotte NC photographer, to find out what she has to share this month.