Thirty-Four, a magical number for the crew of s/v Bluewater, arbitrary and incredibly important, the countdown to the launch of Bluewater stands at 34 days. As the darkness of the Alaskan winter starts to fade into the bright light of the far north’s endless days of summer, we are ticking away at the tasks that […]
Photo of The Week – January Beach
Bishop’s Beach – Photo by Michael Sharp The Omega Block suffocating us with sub-zero temperatures was smashed by a series of storms known collectively as a Pineapple Express: Storms connected to the tropics. The massive storms brought 100 m.p.h.(161 k.p.h) winds and several inches of rain. Warm rain. It had been -10ºF (-23ºC) and quickly […]
Horizons
Then, there it was, the ocean, the end of the snow. A clear line, the beginning of one, the end of another.
Tuesday Tease: Snow Delivery
The snow is deeper than Nisa is Tall – Photo by Michael J. Sharp Last week we wondered where the snow was – there was a great forecast and it delivered. Nothing spectacular by Valdez standards. A mere 30-some inches in just under 24 hours. It was our first time on the boat with so […]
Will it? Check next week to find out!
GOES-WEST AK IR Satellite Image – Courtesy of NOAA Current Forecast for Valdez, Alaska: Tonight…Cloudy with a chance of snow in the evening…then snow after midnight. Snow accumulation 6 to 12 inches. Lows zero to 10 above except 15 to 25 below through thompson pass. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming light. Through thompson […]
Tuesday Tease: Waiting for Snow
This year we have added a new tool to our kit. Super-bright headlamps so we can ski in the dark thus avoiding the dreaded flat light.
Tuesday Tease: A Winter Day in the Life of s/v Bluewater
6:09 A.M. Tea & Coffee Water Wx: 36° Rain and Snow 6:35 A.M. Caffeine Coming to Mug Near Me Soon 6:50 A.M. Morning Computing – Google Chat with J at Penn State 7:08 A.M. Tea….ummm! 7:10 A.M. Ahhh Caffine – Headphones for NPR and Quiet for the Sleeping Susanna 7:56 A.M. Nisa’s Morning Walk/Dock Inspection, […]
Light: The Winter Blues
Valdez lies at 61º07′ North latitude or 3,667 miles north of the equator. Our days are becoming noticeably shorter; we lose 5 minutes and 16 seconds each day. That’s 36 minutes and 52 seconds every week or 2 hours and 23 minutes each month.
Termination Dust
Termination Dust above Seward – Photo by Michael Sharp Alaskan lore says that termination dust “the first significant dusting of snow on the higher peaks” predicts the onset of winter in six weeks. The clock is ticking. We woke a few days ago to a heavy dusting just above Seward. The next day the first […]
Return of the Sun
We take what the sun offers, like beggars on some street corner, we toil under her blue lid, we toil under her cousin the sky and we wait, we wait for the snow to fall.