No, the skies weren’t really this dark. But the sun was a vivid red due to smoky skies.

Our visit to Alaska this year took place during the longest days of summer. I was fascinated by the constant sun which glowed bright red with the smoky haze in the air- which I found challenging to capture with my camera. The photo below was taken about 11:15pm from a viewpoint in Eagle River. The sky was actually lighter than it appears here- and the sun was much redder (notice the reflection in the water!). I will be posting more of my sun images in the near future.

We have just returned from a visit to our daughter’s family in Alaska. While the best part of the trip was family time with our dear ones, the best family ACTIVITY was hands-down the 26 glacier cruise on Prince William Sound. We had a few doubts, because the sky has been hazy and smoky due to the ongoing Kenai fire- but despite that, it was a glorious day!

And what are those specks in the foreground, you ask? Sea otters!  We saw dozens- and I grew so used to them, I didn’t even realize they were in this shot at first!