Charlie’s Angels Go Paddleboarding

Living in Juneau brings lots of daily adventure, especially if you live in close proximity to Sandy Beach.  The area is not only picturesque, but loaded with history.

Rain or shine, there is always something to do at Douglas Island’s Sandy Beach.  It's a great location for dog walking, family barbeques, and even serves as an easy jumping off point for paddleboarding.

Earlier this summer, I joined my friends, Debbie and Heather, on a little excursion to paddleboard along the Sandy Beach shoreline and around the old and historic Pump House.  It was sunny and warm (by Alaska standards), but we still wore wetsuits and little booties – and had an absolute blast!

I highly recommend the paddleboarding experience to visitors and locals alike.  Want to check it out for yourself?  Blue Nose Surf specializes in outfitting folks for paddleboarding and surfing in southeast Alaska.  Better yet, they’re located on Douglas Island – so you’ll be just a hop, skip, and jump from Sandy Beach.

Heather, Debbie, and I enjoying the deck on a sunny Juneau evening.

Getting outfitted in our wetsuits.  Mount Roberts and the Gastineau Channel in the background.

Click thumbnails below to expand photos.

Solo paddling in the sun.

Fabulous Heather.


Becoming an Outdoors-Woman

It all began with learning how to hang a bear bag high up in the trees.   Then came a yummy, yet valuable, lesson on mixing butter into a cup of hot chocolate to add crucial calories for survival. 

Next thing I know, I’m camping in the wilds of Alaska.  For the first time in my life.  In bear country.

Last weekend, I became a woman of the wilderness when I participated in a three day program called Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW).  At an "off the grid" location 40 miles north of Juneau, I developed new skills and tested my limits.  Sans my iPhone's compass, I was surrounded by fresh air, campfires, and supportive new friends. 

The weekend was an incredible experience that left me bright-eyed, refreshed, and ready to learn more.  Thanks to this program and my new friends, my apprehensions are in check, and my self-esteem has blossomed.  Thank you, BOW!

Orca Observations

It hasn't even been one month yet, but lucky Juneauites were treated today to another good long glimpse of a pod of orcas swimming down the Gastineau Channel.  Their distinctive black-and-white coloring makes them easy to spot, even on a sunny day with rough water.  

Check out this video I shot with my iPhone.  The quality isn't the best, but it goes to show there's adventure around every corner in Juneau.

Did you know orcas are in the dolphin family and can travel fast - up to 30 mph?  Check out this National Geographic profile to learn more about this immediately recognizable species.

The Wildest Visitor

What is considered "once-in-a-lifetime" for most has become a common sight for many in Juneau, Alaska.  A pod of killer whales (orcas) visited the Gastineau Channel in Juneau last Friday afternoon (March 21, 2014).  They traveled north past the Juneau-Douglas Bridge, and about 45 minutes later, returned south since the waterway three miles north is too shallow.  What a wild way to spend the lunch break!

An orca surfaces underneath the Juneau-Douglas Bridge.  Notice the onlookers standing on the shores of Douglas Island.