Hanging out in Wrangell

July 11th: On this day, we rented a van from “Practical Rental Car” at Wrangell’s airport and drove around the island. We never did meet Betsy, but Kathleen took care of us this morning. Besides her job with the rental car company, she works “upstairs” reporting on the weather in Wrangell. She says she offers no predictions–just what the weather is doing at the moment. She glances out her window. “Today, it’s sunny,” she says and laughs.

PETROGLYPH BEACH: Our first stop was Petroglyph Beach where an ancient people preceding the Tlinget native population carved images onto rock perhaps 10,000 years ago. I was particularly intrigued with the spiral petroglyphs, knowing that Carl Jung has identified that image as an archetype that crosses cultures. Indeed, this petroglyph image has shown up in Mexico and Ireland as well as southeast Alaska and other places. Yet one more demonstration of how we are all connected.

PAT’S LAKE: Our next stop after the beach was Pat’s Lake where we stopped the van, rolled down the window and watched the water sparkle and the wetland grass roll in gentle waves. A man walked down the road towards us, walking his Malemute dog by holding his bushy tail like you would a leash. He stopped to greet us and we struck up a conversation. He has lived in different places in the world, he said, but he always comes back to Wrangell. The last time he left was thirty years ago, so he guesses he’s probably here for good.

NEMO LOOP: At the end of the paved road just thirteen miles from town, we took a well maintained gravel road around the perimeter of the island, stopping to see the stunning views of mountains and water along the way. At one stop, we saw two mature eagles and their nest in which we detected the movement of their youngster. Later, we stopped at an overlook called “Three Sisters” where a picnic table of rollicking women regaled us with their bawdy humor. I think they were sisters, something akin to Medusas. Richard barely got out of there alive.

Back in town, we ate a wonderful dinner at the Stikine Inn where we were staying. Later, Richard and I watched the sunset out our bedroom window. At midnight, the moon was rising in the east while the sun was still lighting up the sky in the west. Truly, this is the land of the Midnight Sun.