Fun comments

Nineteen days until departure!  I've started loading some household items into Irv...some dishes, bathroom stuff we don't use every day, and some of the things we're taking with us to keep but not use often or put out (wall photos, travel gear, etc).  I'm hesitant to really start loading because of the high heat and humidity - I don't want things to get funky while it sits.

Some random things about Juneau:

• It's at about 58 degrees north latitude (for reference, Charleston is about 32 and Madison, WI is 43)
• The longest day is about 18 hours of daylight, the shortest, in December is about 6 hours and the sun is only 8 or 9 degrees above the horizon.
• Apparently, there's a pretty big swing in high and low tide - full moon tide may swing 16-23 feet between high and low.  On the lower end of the tides, 8-14 feet difference from high to low is common.  (Charleston is usually around 3-7 feet, depending on time of the month)
• Winter water temps are about 36 F and about 52 F at the peak of summer warmth.  Don't fall in!
• The population of Juneau at the 2010 census was ~31,000 people.
• The record high temp was 90 F and the record low was -22 F.

Some of the fun (and odd) comments and questions we've gotten when people learn we're moving to Juneau:

• 'Oh wow, I couldn't handle complete darkness all winter.'  and ' How will you take it if it's dark all the time?'  (it's not) 
• 'I'd love to go, but I don't have a passport.' (Really??  Come on, people!)
• 'Don't they have fisheries programs around here?  Why do you have to go there?'  (Yes they do, but AK is a better program.)
• 'But it's cold there!'  (Yeah, I know.  That's one of the big draws for me!)
• 'Will you have paved roads there?'   (Um, yes.)
• 'Ooooh!  I love Deadliest Catch/Ice Road Truckers/Gold Rush:Alaska.'  (Who knew there were so many reality shows about Alaska?)
• 'Will you be able to see Russia from your house?'  and 'Maybe you'll get to meet Sarah Palin!'  (no comment)
• 'I hope you like salmon!' (we do!)
• 'Don't get eaten by a bear.' (said with complete sincerity)
• 'I hear it's really expensive to live there.'  (yeah, we hear that too...)