After the fireworks on the 3rd, the parade, the food, the concerts comes the water fight. Traditionally the Sitka Fire Department takes on the Coast Guard. Fire trucks come from two different directions, meet in the middle and pass each other, the crews fall out, roll out their hoses and a red, white and blue beer keg is set in the middle of the street. The the hose crews face off the water turned on and mayhem ensues.
Before the fight starts a fireman walks along the sidewalk and tells the kids to stand back or they will get wet. The kids all start to cheer, because, of course, that is the whole point of the water fight. Some years it is raining and we are wet already, some years, like this year, it is a blue sly day, 70 degrees, and we can’t wait to get wet.
The fight starts. The keg gets pushed along until it hits the curb. The kids start changing “Get us wet get us wet.” Firemen love kids so both teams set their nozzles on fine spray and the kids, and any adults within 50 feet get wet while the keg is reset. The hook and ladder truck has a nozzle at the top of the ladder and t opens up. I can see the water coming toward me and lift my camera to take a picture of the approaching drenching. (My camera is “water hardened,” Good thing) I catch the picture just as the first drop hits my filter.
Then the other truck opens up. Adults start running across totem square while the kids hold their ground and taunt the fireman. I stand my ground with them. I am glad I got an otter case for my iPhone.
It’s over too soon. Suzi, who has been standing back, is dry, I am soaked to the skin, Suzi helps Hal set up for the kids pie eating contest, i walk off, dripping to get some fry bread and let the warm sun begin to dry my shirt.
The water gets closer and I catch this as the first drops aporach the lens. In a second I am drenched 
For some reason the pictures loaded in reverse order. I don’t understand why.
