Panama City, From a Distance
We have never actually been in Panama City’s new town, but we’ve seen it three times from three perspectives, from the deck of a ship, from the causeway connecting it with the cruise port, and from the perspective of the … Continue reading Panama City, From a Distance
A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama
… is probably the best know palindrome in the English language. I had to get it in. We’ve sailed through the Panama Canal three times and each time it brings wonder at what people and our technology could do 110 … Continue reading A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama
Martyrs’ Night Out
With all travel it is the unexpected that delights, the deviations from plan that make a trip special. After transiting the Panama Canal (I will get to that post later when I have time to sort through 300 exposures) we … Continue reading Martyrs’ Night Out
When in Costa Rica do as the…
…Sloth’s do. Sloths are slow moving animals. They live on leaves with very low energy content, so they have adapted to conserve energy. On a hot and humid day in Porto Limon Suzi and I decided to take a lesson … Continue reading When in Costa Rica do as the…
Potemkin Jamaica
I once wrote a satire “Potemkin Sitka.” I proposed we build an artificial Sitka on a nearby island for tourists to visit. That way the chains like Diamonds International could own a piece of the town, it could attract the … Continue reading Potemkin Jamaica
Who Was That Masked Man Anyway?
It was me! … and everyone else on the ship, including the guy who delivered 5 more gallons of distilled water to our cabin. First there was no distilled water for medical devices now I have more than I can … Continue reading Who Was That Masked Man Anyway?
Sailing Away From the Sunset
It’s hard to sail into the sunset when you are on the East Coast. But today we sailed away from Fort Lauderdale and away from the sunset, at sunset. Boarding was not as much as a problem as we anticipated … Continue reading Sailing Away From the Sunset
2023 Grand World Voyage, MS Zuiderdam!
Here are the posts from this year’s cruise, so far! Please keep checking back for more. Am I Excited Yet? Sailing Away from the Sunset. Potemkin Jamaica When in Costa Rica do as the … Martyr’s Night Out. A Man, … Continue reading 2023 Grand World Voyage, MS Zuiderdam!
Am I Excited Yet?
My kids used to say our family never took vacations, we took field trips. I always planned out things to see, what books we should read while seeing them, and discussions about where we were going, where we were and … Continue reading Am I Excited Yet?
Winter Scenes Along the Road
This is the final post in my Sitka Winter series. It is designed to allow me to carry home with me wherever we travel on this next adventure. It is winter shots from all along the 14 miles of Sitka’s … Continue reading Winter Scenes Along the Road
Winter Alpenglow
Wintertime Alpenglow is special. Because of the late sunrise (Just before 9 AM) and the early sunset (Just after 3 PM) I am up to see it on both ends. The snow is also further down on the mountains giving … Continue reading Winter Alpenglow
Winter at the End of the Road.
Sitka has many microclimates along its 14-mile road season. Even a few hundred feet of altitude or distance from the ocean makes a difference. And even along the ocean there are differences. As you approach Starrigavan Bay it gets colder, … Continue reading Winter at the End of the Road.
Winter on the Totem Trail
Winter in Sitka is a season the tourists don’t see. They often ask us “What do you do in the winter?” We smile and think about … Continue reading Winter on the Totem Trail
Out and About When The Sun Goes Down.
Sometimes I am out and about when the sun sets especially in December when it sets just after 3 PM. Fortunately I have a new iPhone 13 pro so I always have a reasonable camera with me. These are sunset … Continue reading Out and About When The Sun Goes Down.
Winter Sunsets From My Perch
Suzi and I are skipping the rest of the winter. We’ll attempt to complete the circumnavigation we started in 2020 when our world cruise was interrupted in Australia, and we were sent packing back to Sitka and quarantine and then … Continue reading Winter Sunsets From My Perch
Winter Wall 2.0
My son, Brian, and I went out Sawmill Creek Road past the old mill site to look at the half mile where a wall of ice sometimes forms. It was not as continuous as it was when Suzi and I … Continue reading Winter Wall 2.0
Claus for the Cause
I’ve played Santa on several occasions; I have the beard and physique to pull it off. While I enjoyed it, I was somewhat put off by the greed displayed by some of the kids who sat on my lap when … Continue reading Claus for the Cause
Winter Wall
Sometimes Sitka surprises me, even having lived here for more than 40 years. A week or so ago I was driving and walking along Sawmill Creek Road, beyond the old mill site, across the Sawmill Creek Bridge, heading for Herring … Continue reading Winter Wall
Political Junk.
After the deluge of political mail last cycle I vowed to count each piece of political mail I got this year and report back. This report is late because we’ve had incredibly beautiful winter weather. Walks and taking pics trump … Continue reading Political Junk.
2022 McClear Family Christmas Letter
Sitka Whalefest. It’s Back!
I missed it the last two years. We HAD Whalefest for the last two years, but it was virtual, on zoom. We got great lectures at the science symposium that is always the center of Whalefest, but we missed the … Continue reading Sitka Whalefest. It’s Back!
Whalefest Cruise, 2022.
An Arctic air mass sits over Southeast Alaska. It is cold, colder than usual in November. It is acting like late December or January. If I lived on the inside, closer to the mainland, I could have horrific winds as … Continue reading Whalefest Cruise, 2022.
Hardwood Fall
The fall colors in a hardwood forest take me back decades. While we were primarily in New Jersey to enjoy being with family I took some time to explore places of memory. We started our drive on Paramus Road going … Continue reading Hardwood Fall
Reconciliation Day 2022
October 18, Alaska Day, marks the anniversary of the transfer of Alaska’s sovereignty from Russia to America. The problem is that sovereignty was not Russia’s to transfer. The land was owned for thousands of years by indigenous people ranging from … Continue reading Reconciliation Day 2022