As I mentioned last week, Sitka, Alaska is the setting for my new Song of Alaska book series. I had a lot of fun researching this series, and this week I just wanted to share some of Sitka with you.

You can only reach Sitka by boat or plane. We have approached it both ways, and the approach by sea is my favorite. The area surrounding Baranoff Island is full of tiny islets and tons of sealife. We were able to watch whales up close and personal, as well as harbor seals and numerous eagles.

Sitka gets quite a bit of rain, so things stay pretty lush and green. Winters are generally mild. I’ve been told more than once that our Montana winters of -20 to -40are much colder and that we get more snow on average than Sitka due to the warm Japanese current.

Speaking of Japan, Mt. Edgecumbe situated across the harbor from Sitka is known as a Mt. Fugi look alike. Mt. Edgecumbe is a dormant volcano and lends a beautiful snow-capped sight to the horizon.

Sitka itself is a charming little town full of tourist shops and friendly people. I’ve been there during the off-tourist season and found people to be just as kind and generous as during tourist season. In fact, I’ve found this to be true of Alaskans in general.