June 16, 2001  -  The Midnight Sun  -  Joe Creek, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge


For 75 days, the sun never sets in the arctic. Sure, it makes a token dip in the sky every day, but not enough to create any darkness. We've reset our internal clocks to make the most of 24 hours of daylight. Breakfast is at noon, lunch around 7pm and dinner at 1am. We do this to take advantage of cooler temperatures while hiking and to utilize the best light for photographing. Even after a day of strenuous activity, I find it tough to go to bed. Since it's always light, my brain doesn't tell my body to sleep. I'm not alone. The caribou are always on the move. The white-crowned sparrows sing at any given hour, and kittiwakes fly up and down the creek around the clock searching for a meal. There is a sense of urgency here to give birth, rear the young and fatten up for the long harsh winter. Even the plants burst into bloom all at once. Think of it as a 24-hour spectacle of life. If I go to sleep, I might miss it.


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