A Walk in the Rainforest

The sun doesn’t touch me as I step under the canopy.

The sound of rocks crunching beneath my feet fills my ears with every step I take.

I look into the trees staring at me , but I am not able to stare back.

My skin is moist, but I am not hot.

The higher up I go, the less I see of where I was before.

I see a mighty creature watching me, to ensure I do not over stay.

I wanted to do something different with today’s post. Currently, I am reading “How to Write Like a Writer” by Thomas C. Foster. I write a lot. From emails, to notifications to parents, and on social media. I write a short essay at least once a day. I figured since I write often, I should read about how to be better at it. One of the chapters I read last night was about storytelling. I do tell stories about different topics. From the different places I have visited to my life as an educator. I use this platform to share many of my life’s experiences. Since I share here often, I figured I should learn how to be better at it. That’s why I made today’s post. I wanted to tell the story about when we visited a rainforest. I wanted to try and give you the reader the feeling as if you were actually there with me. I hope I pulled it off.

You might be thinking by what I just wrote, that I was walking around the jungles of South America. I was actually in Alaska. I captured these photos and many more when we visited Icy Strait Point. When we planned the trip, I didn’t realize I would be visiting a rainforest. Alaska is home to the largest temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass National Forest. This vast rainforest stretches along the coast of Southeast and Southcentral Alaska. It receives significant rainfall and boasts a unique, mild climate compared to other parts of the state. On average, the area gets around 200 inches of rain per year. Compare that to where I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, which gets 42 inches of rain a year. This area is home to the Sitka spruce trees that can grow over 200 feet tall. The rainforest supports a wide array of wildlife. These include brown bears, wolves, salmon, and bald eagles.