The God-Eye Vortex

It was 12:20 a.m., and after a long week of late nights and stressful days my body was pleading for a warm bed and a soft pillow. But instead I got into my car and drove with a friend out to the end of the road. There had been some buzz about auroral activity in the area and despite my exhaustion I didn't want to miss an opportunity to see one of nature's most spectacular displays. I was not disappointed.

When we first reached the pull off the lights were visible, but They were faint and distant. After just a few minutes the glow started spiking and dancing, getting brighter, bigger, and much more vivid. Hues of red and pink appeared in some spots. It pulsed and moved like the flicker of a candle flame. You can see beautiful photographs of the aurora borealis that display their colors better than even the human eye can observe, but to actually see and experience them in person is a life changing experience. To watch the sky come alive with colorful pulsating lights dancing in a sea of stars, to see the calm water reflecting their beauty and the snow capped mountains basking in their splendor is both empowering and humbling.

The longer we stood out there in the cold night watching the dancing lights, the more they grew, spreading green and pink flames across the whole night sky. At one point the lights created a focal point directly above us, swirling into shapes above our heads. I craned my neck to watch an eye-shaped display and it felt like looking into the eye of God. While I don't consider myself a religious person, I do believe in a higher power, and nothing makes me feel more connected to that than being in nature. Staring into the God-Eye Vortex, I felt my cold limbs go still and the knots of tension throughout my body relax into a state of euphoric awe.

(aurora borrealis captured last night by local photographer.)


Over the course of the past week I was starting to feel depressed and homesick. Spring has arrived back home, and my friends and family are enjoying 70 and 80 degree weather with sunshine and green grass. I miss running barefoot in the grass, but the ground here is still frozen and partially snow covered. Spring is still several weeks off, and even in the peak of summer 60 degrees is considered warm. But seeing the lights last night, reminded me of why we wanted to come here. Yes, the winters are long, there's more rain than sun, it's remote and it's far from home. But the displays of nature cannot compare to anywhere else I have lived. I have seen orcas, sea otters, sea lions, and eagles. I have climbed mountains on the brightest, greenest days, and seen spectacular views of snow covered mountains juxtaposed with the bluest waters. We're not yet a year into our tour, and there is still much to see before our adventures take us elsewhere!