Hermosa Celebrates the Summer Solstice

As the earth tilted on its axis toward the sun, some Hermosa Beach residents spent Monday's  Summer Solstice at the pier.

The official kickoff to the summer season, the solstice is the day when the sun  reaches its highest point in the sky, thus producing the longest period of sunlight of any day all year. 

Roger Sheperd and his wife and a colleague decided to take part of the day off work to walk along the pier, although only Roger knew the day's significance.

"Maybe I'll take my kids out to the backyard today," he said as the three cooled off with some frozen yogurt.

Similarly, Hermosa Beach resident Jeff, who refused to give his last name, took his teenage daughter to the Strand for a bike ride.

"I knew the solstice was today but didn't plan my day around it," he said. "It just so happens it's sunny out."

For Alaska transplant Sven Holmberg, the solstice makes him think of "the Last Frontier."

"There's almost no dark on that day so we would go all out," said Holmberg, who now lives in Torrance, as he strolled along Hermosa Avenue.

He explained that because Alaska sits near the North Pole, residents experience six months of extreme darkness and then six months of extreme sunlight.

Instead of barhopping, which is how many Alaskans celebrate the solstice, Holmberg said his California solstice would consist of "pulling out the salmon and moose from the freezer" to remind him of home.

It's not quite Alaska standards, but the sun isn't expected to set in Hermosa until  8:08 p.m.