Alaska by Land for 7 Days – 1- August 2016

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Alaska by Land for 7 Days – 1- August 2016



DAY 1: Monday - Seward/Homer



Our Norwegian Cruise Line Tour Director greeted us in Seward upon debarkation of the Norwegian Sun.



We boarded our deluxe motorcoach for our journey through the Kenai Peninsula where Alaskan’s go to play! In dramatic fashion, and despite the rain, we saw where mountains met the sea.



We stopped several times including at the Spike River where fishermen call this area home from May to September.



As we continued through the mountains of the Kenai Peninsula down the coast, we enjoyed the spectacular views of Kachemak Bay, and the Kenai Mountains. Near the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula we arrived at the town of Homer, an authentic Alaskan community not geared toward mass tourism often described as “where the land ends and the sea begins.”



Homer has a history steeped in commercial fishing and a mild climate moderated by the Pacific Ocean. This results in warmer winters and cooler summers compared to other areas of Alaska. Homer is also famous for the Homer Spit, a 4.5-mile-long natural spit of land extending into Kachemak Bay, which we explore during the day.



Upon our arrival in Homer, we visited the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center – our window to the largest seabird refuge in the world with all the natural wonders of Kachemak Bay right outside its doors. The Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center is a partnership between the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, dedicated to understanding and conserving the marine environment. We enjoy the modern displays, movies and information throughout as the Centre took us on an incredible journey through this rough and rugged land. One of the movies was the role of Homer and all the islands to the west of the town, during WW2. Japanese occupied several of the islands for strategic reasons.



We stayed in Homer for 2 nights.



The first night was showering with rain so we ate in the pub (which had a fun atmosphere) for dinner. We were certainly seeing lots of fish on menus which we enjoyed.

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