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Published: August 27th 2007
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Summer beach wear
This was taken on Homer Spit. We did see people in less clothes, but not by much. Kenai Peninsula July 23-Aug 8
This blog is posted out of order.
Bird Creek
We stayed at a state park on the Turnagain Arm of the Cook inlet. We could walk up to Bird Creek and watch the people fishing for salmon. That was interesting to watch, but less tightly packed than we had thought combat fishing would be.
My fascination with the tides continues and here there are mud flats that can be deadly. When the tide is low it exposes large expanses of silty mud that appears to be an interesting place to walk. Unfortunately it is a dangerous place to walk and there are warnings to keep people off. Apparently the solid surface can turn quickly into quicksand. It is difficult for rescuers to get safely out to attempt a rescue. If they are not able to get the person unstuck from the quicksand, then the person drowns as the 20 foot tide comes back in to fill the inlet.
Girwood
This is a small town near Bird Creek. It is inland and a ski area. We were in search of some good soup, as I was still recovering from my cold. We ate at
the Bakery Café which was an interesting small restaurant. They had tons of flowers outside and good food inside. Their soup was filled with veggies and was exactly what I needed.
Soldotna
We stopped here on the way down the Kenai and on our way back. It was busier our first time through with more people arriving for the salmon fishing. Actually it was crazy our first time through with people either descending on the town for fishing or stocking up on their way down the Kenai. We stayed in the Fred Myers parking lot and it was packed with both people doing their shopping and people spending the night. Not only are they RV friendly for spending the night camping in their parking lot, but they also have a dump and potable water.
We drove around town to see people fishing in The Kenai River by the Visitor’s Center. The walkways along the river had to be replaced this year due to having been damaged during the winter. I don’t fish, so I was surprised to see someone clubbing a salmon once they had reeled it in. It was determined to get back in the water and
Hommer Spit
Upside down trees make good places for big birds to nest. the person was determined that it wasn’t going to be successful.
Also we drove up to the town of Kenai. Part of the history of this town was that in 1791 it became the second permanent Russian settlement in Alaska. There is still evidence of the Russian history with the architecture of the Russian Orthodox Church. Even though I know the US bought Alaska from Russia, I was surprised that I didn’t expect to see that influence in the culture. As our trip progressed I became less surprised when I encountered Russian style buildings, dolls, culture, etc.
The rules and regulations for fishing are complex and can change mid-season depending on how many fish are making it up the rivers. Alaskan residents can use a certain circumference net to “dip” for salmon at certain times and locations. We saw this by Kenai. The people that were there were well equipped and organized to make the most of this opportunity.
Homer Spit
We stayed five nights at a city campground out on The Spit. We were by The Fishing Hole and had a great spot facing Kachemak Bay. My fascination with the tides continues and we have lots
Hommer Spit
This is a picture of the beach. of pictures to prove it! We enjoyed dinners of halibut and salmon, including some fresh caught red salmon that was given to us by a neighbor. We spent lots of time taking walks and watching people fish.
In Homer we went to the Pratt Museum. It had great displays, but what we found most fascinating was the live video streaming from various locations. The grizzly cam was operational and there was a Ranger who operated the camera remotely to pan the area or zoom in on the bears. I did report on this in an earlier blog about the McNeil River Bears and the National Geographic website. I’ve checked out the website and viewed some of the highlights that can also be accessed. Apparently once the big grizzlies move on to other feeding areas, then the females and the cubs appear at the river.
At the Pratt Museum the gull colony camera was not working that day, but we still enjoyed the displays. Across the parking lot from the museum is a homesteaders cabin. The day that we visited, a woman who actually homesteaded in the area was in the cabin to answer questions and talk about that
Minus 3 tide by Ninilchik
Our RV is probably behind the trees on the left. We had a great view of the tides. era of her life.
The Alaska Islands and Visitor’s Center is in Homer. There is a lot to see there, but what first comes to mind is the room that is like being in a seabird colony. There is video and sounds of birds all around when in that room.
George enjoyed the beer from the Homer Brewing Company. He even bought a hat and t-shirt to remind him of the great growlers of IPA and Scottish Red Knot Ale. He did visit the famous Salty Dawg Saloon also.
Ninilchik
We camped on the beach at Ninilchik Beach State Recreation Site. It was dry camping for $10/night and had a great view of the Cook Inlet. In the morning there was a negative 3 tide, so lots of people showed up to go clamming. We had never seen clamming before, so it was fascinating to watch people arrive with their buckets, hole diggers, boots and gloves. As people returned to their vehicles, we could see that many had sleeves that were dirty all the way up to their shoulder.
This is another town that was settled by Russians in the 1820’s. We walked up the hill
Ninilchik church
George lost his phone near here. We didn't know it was missing until I got a phone call from Mark in Michigan. Someone had found it and called people in the contact list. Mark called me, then I called George's phone. It was great because the person who found it was going to be in Soldotna later that day. That's where we had stopped to do some grocery shopping, so we just spent some extra time there to reconnect with George's phone. I'm listed in the contact list as Ice Lynne (in case of emergency), but the person must have thought ice referred to something else. to view the Old Russian Church. There was a narrow path that led up the hill from behind the Village Cache. It was a scenic walk looking down onto the town and the water.
Seward
We dry camped 4 nights at the Seward City Campground on the waterfront. We had a site that was right on the water and through our front window we had a great view of Resurrection Bay. The weather since arriving in Seward has been in the mid 50’s and damp. It rained in the night and morning and then drizzled off and on during the day. This is supposed to be a very beautiful area surrounded by mountains, but they remained hidden until our very last day. They were spectacular and we were glad they revealed themselves before we needed to head north.
The Alaska Sea Life Center is Seward was a great way to spend and afternoon. We enjoyed watching the Puffins and other birds, both above and below the water. They look like they are flying when they are swimming under water. Also it was fascinating to watch a harbor seal do self designed laps underwater. Part of the mission
Soldotna
The Visitor's Center. of The Sea Life Center is to rehab birds and animals and return them to the wild, if possible. If I lived here I would have an annual pass and spend a lot of time during the winter, being entertained by the birds.
The Seward Museum is in the same building as The Senior Center. The Museum covers the early years, natives, the Iditarod, the 1964 Good Friday earth quake, and assorted local information. We both enjoyed this museum. It was big enough to enjoy, but not over-whelming.
Hobo Jim performs at the Yukon bar on Sunday nights here. We had seen him perform at The Wildberry Theater in Anchorage. His performance at the Yukon bar was more free and uncensored. We enjoyed both performances, but the one at the Yukon bar was longer and more entertaining.
We took a Ranger hike at Exit Glacier. She grew up in the area and was very informative. All walks start with info on wildlife encounters. On her belt she had both bear spray and a marine horn and talked about the pros and cons of each. She showed us various signs where the moose had been grazing along the
Puffin
At the Alaska Sea Life Center is Seward. trail we were hiking. She reinforced what we’ve heard before, that more people die from moose encounters than bear encounters. She did clarify it for us. Moose don’t fake charge and they will trample what ever is in their way. They weigh up to 1600 pounds and can do serious damage with their hooves. She has had to get an object between her and a moose in the past. The tree she used worked just fine, as the moose kept trying to get to her until it finally gave up and left.
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