More on the Kenai Peninsula, and Valdez

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Arriving in Homer is a spectacular sight to behold and no picture can do it justice. The land mass that projects 5 miles into the Kachemak Bay is called the “Spit,” and Homer is known as “the end of the road.” It is also known as the Halibut Fishing Capital of the World, although there are also a variety of salmon and other fish.

Again, we were not in the right place at the time the Chinook and the reds were running. However, we did have success catching Halibut from a charter. We caught 6 fish together and could keep 2 each. It was filleted by the staff before we docked back in Homer, and then vacuum packed and flash frozen and stored until we were ready to send it home, which we did. Thanks to the kids for storing it for us! We will share!

We dry camped again right on the water in the city campground with the best views in town. We’re getting good at making do without utilities. Our park was located right next to the “fishing hole,” a manmade lake where fish come in with the tide but cannot get back into the bay. Easy fishing for some, not us. The weather was cool and windy so we did not spend lots of time there.

We also took an all day guided kayak trip around several islands in the bay. We watched the antics of 5 sea otters. They are a hoot, traveling on the water on their backs with their head out of water (to watch out for predators, I would guess.) There were a variety of sea birds as well, including tufted puffins, the cutest darn birds. And they can dive down 400 feet! Our guide, Scott, was well informed about the geology and wildlife of the area and had the enthusiasm to match. He is a fifth grade teacher in Washington and will be married in December. Thanks, Scott, for a great time.

We hired a water taxi to take us and Harley to Kachemak Bay State Park, an island across the bay from Homer. With bear spray in hand we hiked to a glacier, our lead dog sniffing the way. It was drop down gorgeous, better then the photo, and there were no other humans. This aloneness with nature will be one outstanding memory of Alaska.

Allison, our water taxi driver, started coming to Alaska from Vermont during the summers in college, and finally just stayed. She started the kayaking business with garage sale kayaks and True North Kayaking Adventures has evolved into a well respected touring business. Alaskans appear to be optimistic folks and seem to love living here, even having multiple jobs to make a living.
We finished the day at the Salty Dawg Saloon. We also visited the impressive Pratt Museum and watched puffins and other birds live on Gull Island. Quite an interesting museum for a small town.

Travelling companions, Bill and Cindy Tyner, left us here to get an early start on returning back to Montana. We wished each other safe travels and celebrated good travels together.

Then back to Anchorage and hookups to do laundry and cleanup, get our generator oil changed and stock up on groceries. We got to see Michigan friends Bob and Anita Thomas again. They have a gold claim in Hope, AK and Bob spends his off time getting ready to dredge. It sounds like hard work, but the payoff can be very good!

We took the Glenn Highway east and were struck with the lovely Matanuska River and Glacier, and the Chugach Mountains. The black spruce was stunted and crooked so unlike Michigan. We stopped at a turnout at Copper Center on our way down the Richardson Highway to Valdez.

On to Valdez, dubbed “Alaska’s Little Switzerland” for the spectacular snow-capped mountains on the edge of Prince William Sounds. The town can have over 300 inches (over 25 feet) of snow in the winter!! The city served as the starting point for gold seekers during the 1989 gold rush and marks the end of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska oil pipeline. There are 18 crude oil storage tanks at the terminal and we saw tankers daily carring crude to the oil refineries in the Lower 48. (If only we kept that oil in the US.) The effects of the Exxon oil spill in 1989 are still being felt in marine life recovery.

The Valdez museum showed the devastation of the 1964 earthquake, which destroyed the entire town. It was moved to its current location about 4 miles away.

There we reconnected with friends we had met along the Alaska Highway, Jeff and Wendy Bailey, and are now traveling with them back to Tok, AK. They are hikers so we have several hikes planned in mountains off the main roads.

We are planning for “re-entry” and while it will be sad to leave here, we need to see our kids and grands and friends. We are sooo far from home. But then we have more trips and Habitat builds to look forward to. So life is good and well balanced.

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