Feeling at Home in Homer

Kachemak Bay

The last time we visited the Kenai Peninsula we stayed in Seward and never saw the sun once. So much rain you really could not do anything. We wanted to get to dry land and skipped going to Homer.  This time it was our destination.  We left Portage on a bright sunny day, turns out half  of Anchorage was doing the same.   It was high season for salmon dip net fishing along the Russian and Kenai rivers.  The towns of Seldotna and Kenai were crazy and packed with fisher people.  We were having serious doubts about going to Homer.  I am happy we persevered, once we made it through Seldotna the traffic thinned out. We made it to the Baycrest RV Park with a sigh of breathtaking views.  We went back and forth on whether we should stay on the “Spit” or up on the bluff.  We chose the bluff and we were very happy we did.   The Spit can be exciting but it is also lot more crowded.   The pier is busy with lots of fishing charters, after all Homer is noted for its halibut fishing.  Jack and I felt at times that we were the only two folks in the state of Alaska that did not fish.

Out the back Window!

We spent the next week enjoying the view and area.  I literally looked out the back window to this view every day. We had a pair of eagles that put on a show for us every day over the rv park.  It was fun to watch them swoop and soar. One night the sun was setting as the blue moon was rising.  Magnificent! We explored the town one day doing all the touristy things on the Spit.We took a few hikes and drives in the area, enjoyed the beaches and local cuisine.  

Boat Harbor on the Spit

One drive was to Anchor Point. It boasts as being the most westerly point in the US that you can drive.   There is a state park that is right on the beach, it had a few sites big enough for an RV but it is dry camping.  Still it would be fun for a night or two.  A lot of the locals fish from this area bringing their boats even thou there is no pier.   A big tractor launches the boats and later pulls them back to shore.  It was a hoot to watch!

Oh, and one more thing. Let’s not forget why Alaska has so many mountains.  It sits on that hot bed of volcanic energy known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.  Jack and I experienced firsthand what that means, we were in Homer when an earthquake of 6.2 magnitudes on the Richter scale hit!  I was taking a yoga class when we felt the whole building shake!  A reminder of the power of Mother Nature and yoga! We had one last campfire and glass of wine watching the sun setting on the mountains across the Kachemak Bay on the Cook Inlet. Tomorrow was moving day,  it was time to head to our next destination Valdez.  Sigh, it was hard to leave.

 

Looking down at the Spit from the mainland shore.