K: Seward to Homer

Homer is at the south-western end of State Highway 1 as it runs down the west side of the Kenai peninsula.    The year-around population is listed as 5003.  It claims the title of The Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.  It is not a seaport, but has a ferry that makes regular deliveries by sea.  In addition to a conventional airport, there are a large number of pontoon planes that are used for personal transportation, wildlife tours, and fly-ins for inland fishing expeditions.

Homer is on a bluff with homes extending up the hill behind town.  These homes overlook the spit of land that separates the seaward Cook Inlet from Kachemak Bay.  The RV Park where we stayed is on this spit, just beyond (to the left of) the pool at the right edge of this shot.

K1-D3516 the spit of land, showing our RV

Our RV is one of the two dark ones just above the ferry pool and facing the bay to the left.   Below is a view of Kachemak bay taken out the front window of our rig.

 K2-D3518 View of Kachemak Bay, out the front window of our RV

There are 24 rigs in our caravan.  However Susie was particularly smitten by the little blue RV that has been rehabilitated and permanently sits overlooking the boats in the marina

K3-i2510 -Susie's blue rehab RV permanently parked above the marina

Eagles are prominent in Homer.  Eagle pairs have 3-nests inside the town limits.  One of the nests is shown below with a young one waiting for attention

K4-D3512: Baby in the 200-pound birds-nest

Either Dad or Mom (generally the larger of the life-mates) are never far away from the nest between feedings.

K5-D3520.  Dad watches while Mom takes a turn at fishing.

Eagles do not swim like seagulls, so they generally perch on trees along the shoreline to look for likely prey before taking flight.  Since the spit is tree-less, they adapt.

K6a-EaglePerches.png-Seen just above the Prius and RV Door

Eagles are the dominant fish hunters along the shoreline. But, when the Salmon are running…

K6b-D3526: Human fishers of Man-Made Tide-Pool (one of the hatchery release points)

Homer is widely known for Halibut fishing: both commercial and sport fishermen abound nearly  year-round here. 

K7-D3522: Marina on the Spit: Sport and Commercial boats.

Fishing in Homer has popular for a long time.  Susie loved the cut of this old tender, up on blocks.  Tenders anchor near the fishing fleet to allow the fishermen  to sell and off-load their catch without making the long journey back to port - losing much precious time in the short, day-by-day windows open to them for fishing.

 K8-i2508 Susie's Ancient Mariner - Tender becomes tinder

Norman Lowell's gallery is just north of town.  The gallery has OUTSTANDING oils and prints and statuary; mostly his own work (many with poems to accompany) but he includes a feast of other significant local artists.  Lowell does pastels, oils and watercolors from six-inches on a side to 20-foot high scenes of Alaskan mountains.  Prints run from $250 up.  Two of his smaller works we loved were of a grounded boat with amazing contrast in lighting

K9a-i3628 boat on shore (not his title)

And, of the indigenous Fireweed as it changes from brilliant magenta to white - two to three weeks before the first snow according to lore.

K9b-i3624 End of Summer Fireweed (not his title)

The above are of course printed with out copyright release.

Loveable Bumper Sticker from Homer:  "If Fishing was easy, they'd call it Catching".  But, of course, fishing in Homer is just luggin'em in.

Trip Miles: 2933-3100