Our original plan was to spend 3 nights in Valdez and then start heading back home. We liked it here so much we ended up spending 5 nights.
We couldn’t pass up our last chance for fish and chips so we had lunch at Old Town Burgers. My halibut and chips were delicious and Henry enjoyed his fish tacos.
Blondie and the salmon
We met a great group of folks on the boat yesterday who told us there was a mama bear with four cubs on the way to the fish hatchery. Of course we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see a bear so we took a drive back to the hatchery. We took Blondie down to the water and she wasn’t sure what to make of the fish.
As we drove back from the hatchery Henry spotted a black bear on our side of the road. We pulled over to the side of the road and watched the cub follow his mama back into the woods. With her cub safe and sound mama made several trips to retrieve dead fish from the creek bank to take back to the cubs. While this was all going on a Bald Eagle was preening on the top of one of the trees. After watching the bears for a long time we got ready to leave and saw a golden eagle fly overhead.
The cub followed his mama back into the woodsBlack Bear CubMama bear eating a fish on the groundMama bear looking for more fish near ValdezA Bald Eagle was pruning while we watched the mama bearMama bear carrying a fish back to her cubs
It was a great day to end our stay in Valdez. We will now begin our journey back home with one more night in Alaska before entering Canada to head south.
The day was overcast with a chance of rain but it was our last opportunity to take a cruise so off we went on the Glacier Spirit with Stan Stephens Cruises. The boat had a nice, warm comfortable cabin and plenty of viewing areas outside. We left the Valdez Harbor about noon for our 6 hour cruise.
We went out on the Glacier SpiritOne of the crab boats from “Deadliest Catch” tv showA boat heading out of the harborFoggy day for a boat ride
The scenery was breathtaking and there was plenty of wildlife. As we cruised close to shore we saw too many eagles to keep count. A pod of Dall Porpoise bow surfed for a while. They’re too fast to get a picture but beautiful to watch.
Sea Otters on Columbia Glacier tour from ValdezWe stopped to watch the sea otters on our way out into the bayWe spotted this pair of Bald Eagles as we cruised by on a wildlife and glacier cruise from ValdezHenry enjoying the view from the bow of the boatHundreds of juvenile Stellar Sea LionsPuffins on the Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez
The highlight of the day was seeing a pod of Orcas with a calf.
Pod of Orcas with calfWe finally saw Orcas!A pair of Orcas on Columbia Glacier tour from Valdez
The captain navigated through huge chunks of ice to get into Columbia Bay for a close up look at 10 mile wide Columbia Glacier.
Chunk of ice from the Columbia GlacierThe Columbia Bay was full of ice as we approached the Columbia GlacierWe were about two miles from the Columbia Glacier when I took this photoThis piece of ice from the glacier is big enough to be called an icebergA small sailboat sails around the iceA chunk of ice from the glacier
The ride back to Valdez was just as spectacular.
We saw waterfalls as we went byAn oil tanker leaving ValdezA couple of the small rocky islands we passedDo you see the profile of a face on the right side of the rock?This waterfall looks like it is coming out of the cloudsThe waterfall is actually below a glacier
Day 73: Saturday, July 27, 2013. Ninilchik, Alaska to Homer, Alaska. Baycrest RV Park Site 44. 35 miles traveled.
Delicious lunch at Captain Pattie’s on the Homer Spit
Foggy skies greeted us as we drove south to Homer, Alaska, our next destination on the Kenai Peninsula. We had chosen a campground for its spectacular views from a bluff overlooking Kachemak Bay. The fog was so thick we couldn’t see anything so we drove to the Homer spit for some lunch at Captain Pattie’s. The Homer spit is a long, narrow piece of land with several campgrounds, a small boat harbor, and many restaurants, shops, and bars. Tourists were everywhere on this Saturday afternoon and parking spaces were rare but we found a spot in front of the restaurant and enjoyed a lunch of halibut and clam chowder.
After a stop at Safeway for some much needed groceries we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying our view from the campground. Several eagles were soaring over the bluffs. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Fireweed behind our campsite made the beautiful view even betterOur campsite overlooks Kachemak BayBeautiful day in Homer, AlaskaView out our back window from Baycrest RV Park, Homer, AlaskaLoved this cloud over the waterEagle soaring overhead in Homer
Day 74: Sunday, July 28, 2013
The fog rolled in over the water early in the morning. It was eerie looking down over the fog.
Early morning fog rolling in over the waterHenry went up on the RV for a better viewWe were above the fogMore fog
After a home cooked breakfast of sourdough french toast and reindeer sausage we took a drive to Anchor Point, the western most point reached by highway in North America. We stopped at the beach to watch the tractors bring in boats from the water like in Ninilchik. It was so foggy the tractors beeped to help the boats find them.
From Anchor Point we took a drive on the North Fork Loop Road where we saw hillsides covered with fireweed and views of two volcanoes.
Anchor Point is the most westerly highway point on a continuous road system in North AmericaTractor at Anchor Point bringing in a boat in the fogBringing in another boat. It was so foggy we couldn’t even see the water.
The volcano Mount Iliamna is in the distance
We dropped Blondie off at the RV and took a drive down to the spit. We stopped at the Baycrest Overlook where we could see our campground. As we drove along the road a bald eagle was flying at eye level over the beach close to my window. He stayed beside us for a while. What a treat.
As the former owners of several boats named Salty Dawg, we had to stop at the Salty Dawg Saloon for a beer. We finished our tour of the Homer area with a stop at the small boat harbor.
View of our campground from Baycrest overlookThe sign says it all. A perfect day for a beer at the Salty Daw SaloonNo dawgs allowed at the Salty Dawg Saloon. We went in anyway.Beth at the Salty Dawg SaloonHomer small boat harborSmall boat harbor at low tide
Henry had just built a fire when Ted and Ruth Ann arrived from Ninilchik. They had been on a halibut fishing trip in the morning and were pretty exhausted after each catching their limit. We visited with them and some campers from Missouri while watching more eagles and enjoying our fabulous views.
Blondie and I started the day with our usual early morning walk by the marsh behind the campground.
The marsh behind the campgroundView of the marsh and the bluff at the mouth of Deep CreekWildflowers everywhere
Later I went for a long walk on the beach away from the campground and boat launch area. It was a beautiful day and many boats had gone out fishing. I passed by many people digging for clams, walking along the beach, or four wheeling by the water. The tide was low so there was plenty of beach.
My hope was to find flocks of eagles feasting on the fish carcasses that end up on the beach at low tide. The only birds dining on the carcasses were hundreds of gulls at waters edge. I managed to find a couple of eagles sitting tucked away high up on the bluff overlooking the water.
Lots of trailers lined up on the beachThere were trickles of water coming down the bluff by the beachThere were several downed trees at the base of the cliffRazor clam shell. Digging for these razor clams is a popular activity along the beach. People strolling along the beach at low tide with the sea gulls in the foregroundShell and rocks on the beachEagle on the bluff overlooking the waterThis eagle was hard to spot behind the grass
Later in the day Henry and I took a drive to see the Russian Orthodox church which sits on a bluff overlooking Ninilchik Village. Ninilchik was first explored and settled by Russians and there are families who have lived here for many generations. I met two women at the church who manage the gift shop and maintain all the graves. They grew up in Ninilchik together and lived with relatives in Anchorage to attend high school because at the time there was no high school in Ninilchik. They graduated together in 1950.
There was an eagle soaring over the bluff as I looked down into the village.
The Russian Orthodox Church in NinilchikGorgeous field of wildflowers across the street from the churchRussian Orthodox ChurchEagle soaring over bluff at Russian Orthadox Church in NinilchikLooking down at Ninilchik Village from the Russian Orthodox Church
We enjoyed relaxing with Ted and Ruth Ann and feasting on clam chowder that Ruth Ann made from the razor clams that Ted had dug that morning. Henry cooked hamburgers on the grill to finish up a great dinner. As we sat by a campfire after dinner we could see about 2 adult eagles and 4 or 5 young eagles soaring over the bluff by the mouth of Deep Creek.
I went to bed early and was sleeping soundly when Henry woke me up about 11:00 pm and said to come outside to look at something. I couldn’t imagine what it was but put on a jacket over my pajamas before going outside to see the most spectacular sunset I’ve ever seen. It was so out of this world I felt like I was on Mars!.
Amazing sunset after 11:00 pmMount Redoubt sunset in Ninilchik, Alaska
Our friends Ted and Ruth Ann moved from the RV park to the site next to us on the beach at the state park. While Henry took the truck to the mechanic I rode with Ruth Ann and Ted to Homer to check it out.
The last few miles into Homer are down a hill with a spectacular view of the bay and mountains with glaciers across the bay. We stopped at a couple of the city of Homer campgrounds on the famous Homer Spit and looked at the private parks there also. Ted and Ruth Ann needed to pick up their mail at the Homer Post Office and while Ted went inside I managed to get a few pictures of a mama Bald Eagle and one of her babies on their nest across the street.
Mama and baby eagles across from the Homer Post OfficeMama and Baby Eagles in Homer
We stopped on the way out of town to get gas and discovered an RV park sitting on the bluff with a spectacular view. We liked it the best of all the ones we saw.
Back at Deep Creek State Park we cooked hot dogs over a fire and took a late night walk on the beach. Life is good.
Going for a walk on the beach at 10:00 at nightThis is at 10:00 at night with a while to go before sunset
Wandering Dawgs 