Homer Alaska

Tuesday July 31st 2012

Homer is located at the end of the Kenai Peninsula on the north shore of Kachemak Bay. Kachemak, the Russian name for the bay, means high cliffs on the water.  It is known as the Halibut fishing capital of the world.

Jutting out for 4 miles from the Homer shore is the Homer Spit, a long narrow bar of gravel.   The spit had had quite a history, and is the center of activity for the town.  In 1964 after the earthquake, the Spit sank 4 to 6 feet, several building had to be moved to higher ground.  After the earthquake very little vegetation was able to grow.

The harbor is a deep water port and is home to the Alaskan Marine Highway ferry MV Tustumena.  Many cruise ships also dock here.

We camped on the Spit at a city campground $15.00 a night no hookups, but we were on the water with the waves lapping at our door. 

  

   

A $10.00 site with a million dollar view.  The sunset was amazing.

We have friends that had been in Homer for a family reunion, Mike gave them a call in the morning and they joined us on the beach for a couple of days.  We meet them in 2008 in Arizona and have run into them many times since, the last being this past winter in Quartzsite AZ, for a reunion for the class of 2007.

Cathy and Leland

 

We stopped and watched the horses for a couple of minutes, and driving back out to the spit Mike spotted a eagle on a pole.

  

Homer also has the small boat harbor, were we spent a lot of our time wandering around.  If you watch The Deadliest Catch Homer is the home to, the Time Bandit.  The Time Bandit is one the commercial fishing boats featured on the show.

 

 

Seafarer’s Memorial, a monument to those who have been lost at sea.

 

Originally built in 1897, the Salty Dawg Saloon Bar and Pub is one of Homer’s more historical and recognizable landmarks.  We just had to stop for a drink.  Another place were they staple dollar bills on every conceivable surface.

  

Mike had to do his bartender thing again.  I had a glacier martini, not being a martini drinker it was pretty bad, but I drank the whole thing. 

 

Some pretty big buoys.

  

The town is full of some very unique buildings and other livable places.  I met the women that lives in the RV.  Her and her husband b;built is about 18 years ago and live in full time in Alaska, they do move it off the beach to inland property in the winter. 

Another day of fun.