Homer, AK - On the Spit

We drove to Homer today, one of the furthest south towns on the Kenai Peninsula. But, first we stopped in Anchor Point, population 2002, the home of the most westerly Highway in North America. At least this sign tells us that.

It was originally named Laida by Captain James Cook in the summer of 1778 when he and his crew, aboard the Resolution, sailed into the inlet here looking for the Northwest Passage. However, they tossed the anchor overboard to moor awhile and - lost it. Thus this area is now called Anchor Point.

In Kenai, where we saw the dipnetting a few days ago, there are strick rules about disposal of fish. You must pick up after yourself - no fish parts left on the beach. And, the beach was clean.

Here, there were no such rules or, someone was disobeying them because we found lots of rotted skeletons on the beach. Yecch- makes a tourist want to stay awhile, right? Nope. And, the stench? But we did stay long enough to see this little scene. The eagle looks as if he’s wondering why he’s surrounded by all these little white things. Ah, well.

Finally, he decided that he was better than this and flew away.

We also saw how they hoped to hold their beach and road in place. Old driftwood tree root systems as the beach wall. Great use of natural materials.

We did enjoy the view.

Here they also used tractors to launch and retrieve fishing boats along the beach as they do in Ninilchik.

Off to Homer where we arrived, hooked up and headed into town. As we curved around the bay and descended into town we saw this panorams sweeping in front of us.

Then the Homer Spit came into view. Spit? What in the world? Well, here’s a peek at it from what is called the Skyline Road, way above the town and harbor with a cruise ship coming in to dock.

The Spit is that long streak of land jutting out into what is called Kachemak Bay. It’s truly a tourist trap with shoppes, restaurants and fishing. Tourists swarm here, walking up and down the Spit looking for the perfect marine wind chime, the perfect meal of fish and chips and the perfect 300-lb halibut. But I liked the marina with its 700 boats. What better place to walk. I could listen to the cries of sea gulls and the ringing of lines against masts all day. Add to that the sights of boats tooling around the harbor, Just let me sit on the bench near a marina and I’m a happy person.

The first thing we did was walk by the Fisherman’s Memorial and pay our respects those who had died at sea.



We then walked out to Land’s End - the end of the Spit but actually the name of an Inn at the end of the Spit.

As we were walking back to the shop area, we saw this condo complex, right on the water. Nice complex but I want to call your attention to the dish on the left. Look at the direction it’s pointing: level with the earth. Can’t point at the sky since the satellites are so far south.

There are lots of commercial fisherment and lots of charter boats around here. That means that lots of fish have to be cut up: for local restaurants, for packaging and mailing home or for the happy fisherman to take home to eat. There are several places to do this. The woman on the left is cutting the meat off the fish while the other two cut it up into chunks and bag it.

What a sight. Lots of these tables around the marina.

Back at the RV, we went out back and had this view of the bay.

And, then at 10:19, I took a picture of the sun, still high in the sky reflected in the window of our RV. We like to see sunsets but these are way too late for us.