Homer and Soldotna

Homer August 7^th and 8^th

We left the Russian River and headed across the Sterling Highway into Soldotna on our way down to Homer. We thought we might stay there before heading south, but decided instead to continue on towards Homer. The weather has been cool and wet most of the time with moments of brilliant sunshine and blue skies. For these two days, however, we had nothing but “liquid sunshine.” We stayed at Anchor Point about 15 miles north of Homer after checking out Ninilchik and Deep Creek. Really nice campground just up from the beach. This is the western most highway point in North America.

The tides are huge here…20 feet more or less. In order to launch boats, they attach the boat trailer to a high wheeled tractor that tows it all the way out to deeper waters.   Four wheel drive vehicles also drive on the beaches at low tide.

We explored Homer and went to the “Spit” where lots of people camp and fish in the harbor. It was just not our style as it was a gravel parking lot setting and close quarters. But, the fish were really jumping in the "fishing hole" by the harbor.

The views that were supposed to be spectacular across the Cook Outlet of the “Four Sleeping Giants” were non-existent for the fog and rain. We know we missed a great opportunity to see Mount Iliamna, Mount Redoubt, Mount Spurr and St. Augustine which are four volcanoes that are part of the Aleutian Mountain Range. The visitor magazine states that these four plus others “stretch all the way from New Zealand, along the eastern edge of Asia, north across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and south along the coast of North and South America.”  One of the old timers that we met fishing off a bridge referenced three of them as the I R S that he sees from his senior housing in Kenai.

Soldotna August 9^th and 10^th

The weather being uncooperative in Homer, we headed back up to Soldotna and stayed there for two days while we toured the area including Kenai and Old Kenai. It cleared enough for us to see some of the Aleutian Island across the Cook Inlet at Kenai, but we're not sure if they were the Sleeping Giants or not. Maybe they were the I R S! Beautiful none the less.

Fishing and checking cell phone messages

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Low Tide

Aleutian Mountain Range

Old Kenai

Fishing Platform in Soldotna on Kenai River

Old Kenai is an original Russian village situated on the shore currently under renovation and restoration.

 Being our anniversary on the 10^th , we splurged and ate dinner out at the St. Elias Brewery. Tim fished in the Kenai River behind the Visitor Center and caught 2 pink salmon and 1 rainbow trout. The trout was too big to keep..too bad. We also had the RV serviced and, at 70,000 miles, it needed new rear brakes..expensive stop.