Seldovia and Stuff

Mom holding her baby.  How cute!

Puffins are cute!

Today's trip is a 2 1/2 hour boat ride to Seldovia, population of 255.  It's not an island, but there's no road system connecting the town, so it's only reachable by water or air.  As we cruise along Kachemak Bay we drift around Gull Island.  The captain points out seven different kinds of birds, including puffins, but our stop also attracts many flies to the boat.  Apparently on windy days they stick to the rock, but today is pretty calm. This is good for the boat ride, but not for bugs.  The attendants are ready with fly swatters and spend most of the next 30 minutes trying to brush the flies away from the walls.  They are only minimally successful.  

We also see many otters during the voyage, which is fun, because we didn't glimpse any while kayaking. 

I think this guy is listening to his team's football game.

They just scored a touchdown!

We even see a raft of dozens of otters.

Have to try some of the scenic shots...

Here we are - Homer to Seldovia.

Seldovia Slough (river inlet)

We're able to see an eagle as we reach the docks, but we don't get a good picture.  The town is very small.  We have lunch at Tide Pool Cafe. (Some items on the menu aren't available, because the boat didn't deliver the groceries.  It's a typical Alaska situation!)  It only takes us about ten minutes to walk through town. It's fun seeing all the cabin houses.


 

I don't think the owners like otters -
that's what is inside the beluga whale's
mouth! (Or they just have a weird
sense of humor?)

There's a little park, too - I wonder if the
developers planned for it to be multi-levels?  The
kids getting out of school use it that way.

Here we all are on the eagle bench!

It needs to have netting around it to really look authentic.

We stop in the Seldovia Museum and Welcome Center, and I see a Japanese glass net float. Apparently, the ocean currents cause them to end up in Alaska.  I see them for sale in several gift shops in the Homer area - for much more than what they cost at the antique markets in Japan!

We finish off the afternoon at the ice cream shop, then walk back to the boat for the two hour ride home.  Along the way we see some humpback whales.  There's a breach, but we're too far away to get a great picture, though Steve manages to get a shot of him out of the water.

That's actually half the whale out of the water.

The more common picture - the blowhole spout.

When we return home Mom cooks halibut dinner for us, with her homemade breading. Yum!

Pretty flowers to brighten up the cabin!

Our next day is more of a catch up day.  We do laundry (the Homer Washboard is nice).  We return to the Farmer's Market (conveniently located across the street from the Washboard).  I buy fresh flowers for our cabin.  Homer is known as the peony capital of the world, along with being the Halibut Capital.  Who knew?   We also pick up popcorn and baked goodies from the middle schoolers trying to raise money to go to Washington DC.  

We finish the day by eating dinner at AJ's Steakhouse, a recommendation from the manager of the cabins.  It's an excellent steak, and the pretzel bread is very good.  The wine prices are not marked up a lot - very similar to what you'd spend at a wine store.  It's good to have a US style steak again!  Unfortunately, I'm too busy eating to remember to take pictures. 

Back at the cabin, the sky looks pretty, so I try more pictures from our "backyard."

First I look towards the campground my parents are staying at...

...then across the bay.

The next morning I look out...wait, what view?!?