ALASKA/CALGARY 2012: Day 37: Travel to Homer, Alaska

Anchorage to Homer, Alaska. 227 miles.

Light rain started the day as you can see from the raindrops on the windshield but the scenery was still spectacular

Leaving Anchorage in the rain

Anchorage was a much larger city than I expected. The population is approx. 260000 but the area it covers is very large. Stopping at Potters Marsh, which is 15 miles from the campground, to see if much waterfowl were present and only a few ducks were but the picture shows all the housing in the surrounding mountainside.

Boardwalk of Potters Marsh

Continuing up Turnagain Arm provided more wonderful scenes of the mountain and the inlet. A surprising fact on one of the information boards was that the Arm was made much larger in 1964 from very strong earthquake that caused the floor to fall 8-9 feet. The town of Girdwood had to be moved to higher ground and Portage was abandoned.

Turagain Arm

Another view of Turagain Arm

Beluga Point did not produce any whale sightings. I was surprised at how muddy the waters were.

Continuing past the Portage Glacier and Whitter area and on into the Kenai Peninsula was also very mountainous, until the Kenai River area where all the fishing was taking place and the landscape became rolling woodlands.

Portage Glacier

Woodlands near the Kenai River area

There were a couple interesting stops before reaching Homer. One was a wood carvers shop. He was carving an Eagle for a local man who had a Log Cabin (9000 sq ft) overlooking the Kenai Valley.

Carved Eagle

The bowl in front was to sit on top a 30 ft pole in the Great Room with a nest built on it and 2 chicks in the nest and the eagle sitting on a branch feeding them. He has approx. 8 hours into what you see so far with the rest to take 4-5 days more. Total contract price for this amazing feat, a mere $2500.

The other interesting stop was the Greek Orthodox Church at Ninilchik. The Church is 110 years old and the town looked that old too.

Greek Orthodox Church in Ninilchik, Alaska

Inside the Greek Orthodox Church

The small town of Ninilchik, Alaska

Another interesting observation was the Fireweed. The further south we go, the more it was still in bloom. Maybe we’ll get thru this tour before we are snowed on.