Homer AK

We have been in Homer the last few days after driving from Seward on Friday. We are staying on the Homer Spit, which is a long narrow peninsula sticking out into Cook's Outlet @ three miles.  The RV park has water front sites.

View from our front window, low tide.

Views from out site are amazing with both mountain and ocean views. It has been very interesting watching the tide come in and go out. There is an @ 18 to 19 ft difference between high and low tide.

 

High tide

The general consensus among out fellow travelers is that we would like to stay for another week.

That is not going to happen so we will enjoy Homer while were here.

If there is a downside it has been very winding in the afternoons making it difficult to sit outside.

The highlight of our stay in Homer for me was the Halibut Charter that we took on Saturday. Thirteen of  out fellow travelers got up very early in the morning to go far out to sea to fish for the crafty and somewhat elusive sport fish. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

We did get up early and all loaded on to @ 50 ft charter boat.

As we left the harbor and headed out into Cook's outlet there was a sea running of four to five feet. The wind was blowing in the opposite direction of the running sea making for uncomfortable conditions. The further out we went the bigger the seas got. It wasn't long before we had several members of out party got sea sick and were at the sides of the boat.

It was an hour ride to the fishing grounds and by the time we got there six of our people were sick.

The crew of the boat had everything prepared and after they dropped the anchor gave us a quick instructions for fishing for Halibut. 

The short stiff rods were set up with a 2 lb weight and a length of 12 to 14 inch  leader with cut hearing on a rather large hook. We were to drop the weight all the way to the bottom (@ 220 ft) and when we felt a fish on reel it in.

I was one of the healthy ones so I was handed the first rod, dropping the weight all the way to the bottom it wasn't five minutes and I felt a pull on the line. Reel, reel, reel reel, reel, 220 ft from the bottom was a long way. Boom first fish in the boat. It was a thirtytwo inch halibut a good one in the box.

I was setup with another rod and down to the bottom the weight and the bait went. Ten minute later I felt a pull, Fish on! Reel, reel, reel, reel reel, 220 ft from the bottom is a long way. Boom second fish in the boat, this one is a little smaller @ 26 inches. It was just after 8:00 am and I had got my limit. There was a tow fish limit, one larger that 30 inches and on smaller that 30 inches. My day was done or so I thought.

The sea conditions were still uncomfortable and a number of people were unable to hold or watch a rod. The crew was putting out lines for everyone on board and asked if I could keep an eye on several lines and help some of the less skilled fisherman. That was right in my wheelhouse.

Over the next few hours I hooked up eight or ten fish and handed the rods off to people who were sick or coming back from being sick,  I even hooked up a few fish for people who had not made there limit and had them land the fish.

Toward midday the wind dropped and the sea flattened out, many that had been sick were recovered or recovering.

There were 14 of of us on the trip with a two fish limit per person we were able to boat 28 fish.

Beth and I had fresh caught halibut for dinner, a fitting end to a really good day!

Sunday night we're having a halibut feed. Each of the fisher persons donated a couple of filets and everyone is bringing a dish to pass. Wooo Hooo more Halibut!

Tomorrow (Monday) we head for Anchorage.

I still have some stories from Valdez and Seward that I need to catch up on, stay tuned.