Royal Princess / July 20 2024 / Semi-Live Trip Report w/ Pre Cruise AK Adventure … Let’s Go!

[Fishbone]

On 7/14/2024 at 3:09 AM, wrightkj said:

What a great day, except for the tiny end bit. I hope sleep helped heal your bruises & pride and you are up for another day's adventure. I'm really enjoying your posts!

@wrightkj

Thanks so much! Yes, a good sleep does wonders. My palms & knees are missing some skin, but i guess it could have been worse! 

[Fishbone]

On 7/14/2024 at 5:55 AM, SSAtlantic said:

You are one of the best trip writers I have read. I just went back and read your report from last year and was laughing out loud. Sorry about the covid-also had my first case after 3 years as a nurse in 2023. 
We are also a family of 3 and love traveling together. Enjoy these trips, our DD is now 24 and we are taking trips without her and missing her the whole time. 
We have cruised to Alaska 3 times with the middle one including a week road trip and would love to do it again. No fishing for us though. 
I will definitely be following along and hope you have a great trip. 

@SSAtlantic

Wow! What a nice thing to say! Thank you so much! 
 

And thank you for all you do as a nurse! 
 

I love being a trio, although it seems the world is mostly setup for two’s & four’s! 
 

My son is growing up so quickly! I can’t barely take it! Where did my little Coltie go? Sigh. 

[Fishbone]

Good morning all! Saturday’s overview is coming soon! We’re out here in the woods in the middle of nowhere w/ no internet. I can use my phone, but I write my daily reports on my laptop. As soon as my son wakes up I’ll ask him to help me establish this thing he calls Hot Spot. 

[Fishbone]

[Fishbone]

Day 3: Saturday, July 13 – En Route to Seward

 

Rise … shine … oatmeal … all that good stuff. We had a busy day ahead, so I told the guys to get to gettin’!

 

7^th & G Street Garage: The scene of the crime. When I got back to the hotel room last night, I discovered that my beloved stainless steel turtle bracelet was missing. It must have fallen off my wrist when I fell. The guys sprung into action & ran back to the garage. They found it! A link is broken, but my husband said he can fix it! Of course he can! A little super glue, a little electrical tape, no worries!

 

Fred Meyer: We grabbed a few items to go from this grocery store ($30.56). For later. ‘Cause we’ve been down this road before! In addition to sandwiches, we grabbed a bag of chips w/ the gorilla suit guy on the front. My husband informed me that the gorilla suit guy is actually a “being” named “Sasquatch” & that he’s real. I wanted to smash the bag of chips over his head & bring him back to reality. This is what happens when you stay up late at night watching Stranger Things & Squid Games. They think I don’t hear them eating ice cream & staying up late watching nonsense, but I do.

 

After purchasing our lunch, we hit the highway en route to Seward w/ Bell’s Road Log in hand.

 

Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge: We walked the boardwalk at Potter Marsh. Colt was surprised because it was pouring. “You want us to get out?” he asked, “It’s raining.” “That’s why I bought us all raincoats,” I responded. So we put them on & enjoyed a nice walk. There was nothing to see, except for a lone duck. The raincoats worked out great. We don’t wear raincoats in Florida. Too hot. Instead, we improvise. One year, at the Florida vs Tennessee football game, it started pouring. The guy next to me whipped out a garbage bag & put it on. He looked at me, took pity on my wet soul, & gave me his other garbage bag, which I gratefully accepted. We sat there in our Hefty cinch sacs & enjoyed the rest of the game smelling lemon fresh.

 

Chugach State Park: There’s a snow plow train on display here. Surreal for us Floridians!

 

McHugh Day Use Area: Scenic views of the Turnagain Arm. There’s also a small spillover at McHugh Creek - near the top of the stairs.

 

Beluga Point: Rock mound jutting out into the Turnagain Arm. Super scenic. Supposedly, Beluga whales come in w/ the tide to feed on salmon beginning mid-July. Supposedly.

 

Windy Corner: Dall sheep? Must have all hit the hay for a mid-day snooze.

 

Indian Valley Mine & Gifts: We stopped here to photograph the massive bald eagle’s nest in the tree that was next to the building, but we couldn’t find it. Maybe the trees are greener than they were when we saw it last year & the nest is now hidden. Dunno. 

 

Bird Creek: The guys were excited to stop here. Last year, we hastily paid to park, walked down to the creek, & discovered that fishing … was closed. Unfortunately, it was closed again today, due to the same emergency order that impacted Ship Creek up in Anchorage. Sigh. The guys were bummed, but I think the order is lifted as of tomorrow. We’ll try again.

 

Bird Point: Another super scenic spot along the way.

 

Bore Tide Viewing Spot Turnout #2: Sadly, there are no good bore tides for us to view during our visit, but it was still a scenic spot for lunch. We enjoyed our grab & go sandwiches from Fred Meyer. The gorilla suit guy chips were delicious. Sweet & spicy all at the same time. Kinda like me.

 

The Ice Cream Shop: They sell ice cream from different creameries across the USA, including some from the Big Dipper in Palmer, Alaska, so we stuck w/ flavors from that company. My husband & I enjoyed a scoop of Alaska Wild Berry & a scoop of Fireweed/Honey. My son enjoyed his scoop of Banana Cream Pie. $15.50

 

Speedway Express: Quick pit stop. We fueled up the rental & then my husband bought me a cold drink … it was just what the Dr ordered.

 

Chugach National Forest Sign: Photo opp.

 

Old Portage Townsite: We passed the site of a town destroyed in the 1964 Earthquake. Only a ghost forest remains – an eerily beautiful grove of trees infused w/ saltwater.

 

It’s been raining all day. It’s cold & dreary. Totally Alaska. At some point along the way, we all got incredibly tired, so my husband pulled over & we all got a little shut eye. No worries, we’re feeling great & after a short little snooze, we continued on our way.

 

Begich, Boggs Visitor Center: Very quick stop to stamp Colt’s National Park Passport. Last year, I found the employees here to be exceptionally rude & unhelpful. Not necessarily just to us, but to everyone. Not much has changed in a year. No greeting, no welcome, nothing. The two employees manning the information desk were gossiping about someone’s hair. Sigh. In all of the parks we’ve visited across the USA, park staff is generally incredibly kind & helpful. Only twice has that not been the case – here & at Sunset Crater in Arizona. Thus, we were in & out. Gotta keep my blood pressure in check.

 

Portage Lake: By the time we got here, a very strong storm was rolling in. The winds were howling & the temperature was quickly dropping. We were not amused.

 

Byron Glacier Trail: A hiker I am not. But my husband loves to walk. And walk. And walk. Thankfully, the storm rolled in just in time & my husband said a hike was out of the question. I guess the tiki gods were listening to me. Mahalo! 

 

Willawaw Fish Viewing Platform: We stopped to see if the salmon were swimming, but they don’t arrive here until August. We did see these fat little baby birds who would bob up & down until the mom returned to feed them. Each time she flew away, they’d start bobbing again. It was super cute, except the fat little baby birds were twice the size of their moms!

 

AirBnB “Cabin in Seward”: One of several cabins collectively known as the Salmon Creek Cabins. $409.91 for two nights.

 

Salmon Creek Cabin #2: Very nice! Simple & clean. One room w/ an open loft. Bathroom w/ shower. Mini fridge & microwave. We all love it!

 

Red’s Burgers: Cod platter w/ cheesy bacon cheese fries for my husband. Maui burger w/ fries for Colt. Blues burger w/ fries for me. It was a lot of food, but super expensive. $70.08

 

We ate our dinner at Hoben Park & then walked the first mile of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. We passed various monuments/memorials along the way: Trail Blazers Statue; Historic AK Railroad Depot; Jujiro Wada Statue; Founders Monument; Mile 0 Marker; Waterfront Park (where the remains of an 800 foot US Army Dock is in a late stage of decay just offshore); Obihiro Picnic Area (w/ Japanese gazebo); Scheffler Creek Bridge; & Mariner’s Memorial.

 

We stopped at the playground, where the guys played a few rounds of horseshoes. When they were done, we started walking back to the car. Along the way, we found a phone. It wasn’t just a phone, it had a wallet attached to it w/ a drivers license & two credit cards. We instantly turned into the Rescue Rangers. First, we speed walked the entire path we had just finished walking, asking everyone who initially passed us going the opposite direction if they had lost their ID. Sadly, they all said no.

 

My brother use to lose his wallet a lot. And gas caps. I think when he would go to pump gas, he’d walk inside to pay & then come back out & put both items on the roof of his car. When he was done filling up, he’d forget & just drive off. Thus I always try to reunite people w/ their lost wallets. I’ve actually found several. Once in San Francisco, where we waited for over an hour for the guy return. We immediately knew it was his. He ran up all frantic & out of breath. Looking around all crazy. Full of panic & desperation. And then last year, in Whittier. That guy was a jerk though. But I guess even jerks deserve to get their wallets back.

 

We decided to head to the police station, but we didn’t know where it was, so we stopped to Google it. As we were doing so, my son started laughing. “There’s the guy who lost his wallet,” he said. How did he know? ‘Cause he ran up all frantic & out of breath. Looking around all crazy. Full of panic & desperation.

 

We happily reunited the guy w/ his phone/wallet, but first I made him tell me his full name so that I could be sure it was him, although I clearly knew it was. Except his name was so unusual that I couldn’t understand what he was saying. “You’re gonna have to spell that for me,” I said, jokingly. He started rattling off a bunch of Ks & Vs & Qs. “Yep, it’s definitely yours,” I said. All’s well that ends well!

 

When we finally made it back to the car, we spotted the most massive dog any of us had ever seen. We stopped to talk to the owner, who told us that the dog was an 8 year old St Bernard, weighing in at a mere 125lbs. We gave him a good butt scratch & then headed on our way. The dog, not the owner!

 

As we headed back to our cabin, we made a few quick stops.

 

Two Giant Puffins: Large mural on the side of a building. Seward is the official mural capitol of Alaska.

 

Benny Benson Memorial Park: We swung by the park honoring the little boy who designed the best flag in the States. We also walked the boardwalk that parallels the adjacent lagoon. We do NOT “walk around lagoons” in Florida. Don’t nobody wanna get eaten by no alligator.

 

Welcome to Seward Sign: Photo opp.

 

Back at the cabin, we showered up & I called it a night. My husband tried to get me to watch the movie Taken w/ Liam Neeson. Is he crazy? We’re out here in the woods in the middle of nowhere & he wants me to watch a scary movie? Nope.

 

Goodnight from Seward, Alaska! SEVEN more “goodnight moons” before we board the Royal Princess.

[Hogladyrider]

@Fishbone..former Floridian here 40+ years until I departed in 2019.  Best rain gear ever for Florida and layers in Alaska....Frog Toggs.

 

As a former motorcyclist riding in the rain in Florida with a rain coat is like wearing a sauna suit...until we discovered Frogg Toggs.  We have both the jackets and pants, lightweght and keep you dry and you can layer with them.

 

Love your BnB!

[Fishbone]

Very small collection of photos to correspond to Day 2 in Anchorage. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 16 by Fishbone

[Fishbone]

7 hours ago, Hogladyrider said:

@Fishbone..former Floridian here 40+ years until I departed in 2019.  Best rain gear ever for Florida and layers in Alaska....Frog Toggs.

 

As a former motorcyclist riding in the rain in Florida with a rain coat is like wearing a sauna suit...until we discovered Frogg Toggs.  We have both the jackets and pants, lightweght and keep you dry and you can layer with them.

 

Love your BnB!

@Hogladyrider

Thanks so much for the tip! I’ll have to check them out! 

[voljeep]

8 hours ago, Fishbone said:

@Hogladyrider

Thanks so much for the tip! I’ll have to check them out! 

this font (larger) is so much better than your other for these old eyes

[Fishbone]

Day 4: Sunday, July 14 - Seward

 

Up & at ‘em! Oatmeal bowls & we were off.

 

Kenai Fjords NP Visitor Center: We perused the exhibits & stamped Colt’s National Park Passport.

 

Seward Boat Harbor: A cacophony of rusty hulls creaking in their slips & a rainbow of weather-beaten tattered sails flapping in the wind. What a beautiful melody!

 

Last year, we met Buck & his wife here. They were living on their sailboat. They were so nice - told me to come get a jacket if I got too cold. As we were walking the dock, my husband spotted a guy who looked exactly like Buck boarding a sailboat named “Aurora”. We high-tailed it over to the slip to say hello, but by the time we got there, they were gone. Nevertheless, we wished them fair winds & following seas.

 

Fish House: The guys bought bobbers.

 

Lighthouse Café & Bakery: Second breakfast! I noshed on a bear claw & sipped on a Dr Pepper from the fountain. Colt sipped on a hot chocolate. My husband proclaimed that we just ate a healthy breakfast & therefore he noshed on nothing but air. $12.57

 

As we were wandering about, our furry St Bernard friend from last night walked right by us. We chatted with his owner again & asked if we could take his picture. He happily offered to take a picture of us w/ his dog, which we eagerly agreed to. Shortly thereafter, I sent my dad a text: Whatever you do, please don’t tell mom. She’s gonna be really mad. We’ve been planning this out for weeks. He just had a physical, all of his shots, is neutered, & has been deemed ‘travel ready’. They will fly him into GNV tomorrow. Can you please pick him up at 6:30PM? I’m sorry we didn’t tell you. We wanted it to be a surprise. We love him already! We named him Brutus.

 

I attached the picture & waited patiently. My dad’s response: “What the hell? Is this true?”

 

I knew immediately that he believed me ‘cause he never really speaks like that. I opted not to respond. But I guess that took the joke too far ‘cause my super old German mom sent me a text about an hour later. She said that after reading my text, my dad went into full panic mode - pacing around, shaking his head in disbelief, & mumbling to himself. He finally broke down & told her that we had adopted a big ol’ dog. My mom started laughing, but my dad told her it wasn’t funny & that he had to go pick up the dog from the airport tomorrow night. My mom told my dad that it was obviously a joke, but he told her she was wrong. “They named him Brutus,” he said. “Oh my God.”

 

I was subsequently ordered to text my dad & tell him that it was a joke & that I was sorry. Sigh.

 

Bay Barge Company: There’s a very nice old man who works here, or maybe he even owns the place. He said he doesn’t get out very much anymore, which I think made my husband very sad. My husband lost his dad a few years back after a courageous 25 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. They were fishing buddies & I know my husband misses him greatly.

 

The guys bought bait & we headed on our way. As we were leaving, my husband told the old man that he’d come back & tell him if he caught anything. The old man smiled & said, “I sure wish you would.” $8.54

 

Lowell Creek Waterfall: A little drive-by gusher.

 

Waterfall Beach: Small swatch of gravel on the side of the road. I searched for lazy little otters while the guys fished.

 

Lowell Point State Recreation Area: We parked in the small lot ($5) & hiked the short but scenic path to the black sand beach. This little spot is so stunning! Two little otters were practicing for the Olympics just off-shore. The guys fished & fished & fished, but they didn’t catch anything. When it was time to go, my son suggested that we give our remaining bait to the guy fishing down the way, so we walked over & gave him what we had left. We started packing up when one of their bobbers went down. “FISH ON!” my husband bellowed. They happily pulled up a little halibut.

 

Firebrand BBQ: Brisket sandwich w/ coleslaw for my husband. Pulled pork sandwiches w/ coleslaw for both Colt & myself. Our meals came w/ drinks – a Sprite for Colt & a Dr Pepper for me. My healthy husband doesn’t drink soda, so I got him a Dr Pepper too, but I'll drink it. I saw him roll his eyes, so I rolled mine right back. $57.78

 

Safeway: We stopped by this grocery store for a few grab & go items for later tonight, for when we return from our fishing charter (salad, sandwiches, noodle salad, chips, blueberries, drinks, etc). $60.06

 

We were running late & still had to go back to the cabin to add some additional layers for our time out on the water. My husband said that he had to do something first & went the opposite direction. I was annoyed, until Colt told me that they had to go back to see the old man at the bait shack. “We promised him that we’d come back & tell him if we caught anything,” said Colt. “We want to tell him about our little halibut”. Sigh. It’s moments like this that make me realize how much I love my guys. Sadly, the old man was already gone for the day. They told the old lady that was now there to please tell him that they caught the halibut. I sure hope she did. 

 

Miller’s Landing: 5PM “silver salmon & black bass” fishing charter. The timing of the charter enabled us to have a full day exploring Seward on our own before embarking on an evening excursion. It provided scenic wildlife viewing opportunities & gave us something to do versus being passive observers. $735.75/3=$245.25pp – plus an additional $10pp for an extra fuel charge they tagged on at the end, which was irritating.

 

We set out on the “Avery H”, a little metal fishing boat. It was fast & steady. The guys were interested in all of its bells & whistles (motors, fish finders, reels, rigs, etc), but I know nothing about any of that & I really didn’t care. All I cared about was not falling overboard, not getting a hook stuck in me, & not barfing. Priorities.

 

Way back when I first started dating my now husband, he introduced me to his parents during an off-shore fishing trip. About an hour into the trip, his dad dropped anchor at “John’s Rock”. My husband & his dad promptly threw in lines & began fishing for grouper. I promptly threw my head overboard & puked my brains out. I thought that they would immediately take my pathetic soul back to shore, but they kept fishing & his dad happily remarked that I was “clearly a keeper ‘cause she’s really good at chumming up the water”. I was mortified & disgusted. And that was the last I ever saw of John & his rock. Fortunately, I didn’t get seasick on today’s trip … ‘cause I popped a Dramamine in advance. Mama didn’t raise no fool!

 

We chugged out to Rugged Island, near the end of Resurrection Bay. I was happy that I had taken the Dramamine. We fished for rockfish, which we pulled in left & right until everyone on the boat reached their limit. My husband caught a bright orange one. It was a very scenic spot w/ Bear Glacier off in the distance & little puffins swimming by.

 

Then we moved to a salmon spot. It was also very scenic, just across from Godwin Glacier. While we were fishing for salmon, a flock of seagulls was happily flying around. One little seagull was totally minding his own business when suddenly a big bald eagle swooped down, snatched him up w/ his sharp claws, & carried him away. He flew him over to a rock ledge just below his nest & gobbled him up. I was in disbelief & thought it was tragic. Everyone else on the boat seemed to think it was epic. I guess it’s a little hypocritical on my part considering that the fish we were catching were probably just down there in the ocean minding their own business too. Nevertheless, I have a strong dislike for bald eagles now & a new affinity for seagulls.

 

At the end of the night, we tipped the crew & donated our entire catch.

 

AirBnB “Cabin in Seward”: Back at the cabin, we showered up & then noshed on the sandwiches & sides we picked up last night in anticipation of our very late return today.

 

After dinner, despite it being very late, my sweet husband washed & dried two loads of dirty laundry. The cabins share a laundry facility, which is nice ‘cause we definitely don’t like to be stinky! And after a fishing excursion, everyone comes home stinky! By the time he finished, it was after midnight. $10 (donation)

 

Goodnight from Seward, Alaska! SIX more “goodnight moons” before we board the Royal Princess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fishbone]

7 hours ago, voljeep said:

this font (larger) is so much better than your other for these old eyes

@voljeep

I tried to increase the font. Hope that helps! 

[Fishbone]

Very small collection of photos to correspond to Day 3 en route to Seward. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fishbone]

Day 5: Monday, July 15 – En Route to Soldotna

 

We got a very late start this morning, but eventually rolled out of bed, quickly ate our oatmeal, & got moving.

 

Seward Hwy: We hit the highway en route to Soldotna w/ Bell’s Road Log in hand.

 

Exit Glacier: We stopped by an overlook to get a sneak peek. I wish we had visited 20 years ago. It would be fun to compare a "then and now". I guess we’ll have to come back in 20 years! We stopped by the visitor center to stamp Colt’s passport & then hiked the Overlook trail.

 

Trail Lakes Hatchery Cook Inlet: Unfortunately, this was a complete waste of time. The entire facility was shut down except for one hallway less than 50 feet in length filled w/ nothing but informational signage. And there was a grumpy employee w/ two rambunctious guard dogs who attempted to jump into our car. They were clearly not expecting visitors.

 

Tern Lake Day Use Area: Scenic spot for a short stretch. We were treated to a “swim by” – by a beautiful family of white swans.
 

Russian River: My husband spotted a random car parked on the side of the road. “That guy must know something,” he said. “Let’s check it out.” Against my better judgement, we pulled up behind the other car, flung ourselves over a guard rail, slid down a steep slope, & landed on the banks of the Russian River. The guys donned their waders & attempted to catch something. Anything. No such luck. But, we were treated to the delightful theatrics of a big brown bear. The bear appeared on the opposite side of the river. It looked like he had just woken up. He meandered down from the woods, took a great big stretch on the banks, jumped into the river for his morning bath, & then caught two fish w/out any effort at all. The guys were furious. “That bear just showed us up!” they said. “We’ve been standing here for almost an hour & that dumb bear jumps in & grabs two fish in less than two minutes!

 

AirBnB “Home in Soldotna”: I stumbled across this little gem by accident. The guys love to golf, so I figured … why not! It was kind of an impulsive quirky decision, but ended up being a fantastic choice! $211.12 for one night.

 

Birch Ridge Golf Course Cottage #4: The guys were happy. Really happy. I’m happy too - because we’re staying on site, green fees, club rentals, & cart rental are half-price. The guys rented clubs & a cart. My husband let my son drive. He was in for a bumpy ride.

 

Pizza Boys: The guys ordered a “Meat Lovers” pizza & I ordered a “White Tiger”. My pizza was far superior. The guys always order things that I don’t like – like a meat lovers pizza, but then they end up eating mine! “Your pizza was delicious!” they chirped.

 

It was very late, so we drove around Kenai & Soldotna taking in the sights. We made quick stops at Centennial Park & Cunningham Park before calling it a night.

 

After a long day, we’re back in our little golf bungalow overlooking the green. Fore!

 

Goodnight from Soldotna, Alaska! FIVE more “goodnight moons" before we board the Royal Princess.

Edited July 17 by Fishbone

[Hogladyrider]

@Fishbone inquiring minds want to know how long do you spend planning these amazing vacations and what means do you use for planning purposes.  You are one tough momma!

[Fishbone]

1 hour ago, Hogladyrider said:

@Fishbone inquiring minds want to know how long do you spend planning these amazing vacations and what means do you use for planning purposes.  You are one tough momma!

 

@Hogladyrider

LOL! It depends. This trip only took a few weeks. It's essentially a modified version of last year's trip. In general, I no longer use traditional websites, travel blogs, etc, for planning purposes. Over the years, I've noticed that it's all just repetitive jargon w/ an underlying effort to sell something & that the writer didn't actually experience what they are describing. As an example:

 

"There's a fantastic hike on Oahu through a tropical oasis. Here's the shoes that I recommend wearing & the sunglasses you should purchase. I didn't have time to hike the trail, but I've heard it's great."

 

I absolutely despise this kind of phony baloney.

 

I mostly use Google maps. I slowly track our route, finding places along the way. That probably sounds really strange, but it works great.

[Fishbone]

Day 6: Tuesday, July 16 – Soldotna/Homer

 

The guys woke up early, ate their oatmeal, & headed out for another round of golf! I was slow to wake, slow to rise, & slow to the oats. A little peace. A little quiet. A little less oatmeal. Life is good.

 

Once the guys wrapped up their golf game, we headed on our way.  

 

Kenai River Flats Viewing Platform: Overlook w/ wildlife viewing … potential. It reminded me a little of Paynes Prairie back home, where buffalo graze, horses run wild, & alligators … are everywhere.

 

Kenai Flats State Recreation Site: On the southern end of the Warren Ames Memorial Bridge. The guys contemplated fishing, but the tide was out.

 

Everything Bagels: Second breakfast! Lox sesame bagel for me. Fiery lox plain bagel for Colt. And of course my husband ordered a “Hipster”: “smashed avocado, sea salt, & tomato on a sesame bagel. $40.55

 

Ken’s Alaskan Tackle: The guys stocked up on supplies. I made them buy double the lures ‘cause they lost them all the last time we were here.

 

Soldotna Visitor’s Center: Excellent boardwalk from which to fish on the Kenai River. Nothing was biting. Only the flies.

 

Holy Assumption Orthodox Church: Oldest Russian orthodox church still standing in Alaska.

 

Edrlman Cabin: Restored cabin from back in the day.

 

Chapel of St Nicholas: Super cute little chapel from 1906.

 

Ninilchik Beach: Long walk along a scenic gravel beach. Lots of bald eagles. I thought there were also juvenile bald eagles, but a lady walking by informed me that they were golden eagles. Not really sure.

 

Transfiguration of Our Lord Church: Super picturesque Russian Orthodox church.

 

Ninilchik River Scenic View: We stopped so that I could use the facilities, but while my husband was waiting, he discovered that there was fishing potential. Thus, we parked, paid the fee, & the guys donned their waders. They subsequently headed down a steep muddy slope into a straight up jungle. There was no way that I was going to climb down there into the abyss, so I waited up top on a big rock. Every now & then I could catch a glimpse of my son’s red sweatshirt & I thought I heard the guys cheering once or twice, so I knew they were having a good time. But we were the only ones there & I was getting a little nervous that maybe Sasquatch was real. After about 30 minutes, I ran back to the car & locked myself in. About 30 minutes later, the guys climbed out of the dense woods & I breathed a sigh of relief. They were happy ‘cause they caught a fish named Dolly & a trout. I was happy ‘cause Sasquatch clearly isn’t real. Or he missed his opportunity.

 

I looked for Mount Redoubt & Mount Iliamna, two old volcanos, along the way, but the clouds were too dense. In fact, it was difficult to determine where the sea ended & the sky began. It was all a blur of white w/ no distinct horizon.

 

Colt sometimes refers to me as a volcano. He says I’m usually dormant, but when I erupt, it’s explosive. I guess he should pay more attention to my seismic signals.

 

Anchor Point. North America’s most westerly highway point. It took us a few tries to find this spot, but eventually we realized that we had driven by it numerous times.

 

Homer Baycrest Overlook Point: Good views & quick photo opp at the “Welcome to Homer” sign.

 

Safeway: As we were driving into Homer, we realized that we hadn’t eaten since breakfast & were all starving. So we stopped at this grocery store & bought way too much food: seafood salad, sushi, almond croissants, fruit, Kenai dip, “Dungenous Crab” flavored chips, corn dogs, chicken, rolls, etc. We sat in the car & ate until we could eat no more.

 

Sportsman’s Supply & Rental: The guys bought line, tackle, bait (herring) & a bag of ice. $47.20

 

AirBnB “Room in Homer: We loved this place last year & were very happy to book w/ them again despite the high rate. We’re in Room #2, which is identical to the room we stayed in last year (Room #1). $516.95 for two nights.

 

Salty Stays Oceanfront Room #2: So peaceful! The view is epic.

 

End of Road Park: The guys fished while I explored. There was an ample supply of free entertainment: bald eagles soared by, lazy otters swam by, & the ferry sailed by. The fishing was excellent & the guys were dancing around like they had ants in their pants. They caught multiple Walleye Pollock, rockfish, & Irish lords – which my new roofer friend told me were dangerous due to poisonous barbs that could stick me. Thank goodness I’m not fishing! He also told me that about 30 years ago, his little brother caught a 60lb halibut right there on the beach. He said that no one else in his entire family has ever caught one, but that he knew his time would come, so he sat there, drank beer, & waited. Good luck, my friend! I sure do hope you catch one!

 

At around midnight, we packed up & headed back to our little room that was dangling precariously over the sea.

Goodnight from Homer, Alaska! FOUR more "goodnight moons" before we board the Royal Princess.

[Hogladyrider]

@Fishbone  thanks for the response,very interesting.

[Fishbone]

Very small collection of photos to correspond to Day 4 in Seward. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fishbone]

 

Very small collection of photos to correspond to Day 5 - en route to Soldotna. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 19 by Fishbone

[Fishbone]

 

 

 

Day 7: Wednesday, July 17 – Homer

 

This whole waking up early thing is so overrated. We woke, ate our oatmeal, & headed out. Originally, we had planned to take a boat over to Seldovia for the day, but we were loving our time in Homer & didn’t want to leave, so we axed that plan.

 

Sportsman’s Supply & Rental: We were warmly greeted by a white golden retriever. Beautiful! The guy running the place offered my husband a bag of assorted fish parts to use as bait at a discount. He also bought some line & tackle. $47.20

 

End of Road Park: More fishing at the end of the spit: walleye pollock, rockfish, & Irish lords. While Colt was reeling in a fish, a husband & wife walked up w/ their little daughter. I smiled & said hello. They were conversing … in German. They proceeded to throw down one criticism after another: “They don’t know what they’re doing.” “They’ll never land that fish.” “He’s reeling it in too fast.” I patiently waited to pounce.

 

I bit my tongue & tried to wipe the smirk off my face when Colt landed a large pollock. He hastily removed the hook, dunked the fish, took a quick picture, & then proceeded to gently release the fish back into the sea. “What are you doing!” shouted the man in broken English before turning to his wife & telling her that we were idiots for releasing the fish.

 

I had had enough, so I slowly stood up, stretched, obnoxiously yawned, & then turned to look my fellow countryman directly in the eyes. In perfect German, I proceeded to inform him that we were visiting Alaska from Florida, were on a short road trip through the Kenai Peninsula before embarking on a luxury cruise ship, & asked him if he thought it would be better to pack the fish in our carry-on or checked luggage. I didn’t have to say any more. Their faces flushed a deep shade of crimson & their mouths dropped open. “You’re German,” the man staggered. “Ja natürlich,” I responded, grinning from ear to ear. Sigh.

 

Boatyard Cafe: Colt had the “Yard Bird”. My husband & I both had a “Spicy Halibut Sandwich”. Fries & charred Brussel sprouts to share. This was one of my most favorite meals. So good! $58.24

 

ViewPoint Skyline Drive: Great views of the spit & Grewingk Glacier, which was looming in the distance over in the Kenai Mountains in Kachemak Bay State Park.

 

Eveline State Recreation Site: We drove up to see the wildflowers, but decided to hike the Alpine Meadow Trail while we were there. We didn’t have any bear spray, so I just kept singing The Love Boat theme song over & over again. My husband said that my inability to hit the high or low notes would definitely send the bears running.

 

Last year, I was super worried about encountering a bear while we were in Alaska. We even bought bear spray (which we never used, & ended up donating to the guy manning the check-in desk at our last hotel). A few weeks ago, a little black bear was discovered on the campus on which I work. They tried to catch him w/ donuts. Only in Florida.  

 

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center: The Visitor Center was closed by the time we got here, so we were unable to stamp Colt’s National Park Passport. We did, however, take a quick stroll around the boardwalk. Two gorgeous sandhill cranes were quietly foraging through the marsh.

 

Fishing Hole: The fish were jumping, but they weren’t biting.

 

Safeway: My husband’s food selections are irritating me. He wanted to run in & grab a few items for an easy dinner. I told him not to buy so much mayonnaisey stuff ‘cause Colt & I don’t really like it. “No worries,” he said. Except he came back w/ seafood salad (infused w/ mayo), noodle salad (infused w/ mayo), & coleslaw (infused w/ mayo). “Did you not hear me?” I frustratingly asked. “I did!” he replied. “See, it says SEAFOOD salad.” Sigh.

 

Bishop’s Beach: When the tide is out, this is a great place to just walk & walk & walk. The cold air here is invigorating. The air in North Florida at this time of year is unbearable. Hot & stifling. Alaska is literally a breath of fresh air!

 

Circle Hook: Photo opp!

 

Boat Harbor: The best part of this boat harbor? The lazy little otters!

 

Seafarer’s Memorial: A tribute to those lost at sea.

 

Coal Point Park: Small park w/ beach access overlooking the entrance to the boat harbor on the Kachemak Bay side of the spit.

 

End of Road Park: The guys are fishing again at their favorite spot. Someone walking by informed me that there’s a pipe that leads out into the bay from the nearby fish processing plant. As a result, hundreds of seagulls seeking easy meals nest along the adjacent ferry terminal. A bald eagle began flying over them & I thought one was surely doomed. I was delighted when a large group of seagulls chased him away. I jumped up from the tree stump on which I was sitting & cheered them on. I certainly didn’t want to witness another “eaglenapping”!

 

Kachemak Bay: In addition to otters doing the backstroke, there was a seal doing backflips. We also found a beautiful red starfish, which we gently nudged back into the sea.

 

Lands End: Cold & windy walk around the spit. It’s difficult to walk on the rocky shore.

 

AirBnB/Salty Stays Oceanfront Room #2: The view from our room is simply breathtaking. I love it here. I would turn all three second-floor rooms into my permanent residence & convert the downstairs into a warm & cozy 24 hour eatery … with an ample supply of bear claws & vanilla steamers. But alas, it’s not mine.  After retreating to our cozy little oasis, we listened to the waves crashing into our humble abode, which is ever so gently swaying the entire structure & essentially rocking us to sleep.

 

Goodnight from Homer, Alaska! THREE more “goodnight moons” before we board the Royal Princess.

[Tyskie]

2 hours ago, Fishbone said:

 

 

 

Day 7: Wednesday, July 17 – Homer (Humor!!)

 

End of Road Park: More fishing at the end of the spit: walleye pollock, rockfish, & Irish lords. While Colt was reeling in a fish, a husband & wife walked up w/ their little daughter. I smiled & said hello. They were conversing … in German. They proceeded to throw down one criticism after another: “They don’t know what they’re doing.” “They’ll never land that fish.” “He’s reeling it in too fast.” I patiently waited to pounce.

 

I bit my tongue & tried to wipe the smirk off my face when Colt landed a large pollock. He hastily removed the hook, dunked the fish, took a quick picture, & then proceeded to gently release the fish back into the sea. “What are you doing!” shouted the man in broken English before turning to his wife & telling her that we were idiots for releasing the fish.

 

I had had enough, so I slowly stood up, stretched, obnoxiously yawned, & then turned to look my fellow countryman directly in the eyes. In perfect German, I proceeded to inform him that we were visiting Alaska from Florida, were on a short road trip through the Kenai Peninsula before embarking on a luxury cruise ship, & asked him if he thought it would be better to pack the fish in our carry-on or checked luggage. I didn’t have to say any more. Their faces flushed a deep shade of crimson & their mouths dropped open. “You’re German,” the man staggered. “Ja natürlich,” I responded, grinning from ear to ear. Sigh.

 

 

OMG, what a funny memory you'll have.  I wish I could have been there to see their faces!

 

As always, loving your adventures!

[Fishbone]

Very small collection of photos to correspond to Day 6 - en route to Homer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hogladyrider]

@Fishbone....you gotta just LUV how men think or we gals would go postal!

[Fishbone]

All, I’m two days behind in posting about our adventures. I hope to catch up tonight or tomorrow morning. 

 

We made it safely to Whittier & boarded the beautiful Royal Princess around 11:00am. 

 

Unfortunately, it’s my understanding that shortly thereafter, there was a major accident on the Seward Highway w/ fatalities. There was substantial delay, but I think one lane of the highway is now open & several people just boarded. Thus, we will be departing late in an effort to board all those that have yet to arrive. 

 

I think a Holland America ship will be arriving soon, so we will need to eventually depart in anticipation of their arrival. Our new estimated departure time is currently 10:30pm.

 

Sending up prayers for all involved in the accident. Hoping everyone else makes it safely. 

 

My husband & I are currently on the lido deck. The fountain show just ended & the Barbie movie is set to begin. It’s a little surreal to be snuggled up in a warm blanket on a lounge chair surrounded by snow capped mountains! 

[Fishbone]

Day 8: Thursday, July 18 – En Route to Anchorage

 

I’m not sure how my husband can eat oatmeal every. single. day. of his life. Thank goodness for second breakfasts!

 

End of Road Park: Early morning walk around the bend.   

 

Fishing Hole: Brief stop to watch the fish jumping.

 

Bagel Shop: Second breakfast! My son & I both had lox bagels. His was plain, mine was on the only bagel that should exist: poppy seed. They were piled high w/ lox & I would have given it five stars, but it didn’t include a lemon. Lemon is a lox bagel essential. It turns an ordinary lox bagel into an extraordinary lox bagel.

 

Sadly, it was well past the time we should have started heading back to Anchorage, so we slowly started retracing our steps.

 

Tackle Shop: Early on in the vacation, the guys bought a lure that was very successful. They desperately wanted another, so they could each fish w/ one at same time. My husband saw a little tackle store on the side of the road, so we quickly stopped & the guys searched & searched. They didn’t have what the guys were looking for, so they sent them next door to a fly shop.

 

Fly Box: The guys ran in & came back w/ a lure, but not the one they were looking for. “No worries,” said my husband, “We know where to go.”

 

Pawn Shop: Apparently, someone in the Fly Box told the guys to come here ‘cause it has "everything". I haven’t been in a Pawn Shop since like … 1987? I was not amused & wanted to make some progress towards Anchorage. “We can find it,” said Colt. “Give us some time.” Sigh. A short time later, the guys were grinning from ear to ear. On the back of a dusty shelf, they found the spinner they were looking for: it’s white & silver w/ little black polka dots. Let’s go!

 

Ninilchik River Scenic View: The guys caught several fish here a few days ago, so we stopped so they could try again. They successfully reeled in a large Dolly Varden on the lure from the Pawn Shop!

 

Russian River: I stupidly blurted out the guys’ fishing spot from the other day: “Hey look, that’s where you made me fling myself over the guard rail,” I said. It was pouring rain & I was happy that we were all warm & cozy in the car. Suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt. The guys jumped out, donned their raincoats & waders, & slid down the muddy slope to wade knee deep in the rapids. “Thanks mom!” said Colt. “We couldn’t remember where it was”. What. The. Heck.

 

The pawn shop lure was clearly a winner. The guys caught two more Dolly Varden, each one larger than the other. As they were reeling in the fish, a fly-fishing adventure boat floated by. Everyone on the boat stopped what they were doing to watch the guys reel in their dollies.   

 

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center: I really had to go to the bathroom. I saw a sign for a visitor center, so we pulled off. At first, I thought we’d gone the wrong way, but eventually we reached it. It was just super isolated. To our surprise, we were warmly greeted by two Floridians managing the center! It’s great to be a Florida Gator! They provided us w/ lots of helpful information & sent us down the way to embark on a scenic drive.

 

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge: Devastated by wildfires, it’s slowly recovering. We didn’t see much wildlife, but the views were great. We did see a beautiful bird w/ blue wings. I think it was a black-billed magpie, but am not sure.

 

Coast Pizza: Pizza by the slice. All the tables were in use, so we sat at the counter w/ the pizza slinger, who was really nice. He use to work on a boat over in Homer & told us lots of interesting stories about his life on the sea.

 

Bird Creek: We pulled in, paid the parking fee, & headed to the creek. The guys dropped in lines while I took a long walk. The views were fantastic. I wished a train would come by as the tracks ran directly adjacent, but no such luck.

 

The mud here that makes up the seabed is literally six feet deep, if not higher. A guy I struck up a conversation w/ told me it’s deadly. Apparently, many people have gotten stuck in it & their demise must have been nothing less than horrific. I was a little nervous as the guys are not very careful. At one point my husband slipped & my heart stopped. They may get on my last nerve, but I love them to the moon & back!

 

Carl’s Jr: It was very late & we were super hungry. Very little was open. Nothing beats a burger & fries at midnight … w/ an ice cold Dr Pepper.

 

Fairfield Inn & Suites Anchorage: 1 night in a “King” using a “friends & family” discount. Counting my blessings for the rate because Alaska is way over-priced. They weren't able to fully check us in due to some IT issue that's apparently affecting the entire United States. Go figure.

 

Goodnight from Anchorage, Alaska! TWO more “goodnight moons” before we board the Royal Princess.