On the road again and heading way south to a town called Homer and the long, thin stretch of land that expends into the sea known as Homer Spit! It is a fantastic place to camp because you are surrounded by sea and mountains.... absolutely amazing!
The camp ground was pretty windy and chilly but nothing a bonfire (started by myself) and an excellent bowl of chilly (thanks Mike) couldn't fix! Once we were all settled in, a few of us who weren't getting up at 5am to go Halibut fishing went across the street to the local... Salty Dawg Saloon! Very cool and interesting place, it had thousands of $1 bills stuck to the walls that people had signed and left... so of course i followed suit! Myself and an Irish girl, Marla were the last 2 standing and after a few good beers and come interesting conversation with drunken fishermen made our way back to camp at about 330am... and for the first time in 5 days i saw Alaskan darkness... it was very weird!
Morning arrived far to quickly and it was time to pack up again and make our way across Kachemak Bay on a water taxi... it was a very bumpy but very enjoyable ride, to a small group B&B called Across the Bay for a chillaxing day and night in "luxury" accommodation! It was a stunning little place... absolutely amazing scenery and very relaxing! After 5 days of really roughing it most of us were really excited just to have a pillow for the night... hehe! We spent the afternoon and early evening drinking beer and playing horse shoes. Tony, the owner cooked us a mighty fine salmon dish for dinner with salmon freshly caught that afternoon and i even tried rhubarb pie... getting a little adventurous in my old age!
After a comfy sleep in a bed we were fed and then it was sea kayaking time! After a quick sea kayaking 101 lesson it was all systems go. I was in a single kayak because there weren't enough doubles and i'm not scared of a little adventure... i kicked arse btw!!! :) We paddled for about 2 hours stopping to watch sea otters and harbour porpoises... they are so cute! Once we got to where we were going, there was a quick picnic lunch and back out again. There was also a very cute harbour seal following our boats... apparently it had been rescued and released in the bay and it loves to follow the boats around!
On the way back i got chatting to our kayak guide, Katie and she was telling me about the native people and the problems they are having, it's pretty sad really. All they do now is drink and gamble! I also learnt something very interesting... in Alaska the men out number the women 7 to 1, and there is a saying in Alaska... the odds are good but the goods are odd... hehe!
Anyhoo, the kayak was a wonderful experience, def something i'd like to do again! Once we returned it was pack up and go time again... back in a water taxi (altho some in the group took a float plane) and back to Homer! Once we got back on dry land, it was back in the bus and a 45 minute drive North to another small town called Ninilchik for our last night in the Alaskan wilderness!
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