We left our tires with Jim and Jeanine and went off to explore the Kenai Peninsula famous for its fjords, glaciers and small fishing towns. To get there we had to face the Anchorage traffic which by world standards is probably nothing to complain about but after about 6 weeks in the empty roads of the far north, it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. The weather was grey and drizzly as per the the norm here but not horrible. The road took us beside the train tracks that run from Anchorage to Whittier with a deep Bay on one side and mountains on the other. The clouds were hanging low, but we could still see glaciers popping out from underneath in the many valleys. Deep down at the bottom of the bay is the turn off to Whittier. We decided to make that our first stop along the Kenai.
To reach Whittier you have to go through a one way tunnel used not only for cars and trucks but also a train! I assume they have their schedule sorted out and after a short wait (and a cup of coffee) we paid our $13 (each) and joined the queue to get through the tunnel. Motorcycles go last since a few years ago someone hit the tracks, fell and was ran over by a following truck… since then they don’t take chances! Then it was our turn to ride the 2.6mi tunnel making sure to stay in between the train tracks to avoid the embarrassment of blocking the tunnel/picking up the bike! Once on the other side you land in a big car park. Whittier is a small town (pretty much everyone lives in 1 large apartment block) and most of the space between the port and train tracks is parking. Many cruise ships and fishing boats call in to Whittier. We took a short walk along the harbour front, had a chowder and some fish and chips before heading back the way we came.
In the tunnel to Whittier
From there we went west and rode inland til Cooper Landing. We stopped for fuel and ended up staying the night in a small wooded campsite. Cooper Landing is on the edge of the Kenai river, a popular fishing and rafting spot. Not a town as such but a settlement geared towards tourism with lots of tour/guiding shops. The salmon were now running, making the place busy.
Camping in Cooper landing
The next morning we packed up under a beautiful blue sky and headed for Homer. The road to Homer is the western most continuous road in the Americas where it passes through Anchor Point. We stopped for a(below) average lunch at the Anchor Point Inn before carrying on to Homer. The scenery here is quite dramatic with the low clouds, fog banks rolling in and mountains in the background with their glaciers. Quite spectacular.
Homer Spit is where the action is at. And by action I mean tourist, masses of tourists! Tents on the beach, RVs in all the spots where you can park one, shops, fishing outfits and restaurants along the shores… it’s busy! The harbour is 100%filled with fishing boats, mostly small private ones. I guess fishing here is what yachting is to Miami! Homer also claims to be the Halibut capital of the world. Halibut is certainly on all the menus along with shrimp and king crab sold for the price of gold! Further inland the float planes and bush planes come and go constantly taking the tourists on scenic flights to view bears in the Katmai NP.
Homer Harbour
Busy camping on Homer spit
On arrival we stopped to soak in the sun with a chai latte while deciding what to do next. I tried to find a plane company that would take us to Geographic Harbour where the grizzlies go to feed on salmon but unfortunately no one flies there as it is too far. We eventually settled for a small company operating a Cessna 206 on bush tires able to land on the beach. From there we searched for a camping spot as the prospect of camping on a rocky beach next to a busy road wasn’t appealing! We found a farm online that offered camping and we headed over there. The location was great, far from the tourist overlooking the bay with glaciers on the opposite shore. That place was certainly worth the $15 per night and we settled for 2 nights. With plenty of daylight left we decided to head back to the spit, walk around and look for a place to eat. The latter proved challenging with no reservation. We had to go with plan B and make our own food back at the camp.
Homer Spit shops
Campsite views at seaside farm near Homer
The following morning we found out that bear flight was cancelled due to weather and we had to come up with a new idea. I kept busy planning our ferry route through the fjords and Zoe went through sorting photos from the last 6 weeks. Early afternoon we met the lady who owns the property, she suggested going to the end of the road, a scenic drive that ends on a beach. We took her advice and took the 30 km drive which indeed ended down a very steep gravel ATV road onto the beach. We played on the beach with our bikes for a while which is something we rarely get to do.
End of the western most highway in North America…
This time we made dinner reservations and got our spot at Captain Patties Fishhouse, one of the top reviewed spots. The place was busy and service wasn’t fast but who is in a rush?! The food was great (well, thought mine was over cooked and the sauce too strong – this isn’t NZ seafood cooking unfortunately!! When you’ve been spoiled growing up, it’s hard to beat well cooked fish-Zoe) and the ocean views we perfect… we even spotted a whale in the distance.
A few phone calls later we found out that there would only be 1 spot available on the bear flight the following morning and that the plane would leave at 7. Since I had already seen the bears years ago in a situation that can’t really be replicated, I decided to stay behind and sleep in!
Zoe left early and I emerged under blue skies around 9. Lazy morning at the farm with a leisurely pack up and waited for Zoe to return from her scenic bear flight. We eventualy got going around 15:30 headed for Kenai town, which as it turns out wasn’t much and not worth hanging out in. Loads of people on the beach fishing and camping. We picked up some food in town and carried on north until the end of the road as far northeast as it goes where we found a quiet campsite by the beach. Had a nice sunset walk along a virtually empty beach, meanwhile a squirrel ate some of our dinner, cooked some pasta again and called it a day.
Kenai river ‘combat fishing’
Campsite beach at the end of the road past Nikiski
Cessna 180 doing a low flight over the beach
From the end of the the road in Nikiski we headed to Seward. Traffic was intense since all the Anchorage people are heading back home after their weekend fishing. Apart from some calf moose and some rafts gliding down the Kenai river the drive was pretty monotonous. We attempted to camp near Exit Glacier on the outskirts of Seward but that place was full. We took a short walk up the the Glacier viewing point before heading into Seward in search of a place to pitch our tent for the night. We found a spot at the entrance of town, a bit noisy with road and train traffic but at $10 per night it wasn’t bad.
As I unpacked the bike and took a look around I noticed some oil at the bottom end of the rear shock absorber. Bad news, it’s a dead seal and soon to be completely dead shock! Not what you need mid road trip in Alaska.
Exit Glacier neat Seward
The leaky rear shock absorber
In the morning I made a few calls but apparently no one in the motorcycle world works on Mondays… left some messages and left it at that. We packed our tent and went into town to have a quick look around. Seward is a neat little town with its usual fishing harbour, tour companies offering kayaking trips, whale watching tours and glacier viewing cruises. We checked out the Sealife Centre which is recently home to an orphaned baby walrus. We were impressed by the small sanctuary and we ended up spending quite a bit of time there leaving for lunch then going back for feeding time. The walrus was awesome, the otter was really cute swimming around with its toys and the birds (including puffins) were cheeky and enjoying the attention. Really cool watching them dive and swim for fish when it was feeding time.
Small king crab
Cheeky puffin at the Seward Marine Sanctuary
From there we went down to the end of the road which ends up on a private property, which happens to be managed by a friend of Jeanine and Jims. A phone call later and we were allowed to go down the road to check it out. The road ends by a little cabin with its own beach. A real nice place to hide… well until the kayakers show up! We spent some time there talking to Woody the manager, watching the salmon jump and the world go by.
Woodies cabin in Seward
The majestic views from the cabin in Seward
Seward was a nice spot but due to the new issue with my rear shock absorber I thought it might have been a good idea to head for Anchorage where the chances of finding parts will be a tiny bit better. At least there are some motorcycle dealers and shops there.
We left Seward and drove pretty much straight to Anchorage, only stopping for dinner at a roadside lodge about halfway back. Once in Anchorage we navigated big city roads to Harley Davidon House, where they offered free camping to motorcyclists. They even had a bathroom and free shower, where we had our first real hot shower since leaving Wasilla! So good. We pitched our tent in the grassy patch and got a good nights sleep until busy traffic and airplanes woke us early next morning.
The Kenai peninsula trip
Well that’s what I call a nice review of your Alaskan trip !! Have been waiting every day to follow you guys. But it was worth it ! It’s quite a different trip your doing now compared to the way up to Prudhoe Bay. Sceneries are pretty different too. Your camp site view on the farm in Homer looks fabulous !
Kenai so busy and Nikisky spotless en quite ! Lovely pictures again.
The problem on your motorbike was worrying us a little but you found a way to sort it out (as usually) ! Good for you ! and on the road again to new discoveries and destinations. This friend of “Jeanine and Jim” Zoe’s parents I guess you made the detour to meet and say hello huh ? Strange how friends coming from Australia ends up in Alaska and an other high up in the US … I have a cousin in Toronto ! I’m sure you will be more than welcome if you go and say hello ! His name Is Marcel. :-)…A bit too far off I guess …. He’s following you guys too you know.
Thanks again for the lovely pictures and the epic stories you both write in your blog. Yay for Wifi !!..and happy to see you back here !
Take care and read you soon ! XXX Mum
So good to find you both back online writing!
Looks like criss-crossing through the area around Anchorage.
Little towns and fishing harbours must be nice after the all-nature road and landscape up North, or am I wrong?
Bad news for the rear shock, but that got sorted as we know meanwhile.
Law of Murphy!
Keep going, keep writing, keep enjoying it all!
Baci