Bear Sighting!

Chadd and I took a roadcamptrip down to Kenai to fish on the Russian river. We had heard the salmon were running there, but unfortunately we just missed the main run. A fellow fisherman said "last week I could hardly keep the salmon OFF my hook!" We didn't get a single fish :( But fishing season extends until September so we have time. There's a knack to it, skill to be practice and learned. It's not just sit on your butt sipping iced tea waiting for the bobber to bob kind of fishing. But you CAN land yourself a 30lb King Salmon. We're going for the more popular Reds right now. Then will be Silvers.

We took a ferry ride over then spent all day on a gravel tiny island in the middle of the Kenai river. Cyrus and I went back the 1 1/2 mile walk to the bathrooms in the middle of the day and rounded the corner to come face to face with a brown bear! It was about 20 yards away but close enough, and swaggering along right ON the board walk heading our way. It is not a remote place, there were two other families right there taking pictures and advising us on appropriate caution. It was a yearling, "just a baby" the locals said. We just waited at a safe distance and he soon descended down to the river. After we returned I video taped Cyrus and told him to tell Dante and CJ and Nana and Popop about what we just saw and what we were doing. And while I was video taping, the same bear showed up again! Not on tape, he came a third time and started to come right towards our tiny island. Everyone grabbed there things and started to head off, but he then left. Quite exciting! (Oh, and for you worried loving folks, we had bear spray along. And there were plenty of fishermen wielding capable firearms.)

View on hwy 1 driving around the Turnagain arm of the bay.

We camped at a pullout- ALL the campsites were full. Next time we'll know to reserve a site on July 4th weekend in Alaska! This was the morning view.

Low tide---All along the bay of southern Alaska the tide can range up to 30 ft and comes in twice a day. The tide current  can be so hard it pulls small kayaks out to sea. 

High tide of the same view as above!

The Kenai river is an fascinatingly mystical teal blue! I kept exclaiming over it the whole weekend.

The Ferry ride over the river.

walking to find a fish site. A tough job on a holiday weekend. This isn't as bad as it can be though. Sometimes it's so crowded they call it "Elbow Fishing." (Picture jabbing your opponent fishers away with flapping elbows)

Chadd snagged a baby trout and let Cyrus reel it in.

These baby ducks were hilarious! They can swim so fast though the water they look like they are running on top of the water in a sibling bunch of clowns.

Here ya go Dad. I was 10 ft from his massive talons. Incredible birds. We actually got closer later on the beach. Chadd has that video on his phone and I'll post it on facebook later.

Halibut! The most disgusting prized eating fish I know. Look at those deformed eyes! It starts out its life as a regular upright swimming fish with normal eyes and through young life it's eyes MIGRATE across its head and end up on it's right side, when it then becomes a permanent bottom feeder. These fish can reach 300 lbs (the females. The males never get over 70lbs. Interesting animal kingdom huh?!)

This is called "The Spit." A naturally formed narrow stretch of land protruding out into the Kachemak bay near Homer, Alaska

Biking on The Spit.

Wildfires line the trails and roads of many places in Alaska. It's beautiful! Coming from Lancaster County, PA one may at first glance think, "Nobody mows the public roadways around here!" But then you wouldn't get this... Besides, they have plenty of work on their hands with maintaining the roadways.

An Alaskan beach! Who would've thought. It's a whole different world from interior Alaska. The fishing community, docks, harbor, and tide. It's neat to taste it, maybe one day we'll live there too :)