Page 223 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

both contemporary and ancient. A self-guided tour See Video City of Kodiak
through the adjacent botanical garden is a summer
must. Location: On the northeast coast of Kodiak
Sea kayaking is a great way to get a close-up Island; 250 air miles south of Anchorage, one-
look at spectacular coastline and wildlife. Homer’s Kodiak Sunrise hour flight with scheduled airlines. Visitors
Kachemak Bay is one of the best locations in Alaska photo by: can fly into Kodiak or take the Alaska Marine
to paddle and is considered one of the richest and VC TRAVEL GUIDE Highway System ferry from Homer or Whittier
most productive marine ecosystems anywhere. Its into Kodiak or Port Lions. Island Population:
waters teem with sea otters, sea lions, porpoise, 14,000. Visitor Information: Kodiak Island
seals, whales, bald eagles, puffins and during May, Convention and Visitors Bureau, 100 Marine
one of the largest shorebird migrations in Alaska. Its Way Suite 200, Kodiak, AK 99615; Phone (907)
calm, protected shoreline is dramatic, with jagged 486-4782; Email: visit@kodiak.org; Website:
peaks rising from the water’s edge and many arches www.kodiak.org.
and caves found throughout the bay. Unlike most
kayaking destinations in Alaska, you do not need a Kodiak’s lush green mountainous landscape has
float plane or a long boat charter to get you out to the been compared to Ireland’s, hence the nickname
wildlife, calm waters or secluded areas. Emerald Isle. The oldest community in Alaska was
Homer is an outdoor enthusiast’s mecca and you established on Kodiak by Aleksandr Baranov in 1792
can find everything you need for your trip in town when Russian rule dominated the northern region of
or on the Homer Spit. Water taxis will ferry you the Pacific Northwest; the oldest Russian Orthodox
to every corner of the bay. In May, make sure to Church outside of Russia was built here in 1794;
set aside time for Kachemak Kayak Fest, a popular Alaska’s oldest standing building is the Russian
paddling celebration complete with kayak classes, American Magazin, built in 1808 as a fur warehouse.
demos, lectures and even a kayak fashion show. SOUTHWEST ALASKA The City of Kodiak is the largest seaport in Alaska
Winter king salmon feed heavily in Kachemak with the second largest fishing fleet in the US, while
Bay and Cook Inlet, then return to Canada and the the Island’s waters have been judged to offer the best
Pacific Northwest to spawn. They are by far the best Discovered in the 1700s by Russian fur traders, sport fishing.
eating salmon you’ll ever taste, since due to being Kodiak Island is now a top tourist destination. View Whale watching, sightseeing tour and fishing boat
immature they haven’t lost any of their high fat the Kodiak brown bear on the ground or from the air operators offer half and full day charters and remain
content. Adventurous anglers looking for a unique on a flight seeing tour. Private fishing boat charters busy through the summer months following the
experience should try winter king salmon and halibut offer excellent saltwater fishing from April through migration of several species to the northern waters.
fishing trips out of Homer. Great fishing and the October while commercial fishing vessels work the From the largest marine mammals in Kodiak waters,
beauty of Kachemak Bay and its surrounding peaks waters all year long. the baleen whales, to fin, humpback, gray, sei, orca
transform a wintertime Alaska fishing trip into a Covering nearly 5,000 square miles, the Kodiak and minke whales, the bays and straits surrounding
truly awesome experience. Archipelago consists of 16 major islands in the Kodiak Island provide a natural habitat to view
Homer holds their annual Winter King Salmon central Gulf of Alaska at the head of the Aleutian these majestic creatures. Steller sea lions and harbor
Tournament in March. Anglers from all over Alaska Island chain. Ancient glaciers and millennia of stormy seals have their pups in June and make nearby rock
and other states come to fight for that winning salmon weather sculpted the islands’ granite core into rugged formations or harbor docks their platform to bark and
in the one-day fishing extravaganza. The average mountains and intricate shoreline. This dynamic land stand their ground. Birders delight in viewing the
year sees over 900 serious fishermen participating in is home to an abundance of wildlife. Whales and sea large diversity of resident and migratory species on
the event, which offers substantial cash prizes and otters feed in bays. Enormous bears roam meadows land or by water. Captains can customize the boating
giveaways. of waist deep grass and salmon return to nearly every experience with a hike on a nearby island, dinner
Homer is the Halibut Fishing Capitol of the stream. cruise, or a photographic expedition.
World, housing the largest halibut charter boat fleet At the end of the Aleutian Island chain, Unalaska/ Kodiak attractions include the Alutiiq Museum and
in Alaska, where experienced old salt captains have Dutch Harbor is the departure point for the crab Archaeological Repository, where visitors can learn
been taking fishing enthusiasts out to their favorite fishing fleet of “Deadliest Catch” fame. Katmai and about the Island’s 7500-year-old Native heritage.
fishing grounds for decades. Most charter outfits Lake Clark on the mainland are wild, untouched Also popular, the Kodiak Military History Museum
do an outstanding job of giving their customers a preserves with the highest concentration of brown is located inside Fort Abercrombie State Historical
great experience. Although halibut grow to over 400 bears on Earth. Park. Originally known as the Russian American
pounds, fish that weigh between 15 and 40 pounds
are the best size to eat and considered the fillet
mignon of fish. It is not unusual for a charter boat to
bring in several 50 to 100 pounders per boat a day.
Trophy sport fishing can consist of a 2 to 3 hour-long
boat ride to the Barrens or Elizabeth Island where the
big guys seem to be more prevalent.
Homer’s Chamber of Commerce sponsors a
Halibut Derby with large cash prizes each summer
that can really be the highlight of an Alaska vacation.
A variety of modern facilities are available
in Homer. These include fine motel/hotel
accommodations, nearly 100 B&Bs, car rentals,
private and city campgrounds. A variety of
restaurants cater to every taste and feature the finest
in fresh seafood. Additional visitor facilities include
the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies and the Carl
E. Wynn Nature Center.
Seldovia
Location: Across the bay from Homer on the
eastern shore of Cook Inlet. Off the road system,
so access is by air, Alaska Marine Highway ferry
and boat; daily flights and ferries available from
Homer. Population: 266. Visitor Information:
www.seldovia.com.

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