Despite wanting to sleep in, we never really CAN. We wake up when we wake up and that is kind of it. (Doesn’t mean I have to get out of bed though, does it?) Dave, of course, made us coffee and then went out to the car to grab some breakfast stuff out of the car and reported back that the neighbor boys were already outside playing (7:30 am) — the youngest, naked again. We had assumed he was only circumstancially naked the first time we met him upon our arrival. This was false.
He is always naked.
The kid simply doesn’t wear clothes. Ever.
We have this on good authority (mom and grandpa). Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think it’s any big deal. As my brother will be quick to point: MY kids were naked most of the time. So I want to be clear that I find the naked part adorable. I’m simply taking issue with the ALASKAN ELEMENTS and the temperature! He’s running around on rocks, climbing on cars, sitting in the dirt while he is also NAKED. In 50 degree weather! Impressive.
We had the whole day to kill before leaving on the ferry in the evening, so we set out to drive around the island. Maybe fish. Maybe hike.
But definitely drive.
We stopped at fossil beach and saw the cool bowling balls made of sand and silt locked into layers of rock that hold ancient shells and crustaceans. We fished Pagashak River, known for its King Salmon run which was all but deserted. (No. We didn’t catch anything.)
We drove to Chiniak Point going the other way, which, despite the description wasn’t “all that.”
We saw thousands of salmon in every little creek we crossed. Mostly Chums, we think. Dave dangled a fly from a bridge to see what would happen and wouldn’t you know, he got a bite. Much chaos ensued as he had to scramble down the steep brushy bank while I held the pole (and the fish), then handed him the pole so he could release it.
I think (though we did not see this for ourselves) this is how thick the Sockeye can be when you are flossing for them and why it’s considered so easy to snag them. Makes sense. (Versus casting to just five of them.)
We ultimately were headed back to the Buskin River near the Coast Guard base (biggest in USA) to fish for whatever would bite — presumably pinks and chums. It was a beautiful day and we were just enjoying it.
Do I sound like I am making excuses for not catching fish?
I am.
I casted till my arm fell off. I tried everything. I DID have a bite or two. Dave snagged a chum by the tail and caught one legitimately. He might have had another one on and lost it — I can’t remember and I don’t care. I’m working hard not to be petulant when Dave catches fish and I don’t — it happens more often than not and it’s hard not to be a baby about it. At least for me… And right now I’m being a baby.
Plus: we watched two guys upstream catching fish after fish after fish. I finally went up there to ask them what they were fishing with. Usually I’m not one to do that (“too embarrassing”) but age, casting fatigue and envy — along with the 100% positive, friendly interactions I have had with Alaskans so far — fueled my bravery.
Plus I’m a girl and therefore unintimitdating, right? Surely they’d be nice to me?
Wrong.
The guy was an ass.
But I stood there anyway and watched them. They were doing exactly what we were and using similar flies. I think they were just in the honey hole. Which was also the troublesome bear that we had read about’s honey hole — from what a FRIENDLY local fisherman told us.
I don’t know. I don’t know what to say or how to explain it.
I just know I got skunked again.
But it was really beautiful. And nice out.
We had picked a very dicey-looking spot to eat dinner called The Rendezvous which got really good reviews. It was quirky. But very good. I got halibut tacos and Dave had a Halibut burger and we split some clam chowder. (Spoiler Alert: even after almost the whole trip Dave still rates the Halibut burger he ordered here as the best of the trip).
Speaking of halibut, Dave was able to get us on a charter out of Ninilchik (30 min north of Homer) for Friday, so we plan to stay in the area after we get back to Homer. Weather is iffy, though, so just hoping we are able to go out.
The Rendezvous was delicious and we timed it perfectly for our 6:45 pm arrival to the ferry staging area. We were no long newbies and knew what to expect. And I had done my homework and knew the ferry was in port and on time. Far less angst and drama knowing we didn’t need to be to a fishing charter right when we docked the next morning. However, we DID have an appointment at Midas in Soldatna at 10 am to get the oil changed and the tires rotated on the Bronco in anticipation of the drive home.
And, as luck would have it, we were loaded pretty near the front, so things are looking good!
Dave went right to bed (in the same room we had coming over!) and I sat and watched Kodiak go by. It was calm and beautiful.
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