Homer Arrival

Friday, September 18, 2015
Homer, Alaska
59°36.3'N 151°25.6'W

We made it! We are tied up in Homer Harbour, a snug little haven. The passage from Unimak Strait was fairly uneventful, just one short, vicious weather front that rolled through the night after we passed by Unimak. Why do fifty knot gusts always occur at 2 a.m.? The last night crossing Cook Inlet from Shelikof Strait was a little rocky too with wind in the low 30's and tide to deal with, but, overall not too bad.

We saw a large pod of whales around the Shumagin Islands and one surfaced fairly close to us just an hour out of Homer. Weather was mostly the usual, foggy and grey. The nights were very long and very black. It was dismal coming into Homer with fog and pouring rain, but, now that we're here, the sun is out and it is very beautiful. There was fresh snow on the mountains last night. There are trees! There is grass! There are flowers! You don't realize how much you miss them until you haven't had them while in the Arctic for the past year. The fall colours are probably still about two weeks from their peak. The grocery store was a revelation, stuffed with fresh produce and everything else you could want. Paved roads are also a welcome change from Arctic mud and dust.

We're still making arrangements for haulout here. There is only one boatyard that can do it and we hadn't realized they were tide dependent. There won't be enough water until next Friday, at the earliest, until they can handle our two metre draft. So, we are 'stuck' here for at least a week waiting for haulout. It will delay our plans to get over to Yellowknife to pick up the van, but, we can start making headway on winterization activities here, so, not a bad thing. Maybe we can fit in a bit of touring as well. Lots of possibilities, but, it's boring, and very necessary, showers and laundry first today...

Bishop's Beach, Homer, Alaska

East End, Homer, Alaska

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