"I'm going to speak my mind because I have nothing to lose."--S.I. Hayakawa
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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Home(r) away from home.

Imagine this: you're driving along about a hundred and thirty miles south of Moose Pass, heading down the Kenai Peninsula. On your left are the Kenai Mountains; on your right is Cook Inlet with a string of mountains, including at least four volcanoes. You come arfound a curve in the two lane highway, and you see this:




This is part of Homer and that indistinct white strip in the water is the famed Homer Spit, a five mile long gravel bar that sticks out into Kachemak Bay. Here's a closer view:
And here's what it's like driving on the single road on the Spit...
Of course you're following a motorhome, because this is a must-see detination for tourists and sports fishermen. Homer bills itself as the halibut fishing capital of the world. It's also an arts and crafts town.
And there's lots to see... The state Tustumena was in port, taking on passengers and vehicles for transport to Kodiak. Note the tractor-trailer with Safeway written on the trailer.
The trucker has backed the trailer onto the ship's elevator and unhooked. The elevator begins to lower the trailer down to the vehicle deck.
Thar she goes. At the lower level is a turntable that rotates the trailer (and vehicles) so it can be moved onto the deck.

Just in case you were wondering, the symbol of the Alaska flag is painted on the ferry's stack.

Continuing on, the lower end of the Spit is full of little shops and restaurants, and I took photos of some of the more interesting...












Displayed in the window was this oil bottle...


And this beauty...








Funky little cabin...







This is a commercial fishing king crab pot--eight by eight feet and very heavy.





Eventually I began to wander my way back home....

...to my home away from home in Homer. More later if the WI-Fi continues to work. A couple hours I will go register for the Kachemak Bay Writer's Conference.





















2 comments:

  1. Hey girl,

    Ya made it safe and sound. Thanks for taking the pictures and sharing what you've seen already. Lon's impressed that you can hook up your trailer to your truck and deal with all the other details necessary for trailering. I am too if you want to know the whole truth.

    It's great to hear from you. Have fun and enjoy yourself, my friend.

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  2. J, you so make me miss Alaska and the pre-2001 years. Years we can only relive in good memories that still bring longing and tears. Only you could make a "spit" do this to me. Love `n hugs.

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