Hot Off The Press

I finally get to start a blog post on an Alaskan adventure that includes an encounter with a bear.

At last, I get to write a story with my bear hands!

You're probably rolling your eyes cause you can't bear to hear any more puns!

I'll stop there...

So yes, there includes a bear on this tale of adventure.

On the second day of our stay we headed across the Bay over to Halibut Cove, where we were in search of a "wooden staircase in the woods."

Somehow, we found the trailhead and after anchoring, Dad paddled us over in the dingy and we began our hike on the Saddle Trail.

People often ask me where I would like to live when I grow up and the picture that comes to mind is Halibut Cove. I would build a place way up on the hillside, shrubbery concealing my humble abode, bay windows overlooking the cove, and I would run my magazine from there.

They all say I'm a dreamer, but I say that the first step is the dream!

Anyhow, we weren't five minutes into our hike when our fearless leader came speed walking back to us and informed us of a curious bear eating berries just ahead.

Or should I say, bearies?

There was debate on turning round, but we decided in the end that it was Alaska and bears come with the territory.

So we moved ahead. We ran into him a few more times (hearing his grunts and seeing him bound into the bushes) and we saw plenty of scat littering the trail.

We plodded on, carefully walking in the muddy wake of the hiker in front, and then we finally arrived at the beautiful end, where Grewingk Glacier lay.

It was a n-ice sight. And not a bad hike either! About four miles roundtrip.

To tie off our afternoon like the last, we motored over to Halibut Cove, another lovely seaside town, and walked up the ramp to have ourselves a hot cup of coffee at Halibut Cove Coffeehouse.

It was a bit sealy though, for lying across the dock was the local harbor seal who apparently comes out to sunbathe every week, and has been doing so the past twenty-five years!

Halibut Cove has my seal of approval.

What a day, I'd say, hiking in the Bay. Can't end any other way than with a caramel latte!

Proud Mary looking good this sea-son....

Can you spot our trailhead?

Already, Autumn is beginning to show her colors...

Dad insisted this was the end of the trail, for X marks the spot..

I found this at the end of our trail. Would've served better at the beginning though!

A gem tucked back in the Kenai Mountains..

And then we were right back to where we started, Proud Mary right where we left her.

This has got to be the sealiest greeting to a town I've had in awhile!

Cheers to a splendid weekend xx

It was ill timing.

And when I say ill timing, I mean that during the time of supposed vacation, I was ill.

I've been absent the last week or so, off in South Dakota moving my car and unfortunately, I caught a bug on the plane and was out of commission a bit. I still enjoyed myself, but it wasn't ideal, as you can well imagine!

When I returned though, alllllllll better.

Thank goodness too because instead of jumping right back into work, I took a few days and went off in search of adventure in the magical seaside town of Homer, Alaska.

Packing for the outdoors, we spent the first day fishing.

It began slow. Baby nibbles and pour rainy weather. Dad kept catching greenlings (part of the cod family), in which he made a big show of catching (like he always does).

And for awhile, it was just those guys. Then, out of nowhere, my mom starts reeling in something big.

I grab the camera, peering down below at the darkness of the ocean, wondering about of all the possible treasures on the end. Finally, a shape appeared just below the surface, a big ole 'but.

Six pound greenlings and all of a sudden, we got ourselves a sixty pound halibut. Now we're on a roll!

From that point on, we hooked two more black rockfish, more greenlings, and then I expertly pulled in a nice silver.

While there were rolly polly swells (we were out at the tip of the Bay), we managed to catch ourselves a nice selection of seafood, a success well worth the weather.

Ahhh. It's good to be home.

Homer Harbor never looked so good.

Dad at the ready for the first fish to surface!

Congrats to Mom and her big 'but!

One would think that once in the boat, you'd be safe from a sixty pound fish. Such was not the case, however, because this guy was not done fighting. He proceeded to go into spasmo mode, resulting in one unfortunate breaking of the pole. Hey, it was still well worth it!