Homer Shorebird Festival (05-07-2023)

 

Today is the last day of the Festival and our last day in Homer.  It's raining, which kind of reflects our mood.  We've enjoyed Homer and the Festival and are kind of sad it is coming to an end.

 Since coming to Alaska we've learned, short of a blizzard, not to let the weather stop us from doing what we want. (BB found this quote and we like it:  There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing). This morning, however, we are hoping for the rain to end.  It isn't a down pour, more of a steady drizzle.  However, our last Festival activity is The Wise and Wonderful Journey, an 8:00am boat tour to Gull Island.  We both think we will enjoy it more if it isn't raining.  The tour offers viewing opportunities of multiple birds (kittiwakes, murres, puffins) and marine animals (seals, otters, porpoises).  Besides believing we will be more comfortable if the rain stops, we wonder if the rain will reduce our chances of viewing wildlife.

It's another get out early morning.  We are at the Ramp 3 parking lot on Homer Spit at 7:30. As we leave the car a woman approaches and asks if we are here for the tour.  We respond yes and she introduces herself as our guide, Monica. There are 6 signed up for the tour and Monica is trying to round everyone up.  Monica points out the restrooms and tells us we can go down to the boat, the Billy Hawk.  We take advantage of the restrooms (always a wise thing to do before getting in a vehicle) then head down the ramp to the Billy Hawk.  We spot the boat and meet our pilot, Emily, with her dog, Beau.  Emily is calling her father to come get Beau.  It's departure time, 8:00am, and no dad picks up Beau and no other passengers show up.  Oh, shucks!  This has become a tour for 2 instead of 6.  And Beau gets to come with!  Emily takes us to Gull Island and Peterson Bay.  Monica points out birds and other wildlife.  We see:

Common Murre

Black Oystercatcher

Surfbird

Red-necked Phalarope

Pigeon Guillemot

Marbled Murrelet

Harlequin Duck

Common Loon

Sea Otters

Porpoises

Monica

Emily and me

Meet Beau!

Surprise! Gull Island has lots of Gulls.

Sea Otter

Emily has us back in Homer at 10:00.  Time to get serious about leaving.  We fill up with gas on the way back to the house.  We pack up and do a final inspection to make sure the house looks tidy and we haven't forgotten anything.  

We can't leave Homer without stopping in at the Salty Dawg Saloon.  This is one of the oldest buildings in Homer. The oldest part of the building is from 1897.  The bar is famous for its walls covered in dollar bills.  The story goes that a patron tacked a dollar on the wall saying that his friend would be by for it later.  BB and I spend about 5 minutes here.  It is too early for us to have a beer and we want lunch!

$Dollar$ Bills ALL over the walls!

Lunch is at Captain Patties Fish House.  We both have halibut.  BB has it as halibut fish and chips.  I have it as a halibut fish sandwich.  Our last meal in Homer is a good one.

This moose is on a wall near Captain Patties.  

Today is Cousin Bob's birthday.  We call from Captain Patties parking lot to sing Happy Birthday.  He doesn't pick up.  We hope he is busy celebrating!

Our drive home is uneventful.  The sky is overcast.  Driving through the snow-covered mountains reminds me of Ansel Adams' photographs.  Without the sun and with the leaf-less trees everything looks black and white.  

We spend some of the 4 hour drive reviewing Alaska trivia.  We signed up for the Welcome to Alaska Trivia activity on our fast approaching inland passage cruise.  We are ready for all the 'What is Alaska's State XXX*.'  Alaska's state land mammal is the moose.  Of course it is!  For some reason I have problems with Alaska's state insect.  It is the four-spotted skimmer, a type of dragonfly.  I remember it is a dragonfly, I forget the four-spotted part. 

Outside of Girdwood the road is lined with cars and people are fishing in Turnagain Arm.  We assume they are fishing for hooligan, aka candlefish.  BB looks it up and we are right!  We will read in tomorrow's paper that a fisherman had to be rescued from the mudflats.  (The ADN article).

We are back in our apartment by 6:00. BB and Grey are happy to see each other.  I am happy they are happy. 

We enjoyed Homer.  Lots.

*Alaska's State:

flower - forget me not

land mammal - moose

marine animal - bowhead whale

official sport - dog mushing

mineral - gold

fish - king salmon

bird - willow ptarmigan

tree - Sitka spruce

flag symbols - big dipper and north star

gemstone - jade

fossil - woolly mammoth

insect - four spot skimmer dragonfly

dog - Alaskan malamute

song - Alaska's Flag

bolt-action rifle - pre-1964 Winchester model 70

Sal