Tuesday July 8, 2014 Homer, Alaska

Sunrise over Kachemak Bay

Our morning started way too early.  I had set an alarm for 4:45 so we would be ready to leave the RV Park at 5:45 and be at the pier at 6.  The clock read 4:45 when the alarm went off but it didn't seem like we were in bed long enough.  The sun was up with some clouds around it, but it looked promising for a beautiful day.  We hadn't fixed coffee.  Yesterday when we were at the charter office buying our fishing licenses, they said they would have coffee on.  We went directly to the boat, so we missed that.

Homer Spit small boat harbor

Our boat was in a small boat harbor that had hundreds of boats, a large gas dock and two fish processing plants.  It was cold when we boarded the Whistler.  We were warmly welcomed.  The captain and his three lady crew pointed out the features of the boat, safety items and heads plus where to stow our extra gear.  This was a working boat but it had double deck V-bunks down and forward.  A small sink and stove made up the galley.  There was room for nearly everyone to sit in the main cabin or wheelhouse.  The deck went around the boat and there was a sink used to cut bait and coolers for the fish caught.

Concentration helps to catch fish

A keeper

We went out for about an hour and a half.  The crew then explained and showed us how to handle the rods and reels.  We started fishing at about 8 AM.  As soon our lines were cast out and reached the bottom the halibut started hitting.  The rules were very strange on catching the fish.  Each one of us was allowed one fish under 29" and one over 29."  If your first fish was the larger one your next one had to be smaller.  If your first fish was under 29" you could keep anything you caught as a second fish.  Gerri caught a fish almost immediately. It was slightly over 29" and she let the crew release it, hoping for a larger one.  We both lost our bait at least once.  Gerri caught two keepers at the second spot we stopped to fish.  Reeling in was quite a chore with or without a fish on the line.  We were bottom fishing in about 400' of water with at least a one pound sinker.  When a fish was along side a member of the crew would either flip it on board or gaff it, depending on how the hook was set.  I cought my two fish almost immediately after we stopped at the third spot.  Every one in our group limited out by 10:30.  We headed back to port.  The crew filleted the fish on the way back.  The estimate was that as a group we had caught over 500# of fish.  We later learned that we had 214# of filets.  The catch was divided equally among the group.  So we got about 21# for the two of us. We were ashore and finished with the fish processing people by 1:30.  We arranged to have ours packaged and frozen in 1.5# packages, and will pick it up tomorrow.  All things considered, chartering the boat, fishing license, box lunch and processing the halibut cost us about $20 a pound.  But, the memories of the day are priceless.

Two happy anglers

Before filleting the fish the crew took pictures of the group with everyone's camera.  The whole group of 20 needed a wider angle lense to include everyone.

Back at the coach, Geri took a nap and I went geocaching.  I went geocaching after being frustrated with my computer.  My Queries of cache in the area didn't include all the caches in the area so I tried , without success, to load them individually.  I did manage to find 4 and dnf two, by using both my iPhone and my GPS.

20 happy anglers, some didn't squeeze into the picture

The end of Homer Spit, AK Route 1 starts here, or ends here

We had dinner as a group, catered by the RV Park.  For this dinner we had submitted choices of entree, steak, halibut or salmon, ahead of time.  I usually don't complain about meals, the food was good at this one, but there were some strange twists with this one.  Since we ordered ahead of time there was supposed to be something for everyone, two people were shorted.  Gerri had picked up a steak knife for me and I also picked up one.  One of the servers came and ask for one of the knives back.  Later I heard one server say to another they were out of forks, the response was, but I put out 50.  I have no idea how the fork shortage was solved.  There was nothing like a baked potato, mashed potatoes or vegetables to go with the main dish.  There was only green salad, coleslaw and potato salad.  To top it off there was no dessert.  Like I said two people were shorted their main dish and others had inadequate trimming if they came late.

After the meal entertainment was provided by a group of local Ukulele players.  There were about a dozen singers and musicians.  And they played and sang mostly old favorites that us older folk could sing along.  The group has 30 members but all of them aren't available at all times.

After dinner we went back to the coach and relaxed, it was a long enjoyable day.  We were in bed by 11.

Tomorrow is a free day so we plan to see a little of the old town and maybe do some shopping.  Of course I want to find a few more caches. I have managed to find 85 so far on this trip, plus a few DNFs.  I have finished all 50 states and another territory of Canada on this trip.