Homer and Halibut Cove—Alaskan Treasures

Morning on Kachemak Bay

(July 9) – Morning in Homer and the beauty of Kachemak Bay glows outside our windows. Fishing boats appear every few minutes, heading out to the halibut grounds. Mike was up earlier and caught the rosy glow of sunrise over the Kenai Mountains, part of the Aleutian Range that flows down the peninsula and out into the sea on the Aleutian Islands all the way to Attu.
Mike and I had breakfast here at the Land’s End Resort in the dining room. The day began so sunny that we had to lower the blinds at our windowside table because it was too bright! Believe me when I tell you that such bright sunshine has not been visible often on this trip. If we saw it, it was briefly seen between clouds.
None of this is a complaint, however. The magnificence of the scenery here depends on the rainforest ecosystem. Rain in quantity insures the lushness of the greenery and the abundance of snow that ices the mountain peaks. We brought sufficient rain gear and, though often somewhat wet, we’ve reveled in the cool, damp climate.

After breakfast, we wandered across the road to take a picture of a bald eagle sitting atop a light pole, surveying the water for its breakfast. No matter how many of these birds we see, we continue to admire their majesty.

We met our friends in late morning to pick up our tickets for the “Danny J,” our boat to Halibut Cove on the other side of Kachemak Bay. It’s an old, but well-maintained wooden boat with deck seating, officially known as the Kachemak Bay Ferry. Our captain, Sydney Bishop, and her deckhand, Elsa (Sydney’s lovely daughter) provided red-and-black checked blankets to help us keep warm as we cross the water. There were about 35 of us on board for the trip.
A little further research tells us that the "Danny J" brought soldiers to Homer in 1941. She could hold 75 men. Later the boat was used by halibut fishermen, before it was bought by Sydney's family to use as a ferry to the Cove.

Gulls and Puffin on Bird Island

First stop was Gull Island, a group of rocky outcrops out in the bay where gulls and murres and puffins and cormorants gather to nest and fish and, perhaps, party a bit. Their cries filled the air as Sydney skillfully maneuvered the boat around them, getting us close enough for good photo opportunities while she identified the birds and talked about their behavior.
On the nearby shore of other islands, we saw eagles nesting high in the trees as we motored along on our way to Halibut Cove. Then, as we came toward the cove, we passed in sigh t of a natural arch on one end of the island. As we actually entered the cove itself, its beauty unfolded and we all felt the magic of this beautiful place where Sydney and others live in a community linked by boats and boardwalks that cling to the cliffsides. There are no cars in Halibut Cove.

Halibut Cove

Right away, we knew that we must come here again. All around the cove, the mountains rise as steep slopes, rock faces topped by the green of grassy cliff tops with forested slopes rising even higher behind that. Houses on pilings in the water are set against the cliffs, as are restaurants, shops and galleries. A boardwalk attached to the cliff face meanders around one side of the cove.
Captain Sydney expertly pulled the Danny J alongside a floating dock and we climbed up the ramp to enter the Saltry Restaurant. This is obviously an artist’s domain with its polished wooden walls and floor and tables surfaced with mosaics. The menu tells the story of the owner, who is indeed an artist, Marian Beck (and Sydney's cousin), who grew up here. Her mother was a well-known Alaska artist, Diana Tillion, whose gallery sits up above on the crest of the island.
After a wonderful meal that included local dishes, including one of the best seafood stews I’ve ever enjoyed, we walked around the boardwalk. We climbed up a hill and passed through a pasture with horses on both sides. Marian Beck raises Morgan horses here and has been teased by her cousins for her passion, they claiming to call her the "horse lady."
Over the hill and down again, we regained the boardwalk and went into a gallery featuring the work of several Halibut Cove artists. These artists paint and sculpt, produce beautiful jewelry and wonderful depictions of Alaskan animals in copper relief. It’s quite an array of talent.
We continued on the boardwalk, meeting the restaurant owner, Marian, along the way. We passed a house with a sign indicating it’s for rent for visitors. Mark, our coffee lover, wandered down to a quaint shop at the end of a pier.
I wandered up off the boardwalk via a stairway that leads to the hilltop gallery that was Diana Tillion’s until her death. Her work is displayed inside. Famous for her drawings of Alaskan scenes using octopus ink, Ms. Tillion’s work has been shown all over the world.

The Danny J at Halibut Cove Dock

Our time in Halibut Cove passed much too quickly. We hurried back to the dock and boarded the Danny J. With rain beginning to fall, Elsa distributed ponchos to all who wanted one and we settled onto the deck for the ride back to Homer Spit. Thanks to the ponchos, we stayed relatively dry, if chilled, for the ride of about 45 minutes.
Back at the marina, the rain abated and we left our ponchos aboard the boat and headed back to our van. We decided to head toward toward town and find a place to get hot coffee, cocoa and tea to warm up. We found the perfect place, called the Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery and Café. In addition to our drinks, we discovered they make fabulous apple pie.
The restaurant began in 1982 when Donna and Kevin Maltz came here to sell baked goods from a glorified cart. Their baking skills led to success and the development of this restaurant. The original cart is parked out in front for kids to play on. The décor of stained glass and natural wood, as well as the tie-dyed tee shirts worn by many of the staff, including the owner, Donna, reflect the bakery’s free-spirited style. They believe in local foods and much of their menu is created from organic ingredients. All of it is delicious.

Sea otters float on their backs a lot

We headed back to the hotel, dried off a bit, then met for our evening wine and peanut butter chat that has been a nice social hour each evening during the trip. Then we headed out to experience another of Homer’s well-known culinary options.
Fat Olive’s is an Italian restaurant, well-known for its pizzas, including a 28-inch size that is simply huge. We watched the cooks slinging the dough around before loading the pies with all types of ingredients. Our wait for a table was more than a half-hour because it’s a place that doesn’t take reservations and has a loyal following of both locals and tourists. In addition to those who eat in at Fat Olive’s, there is a steady stream of customers picking up pizzas.
We all agreed the restaurant deserves its reputation. The aroma of tomato sauce and baking pizza dough is seductive. The food itself is generously served and well-prepared. It was delectable!
Back to the hotel we went, once again to fall into our beds gratefully and sleep well. It’s been great to wake up each morning looking forward to the sights we know we’ll see each day.
[Photos by Mike Lumpkin]