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July 21-22, 2025 Marti Eicholz Our days at sea sailing the land of fjords, exploring Prince William Sound, a 10,000-mile protected area of rivers, islands, fjords, and 150 glaciers. The Odyssey brings us up close to awe-inspiring fjords and glaciers. Cruising from College Fjord to Homer, Alaska is a journey through stunning Alaskan scenery, including glacier views and wildlife encounters. College Fjord is known for its tidewater glaciers, where we witness large chunks of ice break off, called calving, and crash into the sea. From there, we head south out of Prince William Sound and into the Gulf of Alaska with views of the Kenai Mountains and more opportunities to spot marine wildlife. We bypass the eastern side of the sound, missing Columbia Glacier, one of the world’s fastest moving glacier and missing Whittier, a remote gateway where most of the 275 residents live in a 14-story apartment building. Whittier is known for its network of underground tunnels. And that’s okay. The Odyssey approaches one of the most beautiful places in the world, breathtaking views of Kachemak Bay, the Kenai Mountains, and several volcanic peaks, reaching over 10,000 feet, sits the charming town of Homer Alaska at the “end of the road,” the place where the land ends and the sea begins. The Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea. Homer, Alaska, is a city located 220 miles southwest of Anchorage, on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, known for its scenic beauty, offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains and Kachemak Bay, a place to explore on a kayak or stand-up paddleboard and view its diverse marine life like whales, sea otters, and birds. The weather in Homer is influenced by its coastal location, resulting in cool, cloudy summers like today, it is partly cloudy with a low of 51°F. The town of Homer was established in 1964, but its origins trace back to 1896 with the arrival of Homer Pennock, a gold prospector, a mining promoter, a con man. Pennock lured people to the area with promises of gold. The town was named after him. While the mining ventures were short-lived, the name "Homer" stuck, and the town evolved into a vibrant community. Today, Homer is home to genuine treasures that attract people to live and work in this unique Alaskan community. The heart of Homer is Homer Spit, a 4.5-mile natural finger of land jutting into Kachemak Bay, and it is a vital component of the local economy, a hub of activity hosting the town’s port facilities and harbor, supporting both the marine trades industry and commercial fishing. Homer, with its abundant supply of Halibut, earns the title "Halibut Capital of the World." The Kenai Mountain chain stand at attention. The waters of the bay surround you. There are beaches to explore. The tides are remarkable, making the pebbly shores at low tide wonderful places to walk for miles, discovering all sorts of marine life like bald eagles, whales, otters, and sea lions. Homer is known for its world-class halibut fishing grounds. Halibut, the largest of the flatfish family, is a major draw for anglers who want the thrill of fishing the icy waters and catching these massive fish. Halibut isn’t the only fish that call this area home you can find a variety of salmon, Dolly Varden, and trout. Take a fishing charter to catch salmon, halibut or other species of fish. Dip a line into Homer's “fishing hole,” an artificial lagoon on the Homer Spit stocked with hatchery salmon, a low-pressure fishing experience. The Pratt Museum is Homer's outstanding cultural center, filled with local art and Alaska Native artifacts as well as interactive natural history exhibits. The Salty Dawg Saloon, a historic landmark established in the 1890s, one of the first cabins built in Homer, looks traditionally bar-like with its long plank tables and benches with unique touches like thousands of signed dollar bills pinned to the walls and ceiling, each representing a visitor to The Salty Dawg who has continued a long-standing tradition of the fabled patron who left a dollar with the bartender after waiting for a friend who never showed up. Throughout Homer and Kachemak Bay, there are over eighty miles of well-maintained and marked, walking, hiking, biking, and running trails to explore. The Spit trail spans more than four miles, from one end of the Spit to the other. It’s paved and runs along the waterfront next to the Boardwalk. Dedicated to Alaska’s marine wildlife, the Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center boasts interactive exhibits, knowledgeable staff, award-winning nature films, a bookstore, and a self-guided tour to learn all about the area’s wildlife and their natural habitats. The Pratt Museum offers an easy and fun self-guided tour highlighting a range of captivating historic exhibits of the area’s communities, people and the ecosystem. Skyline Drive Overlook is a beautiful spot for seeing a vast expanse of blooming wildflowers plus jaw-dropping views of the mountains, glacier, the town, and the Spit, or an epic sunset. Leaving this captivating destination, we pause to think of people living here at the “end of the road.” Homer is a friendly and outgoing community, committed individuals to making Homer a better place, generously giving of their time and talents, contributing to the overall quality of life like expanding the port facilities and developing a new Town Center on the thirty acres in the heart of Homer. As we circumnavigate the globe, it will be interesting to watch this ambitious, creative community become its best self. |
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