We had heard mixed reviews about Homer before we ever got there. Some people absolutely loved it and some people told us not to waste our time. On that note, we had to go and see it for ourselves.
We had stayed at a beautiful RV park over the weekend which set us up great to arrive on the Homer Spit mid morning. Laundry was done, and we were ready to spend some time dry camping on the beach in one of the city campgrounds. We heard that Mariner Park was nice and it was close to town for us to walk into. So we drove and got there about 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. I almost thought that we were in the wrong place because it was so deserted. We had a great choice of spots and moved in. By the end of the day, the campground was full once again and getting front row spots on the beach for the remainder of our time was more difficult.
The weather was misty when we got in and stayed that way for the four nights we spent there, which left me a little moody. We had wanted to get a flight out to see the bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, but that didn’t seem to be working out for us between weather issues and no other couple signed up at this time (you need four people to fly out). We were sort of on stand-by in case someone called and the weather changed. It didn’t happen.
We did take a ride down the Spit to check it out, but for us that means our animals come along and if we choose to spend time out, we need to be able to park and open the slide up because otherwise our dog is too cramped up. It was very busy and seemed like chaos. There were vehicles everywhere and very little parking available even for our small motorhome. And there were parking fees imposed all over. We drove to the end of the road and checked that out very briefly. We did not attempt to park in the crowded spots along the road.
Then we headed up to the fishing hole where there is another city campground and fresh water was available to fill our tank. It was interesting to look at all of the busy fishermen both fishing and cleaning their catch.
After that we drove up to a cute winery off the Spit that our friends had recommended. It had a lovely location on a bluff looking at the mountains across Kachemak Bay. They also had a nice little garden to walk through and enjoy. We did a wine tasting but none of the wines appealed to us and so no bottle for us that night.
Mariner Park was a great location and much more quiet and peaceful than the other campgrounds. It had a nice bike/walking path across the road that went all the way down the Spit. And it had a huge beach with huge tides. We often saw eagles and otters from our campsite. It was fun to look for rocks and shells along the beach. And we made some great new friends there as well.
Maybe it was the gloomy weather, maybe I was just tired, but Homer did not appeal to me too much. I don’t like overcrowded places, I have no need for souvenir shops, and I don’t fish. Never say never, but I don’t have a desire to go back to Homer anytime soon.
Day 62 (Day 28 in Alaska)
Miles: 45*
Driving time: 1:00
Roads: Sterling Hwy (AK-1)
Road conditions: Good
Overnight: Mariner Campground
Weather: Partly sunny (51/61)
Total miles in Alaska: 1,033*
Total miles since crossing Canadian border: 3,593*
Total miles: 5,161*
Days 63-65 (Days 29-31 in Alaska)
Miles: 18*
Driving time: 1:00
Roads: Sterling Hwy, local roads
Overnight: Mariner Campground
Weather: Cloudy with occasional rain (52-55/62-64)
Total miles in Alaska: 1,051*
Total miles since crossing Canadian border: 3,611*
Total miles: 5,179*
* Since our motorhome is our only vehicle, mileage includes side trips.