Day 16 Homer continued!

Sunday 9/7/2014

 Today is the Halibut Fishing Charter! Mike and Terry where up early to go on the half day charter.  Kim and I slept in and then met Diana and Russ and kids at a diner in town off the spit where they were having breakfast before heading back to Anchorage. After stopping at the Information Center and the Island and Ocean Visitors Center both which were closed (that off or nearly off season thing!) we then headed out for a drive on the East End Road, offering panoramic views of the Katchamak Bay.   
 We wanted to be back in the small boat harbor around noon to see the guys come in from fishing.  They didn't get back in till almost 5! The 1/2 day charters usually don't go out as far and just fish the "chicken holes ", lot's of fish but smaller in size. The limit for halibut is  2 a day  with one under 29" and the other any size. Kachemak Bay halibut average in size from about 20-25 pounds and those halibut are the younger, tender ‘good eating’ sizes. But everyone wants to catch a "Barn Door" halibut. (Homer has a yearly Halibut Jackpot Contest and 2014 largest fish by the entrants was 335lbs. I guess you would call that one a barn door!) Captain John decided to head out to deeper water in search of bigger fish. No luck with the big fish but now the boat is quite a bit farther out in the ocean and will take awhile to get back in to the chicken holes and get everyone on board their limit of fish. They all did get their limit (17 fisherman) but were tired and hungry when they got back to port! A 5 hour charter turned into a 9 hour tour! One very determined captain to make sure everyone got their fish regardless of time. Mike and Terry had about 30 lbs of halibut between the 2 after the fish were cleaned on the boat by the deckhands. After arriving back in port, they decided  not to have the fish processed and flash frozen and sent back home via overnight delivery. They both thought a better option would be to give the fish to Russ and Diana on our return to Anchorage. Lands End Resort was very obliging and kept the fish in their walk in coolers until our departure the next day.




 

After our trip down the East End Road, Kim and I stayed  around the boat harbor waiting for guys to come in. We had plenty of time to check out the Boardwalk shops and souvenirs, and sit in the sun and enjoy the harbor views.

 

Since the guys were planning on being back in port by 1pm, they did not bring any food with them...by the time they got back at 5 they were starved!  For dinner we went off the Spit to AJ's Old Town Steak House.

Our last night in Alaska, and we were again treated to fantastic views right from our hotel room window!  We watched the Alaska Marine Highway M/V (Marine Vessel) Tustumena  come across the Katchamak Bay to dock at the Homer Terminal just on the other side of the Spit!