Captain’s Log: Fun in Homer; Dutch Harbor pics and videos posted

Aug 17-20

Hi All,

ANNOUNCING….drum roll please…..born August 17, 2019…..Roxanne Hargett Youngblood…..granddaughter #4….ODG we are so blessed with another cute as can be healthy baby!!!! David and Dana texted us throughout the day on Thursday and then into the wee morning hours of the 17th…..such a relief to know all went well for Mom and Roxy….well, and Dad too:)))!!!! And, we had fast internet for once to be able to Facetime a little later….wow, she is so tiny next to Mom & Dad:))))

We did arrive Homer around 1:15pm on Thursday, August 16. The marina Harbormaster assigned us slip JJ7….right between 2 very large purse seiner fishing boats…..cool….don’t want to screw up and hit one of them….but, got my docking mojo back….no wind, no current….easy peasy, backed right in like a Pro….TG for thrusters….the guys even helped Kathy tie up….sweet as!!! Talking with them….nice guys…but a bit depressed….salmon season a definite bust….in fact they were changing gear to go back to long lining for halibut and cod…..they need to make some money!!! And, as were were tying up, Alex, the fisherman we met in Sand Point who told us about Homer and gave us some delicious smoked salmon….came by in his chase boat…..they were docked 2 boats down…..they never went back out when we left them in Sand Point….July 14th…..that area never reopened for salmon fishing….wow….these guys are hurting for sure!!!

The Admiral informed me the Galley was closed so we went to supposedly the best seafood restaurant in Alaska….Captain Pattie’s….yep, a tourist thing….seems the Spit area in Homer is full of restaurants/bars/RV parks et al…but the fresh halibut was outstanding…..mine was baked with a red pepper, parmaensen sauce and Kathy had the fish and chips!!!

The next day we met Mark at Bearfoot tours for a marvelous day of Alaska Brown (Grizzly) bear viewing. We saw 10 bears up close and personal and must have seen over 40+ bears and a red wolf from the air. And the scenery was outstanding…..a beautiful sunny day with just a few clouds on the mountain tops!! Mark has a Cessna Spymaster fixed wheel plane….this model has a forward and a rear prop….very unusual. He flies west across the Cook Inlet into Clark National Park and into the Silver Salmon Creek and Chinita Bay areas. We had 3 beach landings/takeoffs….I guess an old pilot joke is your happy when the takeoff and landings are the same #:))). We walked close to 5 miles along the beaches as well along the stream. It was just a perfect day for us and we are so thrilled to have had the opportunity and Mr Weather cooperated!!!

http://alaskabearfoottours.com/bear-viewing.htm

The galley continued to be closed so we walked another 2 miles to Harbor Grill….cheeseburger in paradise for Kathy but a big prime New York Strip for John-boy….yep, worked up a big appetite!!

It is such a small world….the day before we get a call from a Tulane ZN fraternity brother, Michael Pugh….he just happened to be in Alaska on business but could come to Homer….ODG…of course, come on down and spend the night….we will act like 20-somethings:))) And boy did they have fun!!! It was so good seeing Michael….the conversation picked right up from last time….opening cermonies on Mystic…then a mile walk to The Chart Room for an excellent seafood meal….oysters, king crab, seafood bouillabaisse and crab cakes with an excellent Frog Leaps Merlot….LIG!!!! Then in the true spirit of the evening, a little cigar and a visit to the Salty Dawg Saloom….

“The Salty Dawg started out as one of the first cabins built in 1897, soon after Homer became a town site. In April of 1957, it opened as the Salty Dawg Saloon. The Alaska Territory became the 49th state of the union in January 1959. Earl Hillstrand, the late State Representative, purchased it in 1960. After the March 1964 “Good Friday” earthquake, he moved the structure to its present location. The distinctive lighthouse tower was added to cover a water storage tank, thus completing one of Homer’s more historical and recognizable landmarks.”

http://www.saltydawgsaloon.com/

The Saloon walls and ceilings are covered with one dollar bills. “The tradition of sticking dollar bills started a few decades ago when a man walked in and tacked a dollar on the wall of the log cabin and explained that his friend would be by later and the buck was to buy him a drink. It started exploding in the early ‘90s, when tourism started to pick up. Today, it’s hard to find a spot where there is no money.”

There might be a few from Mike and Mystic Moon now tacked to the walls:))))

Unfortunately Mike had to leave Sunday:(((( Kathy and I did manage to make it to the Kachemak Gear Shed for a few supplies but unfortunately struck out on finding a crab trap…..arghhhhh!!! I did save our old one that was cabled tied together so I’ll get that back out, make a few more repairs and a new bridle….ugh!!!

We also had a surprise call from Sharon, once the owner of a Selene 48….she and Wayne have been on Mystic a bunch and now are living down in the Baja Mexico area!!! She works for Alaska Airlines and had a stopover in Anchorage….so good to be back in USA and able to catch up with friends!!!

Before Michael’s visit on Saturday we went to the local Farmers Market….it was pretty good….a bit smaller than expected…but we did find some goodies, some fresh veggies and scored some fresh frozen scallops as well as a Sockeye salmon fillet!!! As we were getting ready to go the phone rings….its Leslie and Phil from sv Sagata….they and Brother Wind are in Seward….think they will overwinter there and not go back to Kodiak…they had rented a car and drove to Homer…..so, they picked us up and drove us back to the boat and we started the games a bit earlier before Mike arrived…..such a small world!!

On Monday….friends of Dave and Helen on sv Jammin….Jeff and Sandy are working in Homer and have their sailboat in Grenada and cruise in the Caribbean in the winter….picked us up Monday am…Jeff used to sell Selene’s in Fort Lauderdale….wow, what a small world. It was fun getting to know them….we went for lunch in a delightful cafe and then they drove us around Homer. Unfortunately it was rainy/foggy so the views were a bit obscured…ugh!!! The dropped us off at Safeway for our last provisions for the next few weeks….it maybe Yakutat….an inlet along the Gulf of Alaska we hope to go into on our way to Cross Sound/Inside Passage before we can provision again….maybe in ~3weeks!!

The Plan: We will now start the final leg of MAC…..from Homer to Sitka over the next 3-5 weeks. We will first cruise the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound over the next 2-3 weeks. Then passage through the Gulf of Alaska to Cross Sound inlet and hopefully cruise Glacier Bay et al before arriving in Sitka late September. All of this is of course weather dependent so we will see how it all goes…..winter is coming soon in this area!! We are leaving Homer tomorrow, Tuesday, August 21. We will leave early, but first get 725 gal of fuel…then go 45nm back to Port Chatham. The next day we hope to go Tonsina on the Gulf side of the Kenai Peninsula!!

Hope all is well!!

John
Mystic Moon
GO MYSTIC GO!!

PS: I finally got some more pictures posted on the website….these are from Dutch Harbor….yep, almost 2 months ago!! And I did post a few more videos….4th of July Dutch Harbor fireworks and the hot dog eating contest!!!

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