Homer Spit

Count-down:  38 days until departure for Alaskan Adventure

My husband told me we will be visiting Homer Spit.  “Homer what?” I asked.  I promptly googled it.  

I learned that a spit is a landform made by waves hitting a beach at an odd angle and moving sediment to form a thin strip of land attached to the end of a larger landmass.  

Homer, Al is at the tip of the Kenai Peninsula 220 miles southwest of Anchorage by car.  It was first settled back in the 1890’s when coal was discovered in the area.  Homer Pennock came in 1896 searching for gold with the Alaska Gold Mining Company, the town was named for him.  Gold was never discovered.  But for the town of  Homer, wealth came from the sea.  Homer is now the Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.    

Bald Eagles resting on Homer Spit from Wikipedia Commons

  

Homer’s spit is 4.5 miles long and plunges into Kachemak Bay. Originally it was larger but an earthquake in 1964 sank a large portion of the spit.  Currently Homer Spit boasts the longest road into ocean waters in the world.  Despite being only 19 feet above sea level and susceptible to storm swells there is even a cute little restaurant on it, called the Salty Dawg Saloon, built in 1897.  I hope we get to eat there!

I hope everyone is having a great time A-Zing!  I'm learning a lot and laughing often.  :)

Kathy