2019 Alaska Vacation Journal (61)

07/11/2019 No Travel Day - Relaxing in Ninilchik

Start Location:

• Volcano View RV Resort
• 16867 Sterling Hwy, Ninilchik, Alaska 99639
• 907.567-3220

Start Time: N/A

Mileage:  54,324

Cost Per Night: $37.50 USD
Weather: 53 - 64 F Cloudy

Our last day in Paradise. The Volcano View RV Park in Ninilchik is a definite ‘must see.’ We have been here two weeks and are actually discussing the possibility of staying another week.

The view from the spots on the ‘Bluff’ are priceless. Our camp host Lyndia is very helpful and kind. The RV Park is centrally located.

Their laundry facilities are convenient, can handle a large load, and reasonably priced.

Further, for most of our stay we were alone (just the way we like it). The toilet facilities are the only thing lacking. However, that small negative does not come near all the park’s positives.

Of course the animals did not enjoy the bird feeder until this last evening. However, it was a joy watching them. The Magpies ganged up on the lone squirrel, but the squirrel was still able to get his fill.

Wild Life Spotted: Bald Eagles; Magpies; Squirrel

View from Volcano View RV Park - Ninilchik, Alaska

This Little Squirrel Found the Bird Feeder

The Magpies Loved the Bird Feeder as Well 

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal

1. Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel (60)
2. Rainbow Tour to Seldovia (59)
3. Taco Tuesday on Monday (58)
4. Walmart & Fred Meyer (57)
5. Paul - King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (56)
6. Us-King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (55)
7. Happy 4th of July, Ninilchik (54)

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal (60)

07/10/2019 No Travel Day - Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel

Start Location:

• Volcano View RV Resort
• 16867 Sterling Hwy, Ninilchik, Alaska 99639
• 907.567-3220

Start Time: N/A

Mileage:  54,324

Cost Per Night: $37.50 USD
Weather: 55 - 71 F Sunny With Hazy Horizon

Today was overcast with limited visibility. We did not have anything planned so just took it easy. In fact, we did not get out of bed until 9:00 a.m. We needed to go into town to mail Grandson's Birthday Card.

Ninilchik means "peaceful settlement by a river." On the way back, we stopped at two state park campgrounds to check them out. We were both surprised that they were almost empty!!! They were dry camps and very reasonable at $15.00.

Then we stopped at the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel. It is a historic Russian Orthodox church that was built in 1901. It is an approximately 20-by-50-foot roughly cruxiform-shaped building, mainly designed by Alexi Andreev Oskolkoff who came from Sitka to supervise the building's construction.

We also checked out the Ninilchik Scenic Overlook. It is a fun place to view the Ninilchik River and watch the eagles soar. Trails provide access to fishing along the Ninilchik River but we did not stay long enough for that. (We were the only car in the parking lot.)

On the chore side, laundry and RV dump was accomplished.

Wildlife Spotted: Eagles; Magpies (who finally found my feeder) and of course the proverbial seagulls.

Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel

Old Ninilchik Village - Quaint Fishermen's Cottages and Log Homes

Ninilchik Scenic Overlook - Peaceful and Equipped for Picnicking

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal

1. Rainbow Tour to Seldovia (59)
2. Taco Tuesday on Monday (58)
3. Walmart & Fred Meyer (57)
4. Paul - King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (56)
5. Us-King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (55)
6. Happy 4th of July, Ninilchik (54)
7. Cook Inlet Low Tide (53)

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal (59)

07/09/2019 No Travel Day - Rainbow Tour to Seldovia

Start Location:

• Volcano View RV Resort
• 16867 Sterling Hwy, Ninilchik, Alaska 99639
• 907.567-3220

Start Time: N/A

Mileage:  54,324

Cost Per Night: $37.50 USD
Weather: 55 - 71 F Sunny With Hazy Horizon

We went down to Homer to board our Tour Boat over to Seldovia. The Rainbow Tour office is located on the Homer Spit, a long, narrow finger of land jutting 4.5 miles into Kachemak Bay. The forces of nature that built the Homer Spit might have washed it away years ago, if humans had not intervened. Although it is dotted with picturesque little shops, there really is not much to do on the Spit.

The boat ride took about two and a half hours, allowing us to explore the unique coastline of Kachemak Bay en route to the remote and charming community of Seldovia. We stopped at the Gull Island Seabird Rookery. As many as 20,000 seabirds build nests in the craggy rock faces and cliffs of the Island, which is on the south side of Kachemak Bay about three miles from the Homer Spit. We observed mostly Sea Gulls and Common Murres. The Murres looked very much like skinny penguins.

However, the flies in the area were horrific. They swarmed the boat and especially attacked the poor passengers in the open-air seating. For the rest of the trip over, everyone was dodging or swatting the huge vermin.

We did see a plethora of sea otters. They came very close to the boat and offered opportunities for photography. Unfortunately, the windows were not too clean, so you had to brave the elements in order to get a decent photo.

What can I say about Seldovia. It is a very small city in Kenai Peninsula Borough with under three hundred residents. There is no road system connecting the town to other communities, so all travel to Seldovia is by airplane or boat.

There are a handful of food establishments on the main strip; not much else. Paul and I had our lunch at the Boardwalk Pub & Grill. They are a full-service restaurant and specializing in seafood and many gourmet options from sandwiches, house made soups, seafood chowder and so much more. Paul enjoyed his Veggie Wrap and Green Salad. My Alaskan Rockfish Sandwich was amazing. The Seafood Chowder was just average though; not worth the extra $2.00 required. The view from our table was priceless.

On our journey home, I noticed that the flies had dissipated. Crew Member, Emma explained that they suck them up with a vacuum cleaner. Now why they could not do that on the trip over is a mystery.

I would rate this Seldovia excursion as average. If you have limited time, I would reject this one. However, as Seniors, the cost was just $59.00 plus tax. It was a nice way to while away the day.

We arrived at the Fat Olive in the nick of time. . . . just before rush hour. Fat Olive is a lively spot set in a former garage and serves wood-fired pizza, steaks & sandwiches, plus beer & wine. I started with a beer (Old Inlet Pale Ale). It was so tasty, I had to order another.

The kitchen is ‘open’ so you can watch the cook twirl the dough for the pizza crust – very entertaining. Our food arrived in a timely manner and was well above the average pizza establishment. We would highly recommend this place for casual nourishment.

Wildlife Spotted: Sea Otters, Sea Gulls, Common Murres

Interesting Buildings in Seldovia

Our Tour Boat – Rainbow Tours

Beautiful Bald Eagle

20,000 Seabirds Build Nests in The Rock Faces & Cliffs Of Gull Island.

Common Murres Populated the Top while Sea Gulls Rest Below

There Were Plenty of Sea Otters to Photograph

Two Otters at Play

Alaskan Rockfish Sandwich / The Boardwalk Pub & Grill

It was very Foggy on our Trip to Seldovia

View from Our Boardwalk Pub & Grill Seat

Cheesy Bread Appetizer at the Fat Olive

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal

1. Taco Tuesday on Monday (58)
2. Walmart & Fred Meyer (57)
3. Paul - King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (56)
4. Us-King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (55)
5. Happy 4th of July, Ninilchik (54)
6. Cook Inlet Low Tide (53)
7. Recuperating / Groceries (52)

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal (58)

07/08/2019 No Travel Day -Taco Tuesday on Monday

Start Location:

• Volcano View RV Resort
• 16867 Sterling Hwy, Ninilchik, Alaska 99639
• 907.567-3220

Start Time: N/A

Mileage:  54,324

Cost Per Night: $37.50 USD
Weather: 55 - 71 F Sunny With Hazy Horizon

Cow Parsnip

Paul was very ambitious today. First, he cooked us a wonderful fried egg breakfast. Then he went through and organized all the boxes in the tow truck. After which, he worked on the valance in the living room. It was interfering with the reclining of the upgraded chairs.

It was a very busy morning for the Cook Inlet. There were so many fishing boats going out in the early morning, there was a long line for the boat launch.

We enjoyed a visit from our fishing buddies, Deborah and John. They will be flying back to Washington tomorrow.

Since we will be on our Rainbow Tour to Seldovia tomorrow, we fixed our taco dinner a day early. The eagles were very active today.

Today's Lesson: Cow Parsnip can cause nasty burns that take weeks or months to heal and can leave scars.

Wildlife Spotted: Bald Eagles; Sea Gulls; Magpies

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal

1. Walmart & Fred Meyer (57)
2. Paul - King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (56)
3. Us-King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (55)
4. Happy 4th of July, Ninilchik (54)
5. Cook Inlet Low Tide (53)
6. Recuperating / Groceries (52)
7. Halibut Fishing Trip (51)

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal (57)

07/07/2019  No Travel Day - Walmart & Fred Meyer

Start Location:

• Volcano View RV Resort
• 16867 Sterling Hwy, Ninilchik, Alaska 99639
• 907.567-3220

Start Time: N/A

Mileage:  54,324

Cost Per Night: $37.50 USD
Weather: 56 - 74 F Sunny

Beautify Alaska

After hitting the road before 4:30 a.m. two mornings in a row; Paul decide we needed a day of sleeping in. After a late breakfast, we drove back down to Soldotna to shop the Fred Meyer. We found all the groceries we needed, but they were out of Blue Ray Players.

So off we went to WalMart. We were tired of the skipping our old system produced and hope to fix the issue with a purchase of their ‘Top of the Line’ LG.

Unfortunately, it did not do the trick. After, a process of elimination, Paul discovered our ROKU Speakers were the culprit. We will have to bring our recent purchase back for a refund.

As we were watching our now well-functioning television; Paul jumped up quickly. His eagle eyes spotted out new neighbor (a family in a rented RV) about to unplug our hook-ups! He was of the belief that our utility pole belonged to his site.

I will never understand it – why not knock on our door before unplugging us? After a brief argument, Paul prevailed. Sadly, the neighbor did not have a long enough hose to hook up his water. They left in the morning.

Tip: If you are going to rent a Recreational Vehicle, please learn camping etiquette. (Several fellow campers have ignored out boundaries by walking through and/or using our space. Even had a child who would stand right by our steps to look inside our RV – parents of course said nothing.)

Wildlife Spotted: Eagles and other birds only 

Landscape off the 1 between Ninilchik and Soldotna, Alaska

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal

1. Paul - King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna 56
2. Us-King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (55)
3. Happy 4th of July, Ninilchik (54)
4. Cook Inlet Low Tide (53)
5. Recuperating / Groceries (52)
6. Halibut Fishing Trip (51)
7. Windy Day in Ninilchik, Alaska (50)

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal (56)

07/06/2019  No Travel Day - King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna

Start Location:

• Volcano View RV Resort
• 16867 Sterling Hwy, Ninilchik, Alaska 99639
• 907.567-3220

Start Time: N/A

Mileage:  54,324

Cost Per Night: $37.50 USD
Weather: 56 - 74 F Sunny

Paul left early (before 4:00 a.m.) for day two of his King Salmon adventure with Captain Mike Hopley. Almost immediately, I regretted staying back to get the chores done. Yet, we have been on the road for almost two months and the ‘Beast’ had not been given a thorough cleaning that entire time. Further, we have not had a moment apart, so it was probably a good idea to let Paul have his own escapade. (Update – the entire boat got skunked – no fish)

It only took about four hours to deep clean the inside of the RV. I started at 6:30 a.m. then realized to be quiet as others might still be sleeping. Two loads of laundry were also done.

It was another beautiful day on the Bluff. The weather here has been perfect, and we have not had to break out our heavy jackets. In fact, Alaska hit record-breaking temperatures on Independence Day, shattering the previous heat record by five degrees. Three other Alaska locations, Kenai, Palmer and King Salmon, set or tied all-time high temperature records on Thursday.

The Swan Lake Fire, which was started by lightning on June 5th, 2019 in the USFW Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, is still burning making for some spectacular dawns. Currently, 92,657 Acres have burned and the Percent of Perimeter Contained is a mere 14%. Officials stated they are going to let the fire take its natural course but will work to save structures.

Paul came home happy but salmon-less. This time no one on the boat succeeded. Paul stated that they only witnessed one fish being reeled in! However, Paul did see four Moose; one with a calf on his morning drive!

Wildlife Spotted: Bald Eagles; Magpies; Seagulls. Paul saw four moose and a calf.

This Red Sun Greeted Me as I started Chores at 6:30 a.m.

Never Tire of these Beautiful Birds - Bald Eagle

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal

1. King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna (55)
2. Happy 4th of July, Ninilchik (54)
3. Cook Inlet Low Tide (53)
4. Recuperating / Groceries (52)
5. Halibut Fishing Trip (51)
6. Windy Day in Ninilchik, Alaska (50)
7. Relaxing in Ninilchik, Alaska (49)

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal (55)

07/05/2019  No Travel Day - King Salmon Fishing, Soldotna

Start Location:

• Volcano View RV Resort
• 16867 Sterling Hwy, Ninilchik, Alaska 99639
• 907.567-3220

Start Time: N/A

Mileage:  54,324

Cost Per Night: $37.50 USD
Weather: 56 - 74 F Sunny

We were on the road at 4:30 a.m. Captain Mike Hopley, Owner and Operator of Alaskan Adventure Charters. (As an early bird bonus, we observed a moose as he just crossed the road.)

John Bouslog’s King Salmon

The boat hit the Kenai River water a bit before 6:00 a.m. There were five of us in the boat (Captain Mike, Deborah and John). Within thirty minutes, John brought up a twenty plus pound King Salmon.

Paul and I both thought, “awesome, we will get our limit (of one each) quickly.” Wrong. It was very quiet on the river for the rest of the day. Of all the boats fishing, we only witnessed three more fish reeled in.

While it was disappointing not to bring home some King Salmon meat, the day was definitely a pleasure. Our boat mates were awesome; friendly, fun and helpful. The weather was perfect. Further we observed plenty of wildlife: a family of ducks; a seal; seagulls; bald eagles; terns.  Mike even pointed out an Eagle's Nest high in a tree.

We called it quits at 2:00 p.m. Paul took me to a restaurant recommended to us by Mike, Deborah and John. Located in Soldotna, off the Kenai Spur Road, Froso's Family Dining offers a wide variety of foods: Greek Food, Steak, Seafood, Mexican Food, Italian Food, Gourmet Pizzas, and much more!

Our waitress, Johna (spelled phonetically) was quick, efficient, and very friendly. Paul thought his grilled cheese sandwich was a bit burned. However, I bought the Captain’s Plate which was awesome and plentiful. I especially enjoyed the side of spaghetti that accompanied the assortment of fried seafood.

Wildlife Spotted: Bald Eagles; seal; ducks; seagulls; terns; moose

Vista At 3:30 A.M. Volcano View RV Park

Red Sun on Our Drive to Soldotna for Salmon Fishing

Captain Mike, Deborah And John – Boat Mates

Fishing for King Salmon on The Kenai River

Paul, The Happy Fisherman

Don’t I Look Happy!!!

Loved Watching This Family of Ducks

Paul Watching John’s King Salmon Being Filleted

2019 Alaska Vacation Journal

1. Happy 4th of July, Ninilchik (54)
2. Cook Inlet Low Tide (53)
3. Recuperating / Groceries (52)
4. Halibut Fishing Trip (51)
5. Windy Day in Ninilchik, Alaska (50)
6. Relaxing in Ninilchik, Alaska (49)
7. Travel Day - Soldotna to Ninilchik, Alaska (48)