Kodiak

Yep – we’re still here! We made it safely to Kodiak with a little fuel to spare.  It’s hard to describe the excitement we felt seeing land and making our way through the entrance channel.  Beautiful pine trees, large homes and quaint cottages lined the shore as we made our way toward town.  Closer in, we began to pass multiple fishing boats heading out in search of another big haul.  Our first stop was the fuel dock.  Henry and I hopped off immediately, in search of a nice big patch of green grass – priorities!  As we walked up the hill, I would have sworn I was still at sea or that we were experiencing a massive rolling earthquake.  My mind and  body were convinced the I was still rocking and rolling on the ocean – quite the odd feeling.  Amazing how our bodies can adapt.

We made our way to St Herman’s Harbor, which would be our home for the next week.  Mostly made up of fishing vessels, this marina felt industrial and very local.  It was the perfect place to soak in some authentic Alaskan lifestyle.  As we Hawaiians bundled up to stay warm, the locals donned shorts and short-sleeved shirts as this is their summer – 55 degree high!  Another adjustment for us was the long days – sunrise around 5am and sunset after 11pm – and it never really got very dark.  I found it challenging to get myself to bed before midnight.  The locals seem to really take advantage of the long days of summer to get lots of work done.  They say there are two seasons in Alaska – winter and building!  We heard that in winter, the sun doesn’t rise until 10am and sets around 2pm – don’t think I would enjoy that at all.

So what did we do in Kodiak? First – we caught up on sleep – yay for no more mid-watches!  The next order of business was boat repairs.  The old girl took a pretty good beating on the crossing, and definitely needed some TLC.  Here’s what we worked on:  a clogged holding tank – that was one sh*tt# job – literally; reinforcement of the solar panel brackets; replacement of the stereo system that we drowned the first day out; repair of leaky hatches and windows; and inspection of the rigging. Now don’t get me wrong – we enjoyed Kodiak as well.  We have some friends there that were amazing hosts, serving us multiple dinners, loaning us a vehicle and showing us around.  Not to mention helping us with that little holding tank issue – now that’s a good friend!

We visited the Kodiak Brewery several times, and even Henry got to go, as it was a very dog friendly hangout.  I quickly found my favorite spot, which was a hip little place called the Aquamarine Café. Amazing food – the fish and chips were to die for – and the halibut tacos were super tasty as well.  I loved the ambience – an eclectic mix of small bar meets quirky coffee house, with a gigantic natural wooden table in the middle that appeared to be made from a single slice off an enormous tree.

I was in need of a little primping and pampering, so I got myself to the local beauty salon for some highlights and a pedicure.  I came out a little more brunette than I had planned, but I actually really like it for a change.

Finally, we restocked on groceries, bought a crab trap and a few more items of warm clothing, and made ourselves and the Air Bender ready to take off again.  As I write this, we are exploring the Fjords of the Kenai Peninsula, which I will detail in my next post.  Until next time, live the adventure!