Kodiak Island

Woody Hobgoblins and Mossy Carpets

uniquelytheo2 Comments

The next day’s dawn was a miniscule brighter than the previous days and the forecast was for cloud cover but NOT rain.  Without a car (thank goodness), I wanted to stay “local’ or hire a taxi. I was eager for a walk-about day after two days of extended time on the derriere. After I downed the not so sumptuous standard hotel breakfast bar food, I decided to  walk over to Near Island (which actually wasn’t that far) and hike both the North End and the South End Trails. 

As I peered at the bridge to Near Island upon approaching Kodiak via ferry, I found it a we bit imposing (given the size and remoteness of this island), spanning the entrance to St. Paul Harbor in Chenega Bay and the city of Kodiak . The Fred Zharoff Bridge arched from the mainland, just across the channel from downtown Kodiak to Near Island. I began to create in my mind a small area developed with shops, restaurants, parks and the two lauded hiking trails that I had read about when planning this trip. I had seen a blip about Near Island Coffee on restaurantguru.com : “a cozy coffee and tea shop located there…is well known for its great service and friendly staff that is always ready to help you. ” The Kodiak Fisheries Research Center and Laboratory with a 3500 gallon Aquarium and Touch Tank is located there as well. Beginning the journey I was able to appreciated the vantage point of downtown Kodiak from mid-bridge.

Was I ever in a lala land… there was no thriving touristy retail center. Near Island was primarily commercial-industrial area with fishing trawlers and other boat moorings and a sea plane base.   Near Island Coffee was basically a drive up kiosk. Now, I really am the outdoors type and not all that touristy, so I even surprised myself with my expectations. Since I was primarily there for the hiking though, the North End Trail head presented right at the  bridge egress. 

It felt at times as if I was being transported into a world of super-sized hobgoblins. Sitka spruce trees shaded most of this trail and they have done a stellar job of mossing up. I have dubbed it the  Hall of Mosses. A variety of greens that dominates the scenery of this temperate rainforest thrills the eye. I found it enchanting and primeval with the array of mosses (the word that comes to mind is lush) and lichens under the canopy of these old-growth trees.  

 The trail is mostly well marked but since I have always been directionally challenged, there were a couple of points where I found  myself walking in circles…  lost in gnome land .. but not really very lost. Additionally, I enjoyed the excellent views from an observation deck, a couple small beaches to visit,  and the fine views of  Kodiak and Chineak Bay . 

The South End Trail was yonder down the road towards Trident Basin Seaplane Base. I had trekked the road to the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center and Laboratory and came upon a trail sign indicating an intermediate trail connecting to the Rotary Gazebo and the South End Trail. Given my concept of “gazebo,” I couldn’t quite envision one in a forest draped with moss and lichen. But alas, a clearing and what I would call a picnic shelter turned out to be the Rotary Gazebo and Park. ’Twas a convenient spot for lunch!

This trail was a bit rougher, squishier, with roots popping up in hopes of tripping up this unsuspecting hiker. It was slow going but probably less than a mile and I came upon the gravel road and what might have been the beginning or end of the South End Trail.

I gambled that this was my destination trail and proceed to hike up what I later heard was the Harbor View Trail which connects to South End Trail…literally at the south tip of this island. The rocky terrain I was trekking followed a chain link fence, clearly erected to prevent any foolish hikers from loping on down to the gravel excavation site. Believe it or not, given some of my previous endeavors, I was not tempted. I was setting my eyes upon some lovely and not so lovely sights: the gravel excavations, the breakwater to Kodiak Harbor and St. Herman Harbor (aka Dog Bay on Dog Salmon Bay Road) where the biggest commercial fishing vessels tie up; the Stellar Sea Lions, who are purported to be hanging out near the breakwater in absentia; City Dock Two on the mainland where the MS Roald Amundsen Cruise Ship was docked; and hundreds of additional moorings for commercial fishing boats. Trivia: Kodiak is the third largest commercial fishing port in the United States.

The  coastal trail soon entered coastal rain forest of sitka spruce at times but it wasn’t quite as thrilling as  the lush enchanted forest of North End Trail. The path  mostly hugged the coast and though  semi-improved, it was replete with the mud, rocks and roots that like to challenge a hikers forward momentum. Thank goodness for a few short  boardwalks at some of the muddiest locations. At the southernmost termination I opted to enjoy the marvelous  views of Chiniak Bay, perching on the edge of one of the  wooden benches  which still retained the leavings of yesterdays rains.

I plodded back via the gravel road to the much anticipated reward for a day well spent: a venti non-fat latte from the oh so famous Near Island Coffee Kiosk. I perched again on a wet park bench waiting for the caffeine to kick in to power my legs back across the bridge to my Kodiak abode. Having clocked about six miles of hiking, my legs were spent, even though my money was not. I again opted to not trudge down the hill and ate remnants of my lunch, and the fruit and baby carrots I had in the room. Not totally yummy but it was food and I saved myself the climb back up the very steep drive to the Compass Suites.

Being eternally hopeful ( or should I say hope springs eternal) for a turn in the weather, my hopes were yet again dashed as I peered out the doors to the balcony and it was even grayer and large drops of rain were falling with a relentless force. Since the plan was to stay local and explore the city of Kodiak, I was definitely not in a frenzy to get out there and explore every nook and cranny of this very Alaskan berg. I did venture on out about 9:00 am, encased in a bright pink rain jacket much too large now for my shrinking frame, green rain pants, my trail shoes,  but sans umbrella. My mindset was to trot merrily in the rain  around town, perhaps have a nice lunch, and do a bit of shopping. By the time I negotiated the short distance down the street to the town center, I did not much feel like prancing in the rain but trudged around the area in hopes of feeling inspired by a shop, church, museum, or just about anything to distract me from the rain that was now seeping in through a slit in my rain jacket. I found the town to be quite utilitarian and bordering on a classic strip mall with a large carpark to support it.

But being bull headed and determine to experience this town, I went to visit the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Center. CLOSED! A stop in at the visitors center didn’t yield a whole lot of new information or ideas. So  I wandered though the port and industrial dock area and then headed further down the street to visit the Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church and Saint Herman Theological Seminary. I was quite satisfied to view the exterior and opted out of taking my rain soaked dripping self inside. Same rationale was used regarding visiting the Alutiiq Museum and Kodiak History Museum. I love reading history, love historical novels, but have never been a big fan of visiting museums, especially in wet gear. 

I slogged back to the town center for the anticipated shopping for souvenirs — though why would I even want a souvenir as a hallmark of this trip. Much to my relief the two stores that might even have something memorable to purchase were closed so that solved that dilemma. No browsing, no money spent. As it was a bit early for lunch I opted to return to the hotel, dry out, pack up and then decide what to do with the 2.5 hours before I got the shuttle to the airport.

This is not a touristy town center and I wonder if the patrons off the cruise ships that dock here are as surprised as I have been by the blandness of this town. It just did not feel like there was any hum or buzz to it. Now,  I am sure that my perspective is definitely tinged by my age, my style of eating, being a non-drinker, definitely preferring outdoors adventures, and of course the overlay of inclement weather. Since this was not a day for sitting out with a coffee,  reading and people watching until it was time to go to the airport,  upon checking out by the appointed time, I enjoyed the lovely hotel lobby and caught up on a lot of reading.

Another shock was the air service by Alaska Air in-out of Kodiak, a town of approximately 6000. It has a huge runway and it flies a Boeing 737 in and out. The airport gate area definitely was not designed to hold the large number of passengers that the jet aircraft can hold. Packed into the waiting area like sardines,  I was not particularily appreciating the ripeness of some of the outdoors adventures or the high level of humidity in this enclosed area from the plethora of  wet outwear.  Since I had started in Homer I had to fly back there by the very circuitous route of a 1 hour flight  to Anchorage , a 3 hour layover and a 45 minute RAVN AK flight to Homer– a 5 hour journey to go what would have been 132 air mile across the Gulf of Alaska had I been able to fly direct. It was no surprise to deplane in the rain and then drive an hour and one half back to Soldotna in this same low pressure weather system that has locked in over the peninsula.

Was I disappointed . Yes and no! Since I was mostly confined to the road system and town, I did not see any kodiak bears but I had not expected to see any of Kodiak’s large population of bears. Other than that it was a great experience just going with the flow, dancing in the rain (well not quite dancing) and embracing whatever Mother Nature spewed forth. even if I have groused about it a bit!

Deflating Tires, Corduroy Roads, and Powerful Pinwheels

uniquelytheo6 Comments

Upon drawing back the blackout curtains in my hotel room,  I was decidedly NOT shocked to see a pillow of gray clouds and mist hanging over the harbor and obscuring the harborscape and beyond. I had reserved a rental a car for one of the three days here. There was lest than 100 miles of public roadway in this island and at approximately $200.00  per day for a rental car, I thought a 3 day rental was definitely overkill. I anticipated taxing a taxi for any other needs. So  after helping myself to the  typical hotel complimentary breakfast bar, I headed out to the airport and had expected to pick up a Toyota Corolla Sedan (the least expensive car). But I was instead given a Ford Bronco to travel about in. I was definitely pleased by this switch! The script was to head to the farthest points on this very green and very wet island. The destination was Fossil Beach (aka Surfer’s Beach) and Pasagshak State Park on a paved (mostly that is) 35 mile drive over an undulating roadway, that initially hugged the coast with the views,  mostly shrouded  by fog, of Middle Bay and Kalsin Bay.

A surprise find (in all of the literature on Kodiak I never read about this) was  the Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska as I neared Fossil Beach. This is a dual-use commercial and military spaceport  for  sub-orbital and orbital launch vehicles providing  low-cost access to space for small- and light-lift vertical rockets and stratospheric balloons (perhaps Chinese?).

After passing the complex, following a directional arrow towards Fossil Beach, there was a gravel lane descending before me down to the beach. It was a muddy, rutty, mucky, potholed mess. This definitely would not have been suitable for a sedan but my heart quickened now that I had this 2023 Ford Bronco Sport for my vehicle. I surmised I could negotiate what appeared to be a road needing 4-wheel drive and a higher clearance.

So with sweaty palms clutching the steering wheel,  I slowly bumped, bounced, dipped, splashed, slopped, mudded and carefully wove my way down this narrow gravel track. I didn’t bottom out but thought one might be able to swim in a couple of those potholes. My inner adventurer was quite satisfied at this point so I opted out of slipping and sliding down the slick wet clay paths to the beach via my two feet. I was not in much of a mood to search for fossils in the inclemency of surroundings. So it was off on the next adventure successfully snaking my way back up the mucky lane and on past the myriad of fishermen, fishing boats and recreational vehicles camped at the beaches along the way. I was not enticed to pop out of this trusty Bronco and join the passel of fisherman, standing there in the drizzle, anticipating their big catch of the salmon season.

So I headed back to the Chiniak Highway to visit Cape Chiniak. After 1/4 mile of a paved surface from the Pasagshak Road Junction,  my definition of highway, discussed in the previous post, had again to be revised. Behold, a washboard gravel road can also be  considered a highway here in Alaska. There are miles of these “cordurory highways”  (envision the  wale of your  corduroy slacks).  The speed and comfort of travel would be significantly compromised. So for approximately 13 miles at about 13mph  on this  washboarded  road surface of transverse ripples,  I  bump, bump, bumped along. Now I could have avoided the aggravating, rumbling, teeth-jarring jolts had I chosen to go 5mph or less but was certainly not willing to devote 5 hours of my day for this 25 mile round trip trek. I knew, having experimented on other gravel roads, that I could avoid most of the vibration at a higher speed of 20mph or more but was acutely aware it could become  a hazerdous “slippery” surface road should I have to brake for one of those famous Kodiak Bears, if one ran out into the middle of the road for photo op of me. So my rational  brain won out and I drove at an uncomfortable but safe speed, spraying mud (one upside of the rain is that it kept the  dust own) as I headed for Cape Chiniak. 

I never quite got to Cape Chiniak. What I perceived as near the end of this highway, and shortly after seeing a sign that read “State Road Maintenance Ends,” I came upon a  sanctioned creek/river crossing. for cars.

I found this problematic – there was no bridge. Do I ford it myself to test the water first or just barrel across in the Bronco with me at the helm? After some pondering , I determined that at some point perhaps my luck could run out since I am good at punishing the vehicles I drive, and I did not want either of us ending up down under (though the water  really did not look that deep).  So I passed on the opportunity to head out to the Cape riding the Bronco or on foot. I determined that, most likely, after what I have seen in my traverse of this island, it would not have been a truly unique vista , and since I was alone in the middle of nowhere with no one else around, I got back into the car and headed back towards the town of Kodiak. 

I thought I might explore the  tiny outpost of Chiniak on the way , which has a post office, elementary school, library and a population of around 50,   so headed up King Crab way towards the  library but soon decided that this was a bad idea as this road again look like it had the potential to wreck the suspension of the Bronco.  This scenic curvy highway along the shoreline though was a lovely drive though with views of Kalsin, Middle and Women’s  Bay. I even spotted a Bald Eagle enjoying the view of Kaslin Bay. I was quite happily cruising along,  back towards Kodiak to hopefully hike the Pillar Mountain Trail, when the low tire pressure light came on.  Ugh! Since I was only a few miles from the airport, I figured I could go by the rental desk and have it checked. Brilliantly, the guy who came out to check it out said  “Yep, it’s low!” as if the car computer would have fibbed to me. He pumped it up and a visual inspection did not reveal any nails, damage etc. Since it was a new vehicle with only 2000 miles on it, I decided to proceed with my itinerary. Fixed!

The weather was steadily deteriorating, getting windier, chillier, mistier and spattering rain, but not to be daunted, I continued on my search for the Pilllar Mountain Trailhead. It is a 2.9 mile  moderately challenging  trail with an estimate time of a couple hours to complete.  Alas, there was no trailhead signage to be found nor any signage or parking area. BUT it was a drivable road of gravel, scree and talus deposits and, given the weather , I decided I would drive it until it wasn’t any longer feasible.  Happily, I could pick my way up through the rocky terrain all the way to the summit. I patted myself on the pack for such a wise choice (though wussy by the normal standard I expect myself). There was a day when I would have been bull headed and try to follow my planned adventure of hoofing it up in misery. The wind turbines up top along with the mother nature’s wind and the spatter of rain resulted in about a five minute not particularly  enjoyable experience of taking in the views of Kodiak City, Chiniak Bay, and the interior of the island. I imagined that if I leaned  into the wind on this  blustery day it might have  held me up a little! 

It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and still lots of adventure to be had.  I headed towards the other end of the island  on really normal paved roads toward Fort Abercrombie and White Sands Beach. Much to my chagrin, the low tire pressure light comes on just as I was headed for the Fort Abercrombie Trail. NOT fixed! Not wanting to take any chances, I turned around and headed back to towards the  strip mall  section of Kodiak with its Walmart, Safeway, and gas station.  After much fussing around and back and forth phone calls, putting air in tire, another phone call, employees conferencing about what to do,  and waiting for someone else  to call me back, an employee was sent out to change the tire and put on the balloon spare. Fixed! I figured that is what they should have done in the first place but when only about three miles down the road at the  Fort Abercrombie entrance the low tire light went on again. Not fixed! I was quite aggravated! 

Back to the station, more phone calls, and an unsuccessful attempt to inflate the balloon, they decided to trade out the vehicle which, of course, would take a while as it needed to be prepped etc. I said I was driving the car back the three miles to the hotel (after a brief food shopping excursion into the Safeway for dinner, club soda,  and lunch food for the hikes tomorrow) and the trade out could happen there. By the time I got there the pressure had cropped from 26 to 14.  Well finally around six my new vehicle arrived, a Toyota Highlander , and I had absolutely no desire at this point to attempt any new adventures or drive another strange vehicle even though there is still plenty of light because the sun doesn’t set until around 11:00 pm.    Fortunately my hotel room was a mini suite with a kitchen and I heated my Safeway King Pao Chicken and stared at the rain from my port side balcony.

Watery Highways, Absentee Wildlife, and Spare Cruising

uniquelytheo4 Comments

I am not sure how Kodiak Island made it onto my bucket list of things to see in Alaska this summer . Since this will be my last summer living in Soldotna AK I wanted to maximize my experience . In researching it, it seemed like would be a good fit for my venturesome self. The Discover Kodiak Visitor Guide states 

“It is filled with giant bears, spouting whales, extraordinary birds, and brightly colored salmon jumping from the rivers. The lush green summer months earn Kodiak Island the nickname, “The Emerald Isle”. Prepare yourself to realize that a place this incredible actually exists.” 

Additionally I could use the Alaska Marine Highway to get there, giving me a mini-preview of what the voyage from Skagway AK to Bellingham Washington would be like this fall.  So I created a magical itinerary for my three full days of adventure, enjoying what I imagined would be a quaint town with coffee shops, stores and restaurants; a drive out to Fossil Beach for some beach combing and then on to Cape Chiniak to explore; a hike up Pillar Mountain; a visit to  White Sands Beach and Fort Abercrombie State Park and time permitting a hike there; and an exploration of  both the North End and the Sound Trails on  Near Island. I wondered if it was a bit ambitious but was anticipating this getaway with much eagerness. 

The part of the brochure that I totally ignored in my imaginings was:

“Part of the charm of Kodiak is the unpredictable weather. The weather allows Kodiak to bloom into “The Emerald Isle”. It allows all of the things you come to see – the bears, whales, puffin, and salmon to thrive here. Summers can be perfection, but they can also be rainy, windy, and foggy with a side of overcast. Don’t worry though, you are visiting one of the world’s most exotic islands and your memories will not be about the weather.”

Now I am wise enough to have packed good rain gear, extra hiking shoes, and clothing after last summers incessant rain for two months on the Kenai Peninsula. But I was quite disappointed and disgruntled that all Kodiak did serve up was rain, wind, and fog, mist, and overcast with a temperature range of 45-49 degrees. It definitely dampened my spirits and my body. Sadly , the weather became the overarching memory of this excursion.

The journey began with a 90 minute drive from Soldotna to Homer. The weather was favorable, a cerulean sky, and I marveled at the view of the mountain across the Cook Inlet, visible with an early morning glow.

I had decided to park at the Homer airport, as I was winging it back, and take a taxi to the Alaska Maritime Highway Ferry Terminal at the end of the Homer Spit. I was astonished at how this 2 mile stretch of road, Homer Spit Road, became a massive parking lot for hundreds of cars, all manner of recreational vehicles, boat trailers, with “parking lot campsites”, ” and a few seafood restaurants and souvenir shops squeezed in. But, it all went seamlessly and I boarded the Tustumena with much ado made by the massive flock of seagulls wafting about. The covered gangway to board the ship definitely spares passengers from the chance bombardment of either the gulls or their excrement.

The Alaska Marine Highway

Highway: Merriam-Webster defines highway as “a public way especially a main direct road.” It commonly used for one connecting major towns or cities. I typically envision an interstate, freeway, main artery etc. usually paved and maintained. The visit to Kodiak require that I expand my vision of what a highway is! I had opted to take the Alaska Marine Highway from Homer to Kodiak – a 126.1 mile 9.5 hour “cruise” on the Tustumena, churning through the Gulf of Alaska at 11.27 knots miles per hour… definitely not an expressway at sea. This being a working car ferry, it brought back fond memories of the car ferry and ride we took across the Staits of Mackinac from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace before the Mackinac bridge was built…a journey that was spare, quite windy but short.

Since ”cruise” means a journey over water in a vessel, that this was thought NOT luxurious and NOT for you if you want a deluxe experience with entertainment and casinos, buffets, and a pool. It might be describe as “spare” accommodations but perfectly adequate to get from port to port on a limited budget. Since much of Alaska is boggy and remote, there are no highways connecting vast areas, so it is a boon for those who can’t afford the luxury of bush planes or float planes to more distant remote areas. So I joined the hikers, backpackers, families and fisherman for the day. I actually enjoy this as much or more than the fancy-dancy cruises I have been on being a backpacker and camper at the core for many years.. The partly sunny skies of Homer very soon gave way to the cloudy and misty skies in the Gulf and a stiff wind, so my vision of sitting out on deck, enjoying the open water teaming with wildlife and the scenery – mostly an occasional craggy glacier carved islands – was quelled.

The upside was that there were many options on the interior of the Tustumena to settle down in and while away the hours. I opted for a booth as home base with room to spread out, store my suitcase under the table, be proximate to a bathroom and the Coke machine, the common microwave, and the ice machine available for all. The many people who can sleep anywhere and at anytime could be found asleep in the lounges, on couches and chairs, the floor, in the deck in sleeping bags etc, . There were even public showers available but definitely not on my dance card that day. A dining room offered 3 meals but I opted to only have dinner as I brought lunch and snacks fearing the prices of food would be astronomical. But the prices were reasonable and food in the dining room was acceptable, though not exactly gourmet.

Overall this is a good opportunity to “unplug” as no wi-fi and minimal cell service is available. So the 9 hours actually passed quite quickly with reading, snacking, playing games on my iPad, dining, and often cruising the outside deck buffeted by the wind hoping to spot the acclaimed proliferation of wildlife to be seen. Here is my list of sightings: 0

I found cruising into the Kodiak Harbor was probably the most picturesque part of the days journey, given the narrow channel and lush  greenery on numerous rocky islets alongside; the bridge to Near Island spanning the channel; the fishing boats, boat yards and marine gear and services for all the commercial fisherman, cargo ships, cruise ships and passenger vessels, and recreational boats. The highly touted plethora of bald eagles, sea otters, and Steller sea lions, which are frequent visitors to the harbor,  chose this point in time to not be part of the non-existent welcoming committee. The town itself is a compact area next to the harbor dockage, spread out for about 4-5  blocks, and I could see the Compass Suites Hotel, which I had booked, on the hillside. With no welcoming committee or anyone to get guidance from, no taxis in the area, and an unsuccessful quest for a map in the Ferry office ( no detailed map exist  so I assume it is a given that everyone has google maps on there cell phone and that a paper map is an anachronism). I decided to hoof it, dragging my suitcase the few blocks and was very grateful to arrive at the hotel around 9:00 PM, settle into a very pleasant  room overlooking the harbor.