Found this park while taking a drive, it was "our kind of place" so we decided to spend the next couple weeks here while fishing and waiting for a minus tide so we can try our hand at Razor Clamming.
This is a view of our campsite. Man, isn't that fantastic? Looking at Cook Inlet and some 50 miles across is Mt Redoubt and Mt Iliamna, somewhat visible, then out of range are Mt Augustine, Mt Douglas, and Mt Spurr.
Five massive active volcanoes which make up a portion of the “Ring of Fire” belt that encircles the Pacific Ocean and are part of the Alaskan Peninsula-Aleutian Mountain Range
Five massive active volcanoes which make up a portion of the “Ring of Fire” belt that encircles the Pacific Ocean and are part of the Alaskan Peninsula-Aleutian Mountain Range
From the bluff in the campground we can watch the commercial set netters working down below.
They are only allowed to put the nets out on certain days and between certain hours. These days and hours vary according to State Fish and Game regulators who notify the fishermen when and how long they can fish on any particular day. According to the campground owner, this is the 4th generation of netters licensed to use this section of water. There are huge boulders with bolts attached under the water that an ancestor set generations ago. This is how they attach their nets. Each time they get the okay to fish they set up the nets and dismantle when the set time is over. In and Out - In and Out many many times a season. What a life. We discovered that when the netters are fishing, the river fishing is very poor (of course, the netters are catching all the fish), so experienced fishermen know to pay attention when the fish will be getting through. This is why the state regulates it. Everyone gets their chance to catch fish. Fair and simply
We picked up our freezer then packaged what salmon, halibut, and shrimp we had so far. Handy little gadget this Ziploc vacuum thing. Sucked most the air out of the freezer bags. You can bet I will use this when we get all those fresh strawberries in Florida this coming winter. Plans are to get much more fish.
Petro really enjoys it here. He is able to run free often. Our only problem is, he doesn't listen well and will mostly not return when called. Since there are many moose and bears in the area we keep him leashed most of the time. Darn dog, he doesn't know what he is missing. If he would only listen.
Like I said, lots of moose in this area. We have seen them several times.
Our new found friends, whom we had met at the campground in Sterling a week earlier, joined us here. Carl and Gary enjoy fishing together. Gary is a fantastic cook and prepared us some shrimp gumbo one evening. Yummy!
Returning from one of his fishing days Carl stopped at this Jersey Subs to use the 2-4-1 coupon we had. The sandwich was fine but not near as interesting as the building. Again, apparently not so unusual as far as Alaska goes. Carl found out the guy owns 3 of the franchises and only opens the one here for a couple months during fishing season.
One evening after dinner we drove a few miles down the road to see the historic little "Ninilchik Village" with it's spectacular backdrop of Mt. Redoubt, the river meandering along side and the beach famous for clamming. This is the oldest settlement on the Kenai Peninsula, started in the 1820s by the Russian-American Company for its employees who were either to old or disabled to make the long trip back to Russia.
There are a dozen buildings dating back to 1895 including a post office and the town’s first school house.
The most spectacular however, the one we actually came to see, is the 1901 Russian Orthodox Church on a bluff overlooking the town with a commanding view of the inlet and mountain range. Whew, what a place.
The most spectacular however, the one we actually came to see, is the 1901 Russian Orthodox Church on a bluff overlooking the town with a commanding view of the inlet and mountain range. Whew, what a place.
We found out the village was mostly destroyed during the 1964 earthquake, sinking three feet where huge sections of land disappeared into the Cook Inlet. That is why there is a "NEW NINILCHIK" (bit more modern but still lacking) built on the bluffs along the Sterling Highway a mile or so up the road.
The small harbor fascinated Carl. How DO they get those boats out of there? There must have been 8/10 rows of boats lined up 6 deep all stacked in there together. The only thing we could figure out is, they would have to wait for several boats to launch in front and beside them before it was their turn. Interesting test of patience I would think.
According to the news this has been one of the rainiest seasons on record for Alaska. Yep, think I can vouch for that. Very few days of sunshine, especially while down here in the Kenai Peninsula. Up until now it has not dampened my spirits, but I am darn tired of cloudy dreary rainy days
More on Ninilchik, Halibut fishing and our continued adventure coming soon.
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