August 23..Kodiak Alaska...Beaver Creek Lodge

We sleep late and enjoy the lovely lodge. It was dark when we got here last night and I am surprised as I look out over the well manicured lawn to see the lovely tall trees and a large dry creek bed. On the way over on the ferry we met a local lady that said Kodiak had over 55 days this summer of sunshine without rain. Ken, a doctor from Mobile staying here at Beaver Creek says he has been here for years. He & Ron agree they have never seen the Russian Creek dry this time of year. We can smell the fish in the air, from salmon running up that creek just days before we arrived.

We have no schedules today. We just want to enjoy this beautiful island. As we pull away from the lodge we have our 1st photo op. Sligo friends...This is rope & nets...A little more than we need on Center Hill Lake....

We start our adventure today with a drive south. The winding road is in excellent condition. It's less than a mile from our lodge to an area called Bells Flats. The Salmon are running and they are easily visible from the roadway.

The shoreline is very diverse. There are many jagged rocks shooting up along the shoreline, some look like VERY large shark fins. Some of the beaches are calm & smooth; others like Surfers beach have a constant supply of waves crashing. Some of the beaches are soft and sandy, others gravely & still others quite rocky. Just a few miles apart and such differences.

There are not a lot of animals here on the island. Buffalo, grizzly bears, black tail deer, mountain goats and foxes. No snakes, but lots of different birds.

I can't remember if I said the largest US Coast Guard station is here on Kodiak. It is an impressive base and dominates its surroundings.

I guess we all know the coast guard for their famous at sea rescues with divers jumping from helicopters to save water bound victims. Or maybe we think of the many safety patrols they do on the waterways, assuring boats (private & commericial) have all the right gear for water emergencies. But I never thought of the Coast Guard as being "real military" (sorry Coast Guard guys). But here on Kodiak is a missile launch facility on the southern tip of the island. We are told this is a vital part of the intercept missile system, protecting the good old USA from air attacks.
We paid special attention to this next sign & listened closely for any warning siren.


We end our fabulous day with dinner at the Channel Side Restaurant (appropriately named as it sets right on the channel that runs from the downtown marina to the sea). Joletta asked about what we were eating. I can sum it up in one word "Halibut". We discovered halibut in 07 and fell in love with its fresh clean taste of the solid white meat. We have seen some halibut on the fillet tables that are hundreds of pounds. They fix it in a variety of ways. I guess my favorite is baked or grilled. Fried is always delectable (being from the south you know). But they also have halibut chowder, that's better than any clam chowder you could ever have) And they also do a smoked halibut. Halibut is the only item Mike has ordered in any restaurant in Alaska so far. Tonight I have Scallabuts which is fried Halibut and fried Scallops. I don't think I've ever had scallops fried, they were terrific. Every meal starts with a cup of Halibut Chowder or Smoke fish appetizers. YUM-O!