People may go to Homer but their real destination is usually the Homer Spit, a sandbank strip of restaurants and shopping, a busy marina and some pretty serious halibut fishing. Set amidst magnificent scenery, it is a place to kick back and enjoy the sea.

The focal point of Homer, the Homer Spit, juts 4.5 miles out to sea, a long black sand and pebble finger of glacial moraine. Named after a local conman who tried to stimulate a gold industry in 1886, coal mining actually enjoyed more success albeit briefly – black lumps still wash up on the city’s beaches today and are gathered by the locals for their fires.

Around 1910 the fishing industry took off and the place hasn’t really looked back since: it is still fishing frantically. It now bills itself as the Halibut Capital of the World and there is a non-stop parade of boats heading out to sea laden with fishing rods and hopeful anglers. At the end of the day, the charter tourists can parade with their catch before it is skillfully filleted.

All the action is focused on the furthermost end of the Homer Spit where there is a concentration of fishing and boat harbours, shops and restaurants.

Boats can be chartered for fishing, there are water taxis to visit nearby Seldovia and the Kachemak Bay State Park or wildlife cruises. A single busy road runs through it all, leading Simon to compare it to Key West.

However, our camping prices were rather lower. For $20 a night we were able to pitch our tent on the beach, pleasantly removed from the maelstrom yet still handy for everything. We did initially worry we might be a bit too close to the sea at high tide and even put the alarm on to check – luckily it stopped short of the tent by about 4 metres. More fearful souls put their tents on the higher ground!

Coming in on the Tustumena ferry from Kodiak, we had an early introduction to the wildlife of the spit when we tied up at Pioneer Dock amidst a raucous kittiwake colony. They have completely overrun an old pier and the surrounding area with precarious nests everywhere although the fluffy chicks seemed unperturbed.

At low tide we discovered that the old wooden pilings underneath supported huge galaxies of colourful starfish. Shiny black mussels colonized every other available space – it was really quite a spectacular sight.

Nearby the Salmon Sisters have a smart little shop selling expensive clothing, smart wellies and every tinned fish you could think of. There is a small cafe area and a kiosk to one side for more substantial fare.

The famous inn on the Spit is known as the Salty Dawg. The building actually dates back to 1897 and has had various uses, including post office, railway station, grocery store and family home before opening as a saloon in 1957. It was moved to its present position in 1964 after the earth quake. The lighthouse tower was actually built to hide a water tank.

Its interior is completely covered with signed dollar bills and is also quite dark and dingy. We much preferred the outdoor deck at Swell Taco where Simon enjoyed the IPA and I drank a coconut lemonade that tasted amazingly like a margarita. 

Their tacos were excellent too, particularly the breaded rockfish version. At only $7.50 each we didn’t mind that two were definitely required.

The Spit is one of those places that creeps up on you gradually – it is easy to spend time wandering along the boat harbours, checking out the various arts and crafts shops, watching the fishermen in action at the Fishing Hole or near the top of the Spit – lazy days of doing nothing very much at all, just enjoying the play of light across the ocean and the sunlight highlighting distant snowy volcanos.

One night we crossed the road to Pier One, the local theatre in a nondescript red shed in the middle of a bare parking lot. Tickets were $20 and got us front row seats for The Seagull by Chekhov.

The director gave a quick introduction and then asked who had come furthest. Simon told me to not get involved and was then most annoyed when a couple from Florida were handed free cookies. 

“I didn’t realise it was a competition!” he grumbled!

The cast were not always the right sex for the role but it was a good effort and we enjoyed the evening – it is always nice to support local theatre and I felt an undercurrent of sympathy in the audience when fishing was mentioned.

We emerged to find one of those rare clear evenings when everything stands out in great relief, the mountains a vivid backdrop framing the town.

It is quite a long walk into town and you would probably only do it once but there are magnificent views over the bay. Several scattered camping lots offer prime ocean viewing with offshore otters and sea lions.

The main attraction in Homer is the excellent Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center which, although far from them, focuses on the Aleutian Islands. It has comprehensive displays on the history and wildlife of the region as well as various films and talks.

Afterwards we wandered down to Bishop’s Beach on the gentle 1.2 mile Beluga Slough Trail, a pleasant stroll with a scattering of ducks and shore birds. The popular Two Sisters Bakery is close by and there is a supermarket across the road.

Buses leave from the hotel next to the museum once a day direct to Anchorage Airport, an expensive $139, 4 hour ride. However, they do offer a direct link to this uniquely Alaskan seaside town.

NOTES

Campsites occupy the prime positions on the Spit; the only hotel is the Lands End Resort at the end of the finger. Otherwise there are several options in downtown Homer.

There are a myriad of halibut fishing charters to chose from, offering full or half day fishing trips. Take a walk along the boardwalks and check out the options/deals.