Otter in the Homer harbor - 4/24/13

As we got to the end of one dock in Homer we saw a young otter.  He entertained us for 45 minutes.  I would probably still be there taking pictures and video, but the battery on my camera finally gave out.  He dove under the dock where we stood and came up with 2 or 3 clams and then floated around until he ate all of them. He would place the extras on his tummy while he cracked and ate one at a time.  Then he dove again to get more.  He ate 30-40 while we stood and watched him.   You can even hear him cracking the shells on the videos I took. (More videos below).

Homer Harbor - 4/24/13

After our trip to the jelly lady (Sweet Berries of Homer), we drove to the Homer Marina on the Homer Spit.  The Spit is an irregular shaped piece of beach that has formed with the ocean tides and sand.  It was wiped out in the 1964 Good Friday earthquake (the BIG one here in Alaska) and was rebuilt. 

 Homer Spit

 The Spit has a harbor, marina and few year round businesses, but mostly is has tourist season businesses. We strolled around the harbor and watched the activity.  The Homer harbor is ice-free year round, so there were a few fishing boats and water taxis coming and going. 

Here are some of animals/sights we saw as we walked around the harbor.  You can see that is was still gray and cloudy (although it was not raining). But in Alaska, you do not wait for the sunshine. You just go!!

We saw loons, eagles, sea gulls and ravens.

Time Bandit (for you “Deadliest Catch “ fans)

            Boats at the Homer harbor with the mountains and glaciers in the background

            Same backdrop for baseball practice at the harbor – quite a practice field!!

 This is a photo I took last summer.  It is a hayfield across the bay from the same glaciers 

in the pictures above.  What a place to farm!!