Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Exploring Kenai Day 2

 There was so MUCH to explore and so little time...or at least CoRielle and I felt that way. ::snort:: The girls and Michael opted to have a later start at the RV. 

The rest of us decided to go check out a few turnouts, roads, and wildlife viewing areas we've driven past the past 3 years.  As we left the campground Cory said we were going to go find Caribou. A word about Caribou - they look like reindeer for the simple reason if they are found in the wild they are called Caribou and if they are domesticated they are called Reindeer.  We hadn't driven a 1/4 mile towards the wildlife viewing area when we saw a heard of CARIBOU. I didn't have my real camera. Cory zipped back to the RV, we corrected that oversight and found the herd again. 






Our day was off to an exciting spot. We drove around the coastline in Kenai and saw some BEAUTIFUL homes. We began to dream of having a townhome or property in a coastal town....We FINALLY pulled up to the wildlife viewing area we had planned for the morning. It was incredibly peaceful and beautiful. Green marshy area, the ocean, eagles...fish...If I lived in Kenai I would be in this spot with a cuppa tea and a book quite often. 
Baachan's fellow adventurers

This is the best I could do with my camera....Arielle put her phone up to the telescope and got a better shot. That didn't work with my lens.  If you look closely you can see the mountain across the inlet...this was one time the eye did a better job than the lens. 


Our next jaunt took us to the top of some bluffs overlooking the ocean...beauty everywhere we looked. 


I tripped over a little rope...

A bit more investigating led to the discovery of a way down to the beach. 

While CoRielle checked out the view, I walked along the bluff. I've since learned this was a very bad idea...but in the moment it was magical. Isn't that often the case? This tree impressed me. 

We headed back to the RV to collect the rest of our late rising adventurers. Our first stop was a local seafood restaurant. I think we appreciated the wildlife on the walls more than the food. ::snort::

We had looked at the map and saw an area labeled "lighthouse reserve." We set out to find the lighthouse. NOW, we COULD have asked questions...and discovered the lighthouse had been vandalized and one can't reach it...but there is little adventure in THAT. 

Michael stopped at LIGHTHOUSE Community Church and they knew nothing about a lighthouse. Our next stop was a shop and they told us about the vandalism. Since we were already in Nikiski they suggested we drive down to the beach and out to Captain Cook Recreation Area. We took both suggestions.  Doesn't this look like something out of Star Wars? 
It's an oil platform. 

We found oil platforms. We also looked for rocks, shells, and contemplated life on the beach. 

Allie and Michael take a beach side walk

Check out the fireweed..."they" say when it's fully bloomed we have 6 weeks until winter....it's not ALL fully bloomed. 


As often happens, we found ourselves needing to find an outhouse or such. We stopped at Stormy Lake. We had TALKED about geocaching today, but we didn't follow through. Can you imagine my delight to spot a geocache as we looked at the lake? Cory was a good guy and climbed up to get it - and put it back when we were done. 

Papa shows Benny the little, tiny, log...he wasn't overly impressed. Finding an eagle had such promise. Papa explained the process and we hid the eagle for the next adventurer to discover. 

I admit it's hidden a bit better than it was when we found it. 

Yes, we DID make it to Captain Cook Recreational Area. It was well-worth the drive. 


BTW, this little man told me, "Baachaan, You're a good little girl." He also told me I'm cute and I'm loved. All things I'm now happily repeating to myself.  I am cute. I am pretty. I am loved. I try to be good. LOL 

Oh, the views. 





See? They haven't bloomed to the tip top in this patch. 

Alas, all decided we'd best head back to the RV. Within minutes of getting home our friends asked us if we'd like to go to the pool in Nikiski. We didn't have suits....instead...Benny helped Papa and Daddy wash a few things out and take the nets apart. 

Cory and Arielle took the tent down. We all slept in the RV the last night so we would have less to do the next morning. 

Somewhere in here Cory and Arielle went on an outing. We were happy to watch the boys. They came back with a box of DRUMSTICKS. What a fun way to end this camping episode. 

We still haven't booked for next year - Josiah isn't sure about the tides. Ed isn't sure about the tides.  We'll be back sometime next July.