It is hard to believe we have only been here for 3 weeks.. however it has been 5 weeks since we left home. In some ways, it seems like a life time, in other ways.. it's barely just happened.
We have salmon in the freezer, and also Halibut, Cod and Razor Clams already. The freezer is looking pretty darn good. Don had a great time out Halibut fishing, twice now with his buddy Russ and I'm loving the results.
As I mentioned before, the clams are not as plentiful. but he has a charter booked to go get a boat load of them on the 23rd of this month.. so that will be great.
Yummmm. Halibut for the freezer. 
The salmon fishing is pretty quiet right now. Within a few days, the RED'S will be in the Kenai River, and all hell will break loose in Soldotna. The motor homes and tourists are doubling everyday. The Fred Meyer parking lot looks like the busiest RV park on the peninsula.. and the traffic is getting horrendous. But you can feel the excitement in the air. The Fish are coming.. it is just a matter of days. .. and when that happens.. we will be on the river ourselves, everyday.
The famous Kenai River
there is so much water rushing down this river, that it is almost dizzying to stand too close. The speed and power of the water is a bit scary, but they sure do catch fish here.
We have also had a little excitement of another type to keep things interesting around here. The Bears.. Yep.. this is a pretty popular spot for bears , partly because we are so near the Kenai river but also because this is a popular spot here by Bills, for the Moose to have their babies. The bears know it... and the bears really like baby moose in their diet. It is so sad because they are so cute. We watched a mother and her twin calves swim across the lake about 3 days ago.. and then run past the cabin. You could tell she was quite stressed and in a big hurry. Well, we now know why. We have 3 huge Brown Bears ( grizzly ) hanging out. It is a Sow and her two.. probably 3 year old offspring. We found out during the night..........
This is not my photo.. this photo was taken by a Greg Henson on the McNeil River. I just added it because I wanted to portray the sheer size and power of these beautiful bears.. and I loved this shot. Thanks Greg Hensen!!I woke up during the night to an unfamiliar sound. Laying there in bed in the 5th wheel.. I listened for a few seconds.. attempting to make my sleepy brain wake up enough to figure out what I was hearing. It is a snorting sound that as I began to think clearer.. I realized sounded like a bear. I leaned up on my elbows and pulled back the curtains, trying to spot something out side in the dusky 2:30am yard, but couldn't focus on anything in particular. At that moment my phone started ringing and when I picked it up.. my breathless neighbor Jan says.. " Oh my god Marcy, there is 3 HUGE brown bears ( that would be Grizzly in other terms), right outside your trailer". Don flew out of bed, loaded the rifle and we got ready for action if need be. She said it was the Sow and her two , probably grown cubs. Apparently another neighbor had seen this trio just a couple days ago down the road aways. Well, after a few intense minutes, listening and searching out the windows we heard a couple of shots near by.... probably pistol shots to scare them off... from a near by property. Now... admittedly I am a true lover of bears.. they fascinate me with their beauty, power and shear strength, but honestly all I could think about last night was that if those guys had wanted to come in and visit, they could open up this 5th wheel like a sardine can... couple of swipes with their big old claws and dinner would be served. So.... it is quite likely from now on , at least for awhile, we will be sleeping with a loaded rifle by the bed. This morning, Don went outside and sure enough, big old tracks all along the outside of the 5th wheel and around the driveway... Yup... living in Alaska can certainly bring excitement ... even when you don't necessarily want it.
Turns out the three bears had quite a night around here. Seems they played in a lot of peoples yards before arriving here.. and while they were in this yard, they managed to break off a pvc pipe from Bills Septic system, and bite a hole in another pipe. After being here for just a few minutes... they carried on across the road where some (fool) opened his door and let his little Yorkie run out and then shot at the bears. Well, needless to say, the dog is still missing, and there is a good possibility we have a wounded bear in the neighborhood now. Not a good situation. The bears are big.. brazen and bold. They are looking for whatever they can find to eat. They would prefer to eat the baby moose calves that are around the neighborhood and will more than likely get at least a few of them, but apparently they are killing dogs as well. Another place down the way lost their dog just this weekend. They are bad bears, and will probably wind up on the list to be destroyed... and that is sad... but once they start this kind of behavior, it is hard to break it. The fish and game guys are here investigating in the area, so time will tell. Not real sure I will sleep well tonight, knowing that when they walk past our trailer we are pretty much nose to nose.. in a tin can. Makes for a slightly high stress feeling...
Of course, they may come back tonight.. or they may have moved on to another neighborhood completely. Time will tell. In the meantime, won't be out walking alone, that's for sure...
So... things are not boring around here..that's for sure. We went down to Ninilchik on Friday night and met a gal and her husband for an evening of fun, food and drinks.. and stayed at their cabin overnight. It was wonderful.. because this is someone I met thru the "Flickr" photo website over 6 years ago.. Melissa and John Renner and we have had a great Internet connection all this time thru our love of photography. They live in Anchorage and have a cabin south of here in Ninilchik, and graciously invited us to spend the night and get to know each other... it was a good trip.
Yesterday we took a drive up to Captain Cook State Park, north of Nikiski.. about 45 miles from here. It's a beautiful area .. one that 7 years ago we camped at for a couple of days. The weather was not great, windy, very cool.. and not really the kind of day you wanted to go hiking or beach combing, but while we were sitting overlooking Cook Inlet, a little Black Bear, probably last years cub.. came wandering by. Cute little guy, and the first bear I have been able to take a picture of. The weather hasn't been very nice for a good week now, but today it has broken up a bit and there is actually some sunshine.
The mouth of the Kenai River,.. as seen from the overlook in the town of Kenai.
As you can see.. he was pretty little.. but cute.
Captain Cook State Park.It was a sad weekend here tho.. I am sure you read about the Soldotna Plane Crash that killed all 10 aboard. Coming on the heals of the San Fransico Crash, it makes one really question flying. My friend Melissa knew the pilot and our hearts go out to his family.. and to the family's of the 9 passengers killed.
Well, I guess that is it for another week. I don't have a clue what will be on the agenda next but whatever it is.. I am sure it will be exciting. Hope you are all well, and enjoying summer. Take care and until next time.. keep smiling.
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