by Bill
Location: South of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula. See map here. And click here to see a satellite view.
Cost: $200-$400 per person per day, depending upon where you stay, excluding rental car and airfare.
Why go?
For the serious bird photographer, there is no place on the good earth that is better for capturing photographs of Bald Eagles in the wild than in Alaska, and Homer is the best spot of all. My trip there was a life-long goal, just seeing Alaska had been a boyhood dream. If you love bird photography, specifically birds in flight, this is a challenging and rewarding trip. In addition to capturing photograps of Bald Eagles, the area is famous for going fishing. And, if you are really into wildlife photography there are a number of tour companies in the area that specialize in taking you to see wild Brown Bears in remote locations, and up close. I will write another article about such a trip I made and make recommendations on a specific vendor for such a trip.
Highlights
My five-hour drive from Anchorage to Homer was spectacular! Along the way I took the opportunity to simply stop and look at the majestic scenery. The area on the way from Anchorage has mountain ranges and waterways that temp one to stay the night and get up early for sunrise. Of course, sunrise is an interesting matter in Alaska, depending on when you go. While there, my daylight hours were in the range of 18-20 hours. In fact, it never really got dark while I was there.
But, I’m not much of a landscape photographer. Wildlife is my passion. And I was soon rewarded with shots like this one:
WOW was I happy. And I think what I enjoyed most was the wonderful feeling I got each morning as I enjoyed my coffee while driving to the area I was working. Just the anticipation of getting there was overwhelming.
What made the trip work for me was the discovery of the beaches along the coastline of Cook Inlet, between Homer and Ninilchik. And, having rented a four-wheel drive vehicle made it easy for me to drive on the beaches without carrying large amounts of equipment across tough terrain.
Lowlights
During my journey I decided to go to Kachemak Bay State Park just across Kachemak Bay from Homer. So, I decided to catch a water taxi and go to the park for a hike. What a stupid mistake that was. The description of the park said the hike was “average.” The hike turned out to be a six-hour trek across large loose rocks, step hill trails, and through dense woodlands that I knew were filled with bears and other critters I did not want to meet. I was relieved when the afternoon water taxi met me on a beach a long, long way from where the trail began. Course, sometimes I’m a wimp. Most folks would think the trail is the perfect place for a hike. But, unless you are in really really good physical condition, I don’t recommend it.
When to go?
Lots of photographers go to Homer during the winter months because there is a nice lady who lives at the end of “The Spit” who feeds Bald Eagles then. And yes, I have seen some fantastic shots done there. But, frankly, for me, sitting in a car, sipping coffee, and taking shots out the window is not my sort of thing. I prefer to get out of the car and find animals in wild. It is much more satisfying.
So, I went in late May and early June. My reason was simple. That’s when things are warming up a tad in Alaska, and it is just before the tourist traffic starts in mid-June. And, it is before the notorious mosquitos arrive!
How to get there?
Fly into Anchorage. Then you have basically two choices. You can rent a car and drive from Anchorage to Homer, or you can fly from Homer to Anchorage and rent a car there. I chose to drive, simply because I wanted to get a feel for Alaska and see as much as I could. I am glad I decided to drive. The highway was in excellent condition and there were ample places to stop for meals, restrooms, and coffee.
Where to stay?
By all means get in touch with Marti at Raspbeary Hill. WOW what a fantastic cabin she rents, and at reasonable prices. I could have stayed at one of the hotels in Homer, but I soon discovered that staying in a cabin, with lots of room for all my gear was a good choice. Plus, Marti was very helpful to me in recommending restaurants, places to go, a dozen other things like where to buy groceries at the best price, the location of a hardware store, etc. I don’t remember ever meeting anyone I liked more than Marti, and her husband Rick is a fabulous too. In fact, while there, Rick took me out on his very large commercial fishing boat for a tour of the bay. What a day that was! And, I enjoyed cooking a steak on the grill at the cabin and enjoying the spectacular mountain range that runs the entire length of the bay. And did I mention the moose that stopped by from time to time to feed on the raspberries in Marti’s garden? Raspbeary Hill gets a PTR five star award. Marti gets six stars.
Advice to travellers based on experience.
Take warm clothing. It gets really cold along the beaches, especially when the wind picks up and the winds can be quite brisk. Bring shoes that are waterproof, for moving along the beach. Bring a good 400mm or better telephoto lens, you will need it for catching great flight shots.
Make sure you rent a four-wheel drive vehicle if you plan to drive the beaches, an all wheel drive vehicle won’t cut it. Get one with high ground clearance, the rocks on the beach are big.
When the light is good
The light was always good, well, except maybe when it sorta got dark and the fog rolled in. But, generally expect bright sunlight and tough photographic exposures. But, wow, when it was good it was REALLY good.
When the light is bad
Go have breakfast at Anchor Point or at one of the restaurants along “The Spit” in Homer. You won’t be disappointed. Alaskans serve huge meals at reasonable prices. Or, just sit out next to the Raspbeary Hill cabin in a lawn chair and enjoy a good glass of wine while looking at an incredible landscape.
Will I go again?
Absolutely. I have already booked the cabin with Marti!
