Homer Spit

Open all year, however shops at the end of the spit generally close around mid September and re-open in April. The Salty Dawg Saloon, Coal Point Seafoods, and Land's End Resort are among the few exceptions that are open year round. The Spit is a massive landspit jutting some four miles out into the middle of the bay. Although it is a naturally occurring formation, damage from the massive 1964 Good Friday earthquake made the harbor and other facilities inaccessible at high tide, and the Spit was partially rebuilt by the Army Corps of Engineers. The Spit is the center of all fishing-related activity in Homer, and has a host of gift and specialty shops and eateries. Water taxis and ferries provide sea access to smaller settlements on the other side of the bay such as Seldovia and the artists colony of Halibut Cove. Marine and avian wildlife can be seen along the spit, including large numbers of bald eagles. Careful observers may also see sea otters, harbor seals, or even sea lions or whales. The "fishing hole" is a man made lagoon that is stocked with hatchery-bred salmon. These salmon leave the lagoon as they mature and live normal lives at sea, returning to the lagoon some years later due to the salmon's natural instinct to return to the place it was born in order to spawn and die itself. This is one of the most accessible saltwater salmon fishing locations in all of Alaska, and includes a wheelchair ramp. A walk from the start to the end of the spit will take around an hour. A walk along the beach is a beautiful way to see the spit but be careful of the tide as the beach isn't always accessible at high tide. Kachemak Bay experiences tidal variances of up to in a day, so always be aware on any beach in the area that you may need to head to higher ground to get back the way you came.

• outdoors