The Kenai....Filling That Freezer With Fish

Very nearly tuckered out

      Sadly, we leave Homer.  We don't want to go, but further adventure awaits.  We backtrack our route through Ninilchik, Soldotna, then east to Sterling, the Kenai/Russian River Fishing Zoo, finally turning south on the Seward Highway. We had 15 days before scheduled to arrive in Seward so we loitered again at Morgan's Landing for 7 days.  We averaged 14 mpg on this leg and were able once again to take advantage of the free water and dump at Fred Meyer's in Soldotna.  While here we also got to visit our friend Molly Tatarka.  She is an awfully busy girl with the kids and her Air B n B, but we managed to fit in a lunch on our last day in town.  Still great to see her.  If you're ever in Soldotna looking for a great lunch I suggest Fine Thyme Café...….the International Beef Sandwich is the REAL DEAL.  Also while here, another old friend, Randy Cler brought his wife and grandson to Morgan's Landing for some fishing.  The 2nd big Sockeye Salmon surge was in the river and everyone was catching limits daily.  They camped near us for one night and we got to catch up a bit as well.  Fun times, making it count.

Molly Tatarka, AWACS Alumni

Them Reds were runnin'

      Leaving here we continued on, watering up for free at Quartz Creek National Forest Campground. We had planned to continue on, but the availability of several nice campsites with some facilities and the fact that we would only pay $9 due to our Golden Access Pass. The fire ban from the Swan Lake Fire has also been lifted so we picked up some firewood in preparing for chillaxin' here for another 9 days.  That was our goal this trip, settle into an area and enjoy it, explore it, while never in a hurry.  We did it for 15 days this stretch.  We boondocked off solar and generator for 15 days and 96 generator hours to compensate for overcast days or just wanted to use the microwave or watch TV.  Total cost for 15 days:  CG $177, generator gas $56, equating to $233 or $15.53 a day.

Quartz Creek Camp

      We did also go and check out our initial boondocking spot for possible future use.  Upper Trail Lake pull off is located 7 miles south of the Seward/Sterling Highways Intersection.  It is on the east side of the road and can be quite easy to miss as it is just a small access road leading about 100 yards down to a huge gravel lot.  

Upper Trail Lake Boondock

      The area is able to hold many RVs and easily a dozen or more big rigs.  You can camp anywhere around the circumference and even on the lake is a couple of spots.  There are also two boat ramps and it is advisable not to park in front of these.  There are small homemade stone firepits, but you have to bring in your own wood.  You are also only about a mile from the small village of Moose Pass so a few supplies are available.  Perhaps the best part of this location is the close proximity to a cell tower.  We had 5 bars of Verizon LTE and I even posted some of this blog from the location. 

Upper Trail Lake Boondock

      When we arrived in Seward we stayed at the Stoney Creek RV Park, about 6 miles north of town.  Very nice park, full hookups, laundry, and showers at $43/night, but 20%  less with military discount and Good Sam.  This is available sometimes, but you do have to ask for it.  www.stoneycreekrvpark.com/  There are municipal waterfront camping sites in town near the harbor, but on our visit they were all full.  They are also $40 and first come first serve. www.alaska.org/detail/seward-waterfront-park    

      Besides a stop for mail forwarding, the main purpose of our visit to Seward was fishing.  5 years ago we did the 'Halibut Fishing Thing' at Homer,   This time we wanted something a bit different.  We love the taste of all bottom fish, but especially rockfish and cod.  We booked a charter with Fish Seward on a day where halibut was off limits due to limit restructuring.  It also allowed us to fish for salmon as well.  Fishing for Black and Yellow Eyed Rockfish, BIG Lingcod, and Salmon;  an all day charter.  www.fishsewardalaska.com/alaska-fishing-rates.html  We knew it would be a 12 hour day so we arranged for a pet walker halfway through the day so the furbabies didn't waste away in the RV.  It was a tri-hull 6 pack boat and the 10-15 knot winds made the ride BUMPY most of the day.  After fishing we had the 18 pounds of salmon fillets processed and shipped overnight to friends and family.  We cut up, vacuum sealed, and froze 20 pounds of rockfish, 25 pounds of ling cod fillets, and 2 pounds of salmon fillets ourselves here in the RV.  Thank goodness for our extra 43 quart Engel Freezer.  For 10 years I fought off Barb's yearnings for a Food Saver, but now we're on our 2nd one and I'm a believer.  Venison, pheasant, quail, wild hogs, fish, etc...…..what was I thinking?   Needless to say our freezer is FULL.  

Filling the box with Black Rockfish

Limits of Silver Salmon & Black Rockfish

The Crew

Yellow eye Rockfish & Ling Cod

      A veritable plethora of meals came courtesy of my imagination the past two weeks as I worked on paring down the freezers for restocking with fresh fish.  I served Reindeer Sausage with Taters n Cabbage, Creole Catfish with Meuniere Sauce,  Boudin Stuffed Cabbage, Crab Spinach Soup, Caribou Steaks with Whiskey Sauce, Chicken Cordon Bleu, and FRESH Alaskan Salmon Bake with Pecan Crunch to name just a few.

  

Creole Catfish w/Menuere Sauce

Caribou Steak w/Whiskey Sauce, baked tater, and salad

Alaskan Salmon Bake w/Pecan Crunch

ROTEL Spicy Meatloaf

      We stayed in Seward for 7 days, but the length of our journey since Homer has been 22 days.  We spent 6 weeks on the Kenai Peninsula, an incredible saga from beginning to end.  Diesel here is back up to an eye catching $3.35 @ gallon.  From here we trek NW 127 miles to Anchorage and the JBER Fam Camp for 13 days and some last minute shopping and vehicle maintenance.  So far, the new tires are holding up just fine. 

"Adventure is worthwhile"

Aesop

WiFi courtesy of Verizon MiFi & Stoney Creek RV Park