Photo by Joseph Robertia - To turn the cattle, such as at this corner in front of Kenai Peninsula College, riders on one side would move closer, while riders on the other side of the herd would give way.

Motorists along College Loop Road typically have to keep their eyes peeled for a moose just around the bend, but it was an entirely different hoofed animal that motorists saw moving en masse down the curvy road Sunday during the Soldotna Equestrian Association’s second annual cattle drive.
The SEA roped in even more riders than the inaugural event in 2011, and had roughly four horseback riders to every cow in the herd of a dozen animals, which also included a feisty young bull and two wide-eyed calves that stuck tightly to their mothers’ sides. The riders themselves were an equally diverse group, varying in age from 8 to 65, and bringing with them an equally expansive range of experience.
“That’s one of the reasons we like doing this,” said Chris Sorrels, SEA president. “It gets people who haven’t done it in a while back in the saddle, and gives new riders and new horses a chance to get involved and learn how to do it.”
Riding at home or even competing in a rodeo event, riders are typically alone or perhaps partnered up to rope a cow. Opportunities to come together and ride in such a big group are few and far between, particularly in Alaska.
“It’s definitely not something you do every day,” said SEA member Christy Bitterich, of Nikiski.
Bitterich has taken part in numerous cattle drives across the Lower 48 and Canada, some of which involved only 10 riders moving 500 to 1,000 head of cattle more than 30 miles. By comparison, the Soldotna drive took the small herd just a few miles, from a grazing pasture near Diamond M Ranch, through the Duck Inn parking lot, down K-B drive behind Save-U-More, to Poppy Lane, around College Loop, and then out to Kalifornsky Beach Road to the rodeo grounds.
“This drive was more fun than work,” she said.
Despite its short length, the cattle drive offered riders the unique opportunity to expose their horses to a variety of situations that would be difficult to impossible to simulate at home, and all of which are good for socializing the equines. Unlike grassy pastures, the horses were exposed to gravel, paved roads and the muddy trails along the route. They experienced downed trees, small creeks and lots of passing cars, motorcycles, people and even a few pets.
“These are all things they don’t normally see,” Bitterich said. “Also, like us riders, the horses like to get together in big groups and be with each other.”
While the cattle herd may have been smaller than she was used to, it still required skill to move through town without any cows breaking off from the group and running through a parking lot, down a side street or into traffic. The riders took up positions and each job had a specific duty.
Those in front led the herd, to give the cattle an idea of where they were going. The riders along the sides kept the cattle as a herd and could turn the group at corners by riders on one side giving way and the other side closing in. The riders behind the herd pushed them forward and made sure no strays dropped too far back. It’s a system that hasn’t changed much in 100 years.
“They key was staying in the proper positions, moving slow and having a lot of communication,” Bitterich said.
Sorrels added that they also utilized the newest riders as close to the cattle as possible to allow them to learn by doing.
“We had a lot of young guys and gals doing the pushing, and we kept the older, more experienced riders nearby to give them direction and to help out in case there were any snafus,” he said.
Sorrel was speaking from experience. Driving the cattle through an area that is both industrial and residential in places has its challenges. During last year’s drive a homeowner, not realizing cattle were coming through, let the dog out, which promptly ran into the herd and panicked a cow with a young calf.
“She got defensive and we ended up having to rope her to keep her away from it,” he said.
This year’s drive went smoothly, particularly since the riders had to first gather the cattle from the pasture they were in before attempting to drive them down the road.
“They ran around quite a bit before they got them together. That took the edge off some of them, wore them out a bit, so they just trotted along once they got going,” said Carrol Martin, who allowed the cows being used by SEA to come from his grandson’s memorial Mattie’s Foster Farm.
“It’s no skin off my nose to let them have them for a few months because they take care of them and feed them good grain, so when they come back in fall to be slaughtered for beef they’ll be fat and delicious,” Martin said. “Also, they need cattle to work to teach a lot of the young people getting involved, and that’s something I want to support, too. Kids raised around farm animals and rodeo animals — with all the work and responsibility involved — they turn out a lot better than kids raised in the mall.”
Sorrel said that he was thankful to be able to have the cattle drive, because it draws a lot of attention. By people seeing the drive, they’ll hopefully become aware that there is an active equestrian association in Soldotna with rodeos held all summer long.
“We’re lucky enough that while the Kenai gets more built up each year, it’s still rural enough to be cattle and horse friendly,” he said. “And this drive really draws a lot of attention to us at SEA and what we do. When we get the cattle out along K-Beach Road, folks pile up like cordwood to stop, wave and take pictures.”

Photo by Christina Whiting - Birders on the Homer Spit observe migrants in Mud Bay.

The 20th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival was broadly attended this year, attracting 1,900 people who registered.
Attendance was up by 9 percent from last year, said organizer Christina Whiting.
Some 80 attendees were Alaskan. Of those 55 percent came from Homer, 35 percent from Anchorage, and others came from Seward, Fairbanks, Kenai/Soldotna, Trapper Creek and Talkeetna.
The furthest-attending was a couple who traveled from Australia and another pair from England. A caravan of birders from Texas/Mexico came to Alaska just for this festival, Whiting said.
“Our core group continues to come every year, which I think speaks volumes. I don’t quite know what it means. They are coming back taking the same walks with the same guides year after year,” Whiting said. “To me that says we have a solid program that people enjoy.”
The 20th year came out with a record number of pre-registered individuals and families. It also featured a record number of pre-weekend sold-out events.
Some 52 events and activities meant a growing list offered to those attending. Out of Whiting’s 8 years as organizer, this was the largest number of raffle tickets ever sold for a spotting scope – 682 tickets sold, which raised about $2,000 as of deadline counts. A total of nearly $3,000 was raised from the combined raffle ticket sales of spotting scope, shorebird quilt and the shorebird basket.

Sandhill Crane

It also took a famous number of volunteers – 129 in all, who put in 450 hours of combined labors.
Whiting, after eight years of work organizing the event and seeing it grow incrementally each year, was honored prior to the keynote address of International Crane Foundation George Archibald’s talk. She was presented with special recognition and gifts by a team of collaborators on the shorebird festival.
High praise came from Keynote speaker Archibald, whose talk focused on repopulation efforts related to the red crested cranes in North and South Korea. He told a packed audience he was impressed. “I travel to Festivals all over the world and this one is the largest of its kind and is so well organized.  Very impressive for such a small town.”
A highlight for birders was the sighting of a pair of Bristle-thighed curlews at the mouth of the Anchor River. The rare pair were seen first on Friday evening through Sunday morning, often mixed in with the Whimbrels. The Bristle-thighed Curlew breeds only in North America. Its adult population numbers about 7,000 individuals, making it the rarest of the New World curlews and godwits.
On May 11 there was a sighting of a huge number of Pacific Loons on the west side of the Homer Spit by the Glacier Drive-in.  Estimates of 80 or so were packed close together, like scoters

Photo provided - Shorebird Festival Organizer Christina Whiting hangs out with Mr. Whitekeys.

A good-sized group of common eiders also were seen in the same area, along with Red knot, Solitary Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron’s, Red-throated loons and the American Golden Plover.
Out on the Bay:  A Thick-billed Murre was seen on May 13 near Gull Island.  Tufted puffins, black oystercatchers and Red-necked Phalarope also were seen on the bay.
An Osprey was seen May 13 at the Glacier Spit.
 

HOMER TRIBUNE/Sean Pearson - The Anchor River on Saturday was showing deep snow melt.

Hydrologists from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service report high snow pack in Alaska, to no surprise to Alaskans, but the extent of record breaking snows could be alarming.
Snow survey data, gathered from SNOTEL and snow course sites, is used to forecast river flow volume, breakup flooding potential, avalanche danger, summer forest fire probability, and fresh water availability for municipalities and power generation. And, don’t forget that salmon fishing is directly affected by high water – when the rivers run high, the tendency is for the fish to migrate in higher concentrations, meaning shorter, faster runs. Snow survey information also contributes to calculating winter severity with respect to wildlife survival.
Breakdown of record-breaking:  The Kenai Peninsula has received abundant snow this winter with six snow courses having the 2nd highest record snow water content being recorded. Demonstration Forest, Pass Creek, Resurrection Pass and Moose Pass snow courses had higher water contents in 1980 while Jean Lake and Kenai Moose Pens had higher water contents in 1992.
The five snow courses in the Ninilchik Dome area are 143 percent of average with the Anchor River Divide SNOTEL site reporting 54 inches of snow depth with 16.0 inches of water content, 127 percent of average.
At the head of Kachemak Bay the Bradley Lake SNOTEL sites were measured with the Nuka Glacier snow course having 118 inches of snow depth and 52.3 inches of water content, 132 percent of average. The Kachemak Creek site measured 70 inches of snow depth with 38.3 inches of water content.
The April-July volume flow forecast for Kenai River is 122 percent of average
Within the Arctic Valley, the Anchorage Hillside SNOTEL site showed 185 percent snow water content compared to average. The Moraine SNOTEL site, above Eklutna Lake, broke a 1960 record with 176 percent of average snow water content. Most impressive is in Portage Valley, where snow water content was 252 percent of average. We can expect high water in the creeks and should be cognizant of flooding and stream bank erosion.
Prince William Sound region broke three records at these sites: Worthington Glacier, Lowe River, and Mt. Eyak. The highest percent of average was found at Mt. Eyak, but records only started there in 2005 in comparison to Lowe River where record keeping began in 1972. Lowe River broke a 1980 record of 66 inches of snow with a whopping 74 inches this year. Anglers will need to be attentive to how the high water affects the fish run.
The Upper Yukon snowpack is eerily similar to 2009 when the village of Eagle flooded. Flooding can still be avoided if spring temperatures rise slowly, but there is plenty of snow to melt with two snow courses recording the second highest water content on record: Meadow Creek recorded 15.4 inches of water content as compared to the record in 2008 of 16.3 inches. Mt. McIntyre, near Whitehorse, recorded 8.9 inches of water content compared to 9.5 in 2011.
The Log Cabin snow course set a new record snow water content this year with records going back to 1958. All of the snow courses in the Upper Yukon and Dawson/Stewart/Pelly regions measured above average water content, varying from 120 to 138 percent of normal. Let’s hope breakup is slow and steady.
For more information about snowpack, precipitation, runoff and water supplies for specific basins, visit http://www.ambcs.org/. 

Photo provided - HoWL DiRtBaGs and volunteers comb the beaches around Homer last year to pick up trash and earn money to fund scholarships for wilderness expeditions.

A close cousin to the ski bum, the dirtbag is the guy so dedicated to climbing that next pitch, he will literally sleep in the dirt at the base of a wall to get the glory of the sunrise start.
Homer Wilderness Leaders celebrates that spirit of dedication to wilderness adventure by honoring the DiRtBaG. We do it by offering discount rates to the boys and girls (DiRtBaG) to help local kids raise money to fund their wilderness expeditions over the summer.
HoWL has been taking kids across Kachemak Bay and through the mountains, lakes, rivers and beaches of the Kenai Peninsula since 2009. HoWL’s mission is to provide outdoor experiential education to young people in Alaska.
And they do so with gusto.
Whether teaching kids how to forage for edible plants, or roping up to rock climb and glacier-travel in areas of the Kenai Peninsula accessible only by bush plane, HoWL is always exciting. Cooking delicious, wild, local food over a campfire, including nettle-burgers, fireweed fries, and dandelion pancakes, (also known as “dandy-cakes”), are some HoWL camp cuisine favorites.
DiRtBaG students collect pledges from friends and neighbors to correspond with how many pounds of litter they pick up during HoWL DiRtBaG Clean-Up Week.
This year, Clean-Up Week is April 30-May 5, incorporating the Homer Chamber of Commerce Clean-Up Day on May 5. The Chamber’s annual event offers cash prizes to individuals and groups picking up the most litter.
Last year, DiRtBaGs worked hard to take home several top prizes. They plan to double their effort this year with twice as many people picking up twice as much trash — and raising twice as much money for local kids’ DiRtBaG awards.
DiRtBaG students will meet at 3:30 p.m. each day of clean-up week at the R.E.C. Room, 3957 Nielson Circle, to embark on their mission. Saturday DiRtBaGs will meet at Bishop’s Beach at 11 a.m.
Students will pick up litter along Homer beaches and all over town to raise money for their own financial aid. Everyone who volunteers for DiRtBaG Clean-Up Week will receive a free T-shirt, and HoWL is offering lots of great prizes to students who raise the most scholarship money. Prizes include a GoPro Helmet-cam, several expedition-size backpacks, a climbing harness and much more.
In 2011, 15 volunteers picked up 1,593 pounds of litter, raising $1,759 for HoWL scholarships. HoWL needs help to double those numbers.
Volunteers are needed to drive DiRtBaG students to their litter clean-up sites, as well as sponsors to contribute to the scholarship fund. It is HoWL’s goal to ensure that every kid can afford to go on a HoWL expedition this summer.
To sponsor a student or volunteer for DiRtBaG Clean-Up Week, call 399-HOWL, or write to howlalaska@gmail.com. For more information on the program, check out the HoWL website: www.howlalaska.org.

HoWL was founded in Homer by lifelong local Libby B. Veasey (Bushell).

Photo by George Reising - Hikers Scott Laney and Pete Fineo pose in front of massive wall of ice during their eight-mile hike and climb up to the face of Grewingk Glacier.

After stumbling onto a few innocent flyers posted around town, Homer resident Pete Fineo finally decided to bite the bullet and schedule an excursion across the Kachemak ­­Bay to hike out to the face of Grewingk Glacier.
“It’s something I’ve had on my bucket list for about four years now,” Fineo explained. “I figured I live in a state with so many glaciers, I ought to see at least one of them.”
Fineo is no stranger to hiking, having tackled a 2,000-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail. Yet, he was eager to explore the remote, snow-covered expanse across the Bay, and contacted George Reising of Halibut Cove Adventures to see about setting up a hike.
A former financial engineer and mortgage banker hailing from Lower 48 metropolises like Pittsburgh and Seattle, Reising began finding his work less than satisfying and decided to try something different.
“In February of 2007, I left Pittsburgh and drove west in search of a dynamic community that was tightly connected to the environment surrounding it,” he explained. “Upon arriving in Homer, everything just clicked.”
A week after his arrival, Reising was offered a guiding job at a lodge in Halibut Cove.
“There, I found one of the most amazing backyards on earth: Kachemak Bay State Park,” he said. “I started Halibut Cove Adventures in 2009, and it is a dream-come-true to be able to turn your passion into your profession.”
Billed as an “intimate eco-adventure,” Reising’s full-service outfit offers daily guided services throughout Kachemak Bay, originating from Homer or Halibut Cove.

Halibut Cove Adventures owner George Reising and hiker Scott Laney take a break on the rocks following their hike up to the face of the glacier.

“An eco-adventure is one where the focus is on understanding and interacting with the ecology and natural history while having an adventure,” Reising explained. “This isn’t a race, nor is it a chance to see how many miles can be covered. It is about closely exploring this special place with a guide who can share the biology, ethnobotany, geology and human history of the area.”
That kind of adventure seemed right up Fineo’s alley, so he boarded the 8 a.m. water taxi and started the eight-mile-roundtrip hike at the shore.
“I think our first mile up over the saddle was probably the hardest,” Fineo said. “We went for about four miles without snowshoes, but then had to wear them for the last mile or so to keep from post-holing through the snow. I used hiking poles and found them to be fairly helpful.”
According to Reising, hiking into the face of Grewingk Glacier is not possible now because of the softening conditions. However, depending on the season, November to April generally offers a chance to ski, ice skate, snowshoe or hike across Glacier Lake and get right to the face of the glacier.
“Every trip is different,” he explained. “Have you ever seen miniature orchids on the trails or flying snails in the water? We often see coyote, bears, moose, grouse and all kinds of birds, and the cottonwood sap that’s starting to flow adds a sweetness to the air.”
Fineo said parts of the hike were fairly strenuous, causing him to work up quite a sweat after a while.
“I hiked most of the time with just a shirt on, as it was relatively warm amidst all the ice,” he said. “I packed a few things like a change of clothes, a tarp and some extra food. It was probably a good 15-20 extra pounds I was carrying, but you really have to come prepared when you’re hiking in the backcountry wilderness. The air turned much cooler once we got to Glacier Lake.”
Once across the lake, the hikers pulled out lunches and had an impromptu picnic right there on the ice.
“There were no other living creatures in sight, and it was dead quiet out there,” Fineo said. “Snow was melting off the sheer cliffs and causing small rock slides. As we got closer, we could hear the little rocks tumbling down the icy face of the glacier.”
Fineo said he was also stunned by the vastness of the area, and what he referred to as the “Alaska effect.”
“With the ‘Alaska effect,’ everything is three times higher, three times further and three times deeper than you think it is,” he explained. “It can be pretty deceiving when you’re right in the middle of it.”

Photo by Pete Fineo - Adventurer Scott Laney, who turned a two-day business trip to Homer into an opportunity to see his first glacier up close, takes food out for an impromptu picnic on the ice.

Reising said his favorite part of any hike in the area is that moment of awe that brings everyone to silence. 
“Whether you’re coming down from the moraine and get your first good view of the glacier, or standing by the face, surrounded by towering blue ice, everything just goes quiet,” he explained. “The rest of the world slips away, and words don’t seem to describe how that interactive experience makes so much sense.”
According to Reising, business hours for Halibut Cove Adventures are dependent on the activities, like tidepooling or exploring the alpine, but 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. is pretty standard.
“The day is yours and we want to help you make the most of it,” Reising said. “Whether you are a first-timer, or an experienced snowshoer, kayaker or hiker, we go at a pace that builds your confidence and encourages you to do more. Each adventure is intimate, personal and tailored to meet your interests. It’s the best way to experience the wilderness.”    
Halibut Cove Adventures offers discounts for locals, and can be reached at 1-800-267-7581 or 
contact@halibutcoveadventures.com.

Halibut Cove Adventures

EXCURSIONS

Grewingk Glacier Lake Loop
• Starts at Rusty’s Lagoon on Glacier Spit, and offers a hike through geologic time by walking the way of the glacier. Enjoy beaches, forests and glacial moraines.
• Easy-to-Moderate. Perfect for all hikers.

Alpine Ridge Hike
• Starts at sea level and runs through dense spruce forest and up above the timber line.
• At 2,200 feet, hikers’ efforts are rewarded with alpine meadows, tarns and overlooks. Bear, goats, moose, ptarmigan and marmots are frequently seen, but other hikers are not.
• Offers spectacular views of Kachemak Bay, Grewingk Glacier and the Kenai Mountains.
• Intermediate to Advanced
• Serious adventure-seekers might consider attempting the summit at 3,600 feet.

Grewingk Glacier Kayak and Hike
• Combines half-day of kayaking and half-day of hiking.
• Kayak from Halibut Cove to Saddle Trail and then hike to Grewingk Glacier Lake.
• Intermediate to Advanced (Steep climb and head-wind paddle)

SAFETY

• At a minimum, all adventure guides are certified in first aid and CPR
• All guides are trained for emergency response situations
• Owner and Guide George Reising is an ACA Certified Coastal Kayaking Trip Leader and a NOLS/WMI Wilderness First Responder.

CONTACT

Halibut Cove Adventures

P.O. Box 6404

Halibut Cove, Alaska 99603
800-267-7581

Reservations:
reservations@halibutcoveadventures.com
General Inquires: 

contact@halibutcoveadventures.com
Owner George Reising: 

greising@halibutcoveadventures.com

Chad Aldridge

Chad Aldridge received a phone call on Friday night at about 9 p.m., the soonest Homer Halibut Derby organizer Paula Frisinger could possibly get the news to him.
He had won the champ’s pot in the annual halibut derby contest, $28,260.
Since Aldridge caught his 350.8 pound halibut earlier in the summer on June 19, he had some serious waiting to contend with before finding out if his fish proved the largest.
“I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I kept telling myself someone would beat me. A 339-pounder caught was pretty close. It would have been a tight contest,” Aldridge said.
That halibut was caught on Sept. 25 by Chriss Ryherd of Soldotna.
In the end, however, Aldridge’s fish stacked up as the largest. “This was so completely unexpected, it really was,” he said Monday morning, after a weekend to think over how he might want to spend his winnings. “I really haven’t decided yet, what I’m going to do with it.”
Aldridge grew up in Sterling and served five years in the Navy Seabes, then returned to the Kenai Peninsula. He works at Prudhoe Bay in the Corrosion, Inspection & Chemicals Group. At 32-years of age, he’s married, but has no children.
“I live to hunt and fish. If I’m not on the water, it must be the off season because it’s just not right for me not to be out there,” he said. In previous years, he has fished the halibut derby with friends, but never came close to a prized fish.
“Chad told me he has had a long summer, and will be glad it’s finally over,” derby organizer Frisinger said. “I’m sure it is.”
The Homer Chamber of Commerce sold 14,130 tickets at $2 each for the jackpot of $28,260.
Of the September winners, first place ($1,000) went to Chriss Ryherd for his 339.6 pounder he caught Sept. 25 on North Country Halibut Charters with Capt. Sean Martin aboard the Irish.
Second place ($750) went to Aksel Buholm of Palmer for a 266.8 pounder caught on Sept. 24 on a private boat with Capt. Josh Brooks aboard the Huntress.
Third place ($500) went to Larry Keller of Homer for his 240.8 pounder caught Sept. 27 on a private boat with Capt. Josh Brooks also aboard the Huntress.
Fourth place ($250) went to Jeff Van Landingham of Eagle River for his 202.6 pounder caught Sept. 4 on Good Time Charters with Capt. Jeff Cundiff aboard the Tillie Jane.
The September Lady Angler Winner ($500) is Sheryl Warmblood of Eagle River who caught a 178 pounder on Sept. 17 on North Country Halibut/Spirit Charters with Capt. Mike Swan aboard the Beausoleil.
The September Released Fish Winner ($1,000) was Aksel Buholm of Palmer. He caught and released his halibut on Sept. 24 on a private boat with Capt. Josh Brooks aboard the Huntress.
A total of 53 halibut were released all season.
Aldridge’s monster halibut will also mark the end of an era in the 26-year-old tournament.
Catching the biggest barn door is no longer the focus, say organizers. Those big barn-door halibut are all females. Rewarding people for removal of big, productive females from the population has brought the derby some criticism, though halibut biologists note the few big fish harvested during the derby are a tiny fraction of the large number of big halibut killed in off Alaska’s coast each year.
“Everybody wants the derby to get away from the big fish, so we’re doing it,” said Homer derby coordinator Paula Frisinger. “I think it’s time for a change.”
Next year’s emphasis should be on catching tagged fish worth thousands of dollars, raffles and prizes for released fish, she said.

Chriss Ryherd (RIGHT)

Chriss Ryherd of Soldotna caught a 339.6 pound halibut Sept. 25, capturing first place for the month. He was fishing with Capt. Sean Martin of North Country Halibut Charters aboard the M/V Irish. His catch came close to challenging the season leader, Chad Aldridge who landed a 350.8 pounder June 19.
Also new in the standings is another Alaskan, Askel Buholm of Palmer who caught a 226.8 pound halibut Sept. 24. He was fishing with Capt. Josh Brooks aboard his boat, the Huntress. He is now in second place for the month.
Eagle River resident Jeff Van Landingham was dropped to third place with his 226.8 pounder caught Sept. 4 aboard the Millie Jane with Capt. Jeff Cundiff.
And, currently holding fourth place for the month, is lady angler Sheryl Warmblood of Eagle River. She caught her 178 pound halibut Sept. 4 aboard North Country Halibut/Spirit Charters’ Beausoleil with Capt. Mike Swan.
There was one released fish this month, bringing the total for the season to 53. No tagged fish have been landed this month.
“We had great action last weekend,” derby coordinator Paula Frisinger said in a press release. “It is turning out to be a big month. It goes to show you that the Derby isn’t over until it’s over, Sept. 30 this Friday at 9 p.m. Only two days left.”

With a little over a week to go in the Chamber of Commerce’s Jackpot Halibut Derby, the September standings changed by two over the weekend.
Sheryl Warmblood of Eagle River now holds second place with a 178 pounder caught Sept. 17 while fishing with Capt. Mike Swan aboard Beausoleil of North Country Halibut/Spirit Charters. She is September’s new lady angler.
Now in fourth place, Renee Lyons of Denver, Colo. caught a 97.8 pound halibut Sept. 18 fishing with Capt. Billy Joe Adams on his boat.
Dale Lichty of Miller, S.D. holds third place with a 173.6 pound fish caught Sept. 20 with Big Bear Halibut Charters’ Capt.Rob Hyslip aboard the Bear Force 1.
Jeff Van Landingham still holds first with his 202.6 pounder caught Sept. 4 aboard Mille Jane, fishing with Captain Jeff Cundiff of Good Time Charters.
As the contest nears it’s close, Chad Aldridge of Soldotna is still the leader with his 350.8 pounder caught June 19.
September tagged and released still stands at zero and the total released fish for the season is 52.

HOMER TRIBUNE/Lillian Connor - A young kayaker sets out to establish the first stage of the newly christened water trail.

The Kachemak Bay Water Trail was christened under blue skies Sunday and calm water, with good cheer and champagne, establishing a trail that will eventually extend as far as Seldovia with marked campsites along the way.
Dave Brann, the organizer and visionary who developed the water trail proposal, said he has been toying with the idea for five or six years.
“This last spring, I really got into it and started promoting the idea after I went to the Alaska Trail Rendezvous,” Brann said. The Alaska Trail Rendezvous is a meeting of trail enthusiasts from around the state held by the National Park Service.
“NPS gave me some websites with a comprehensive guide on how to develop water trails. It made me realize putting this together was possible,” Brann said. “I have walked the Homer side of the bay looking for potential campsites, and at present all of the campsites on the water trail, except the fishing hole campground, are within a state park.”
The completed trail, which marks accessible features, will be around 125 miles and will start at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Hole and end in Seldovia Bay with optional detours. Help from adventurers from kayakers to motorboats, are welcome and encouraged, Brann told a small crowd gathered at the inaugural event, timed to take place along with the Kachemak Bay Wooden Boat Festival.
“This is a grassroots project. There are site information forms that boaters can take out with them to help gather more information about landing sites. It’s a great opportunity for people who have cabins to rent or bed and breakfasts to say they want to be a part of this,” Brann told the group.
After the talk, Brann poured champagne for those assembled to commemorate the event. Then participants got into their kayaks, a canoe and a rowboat to travel for the first leg of the trail system from the Fishing Hole to the airport beach. The journey took two hours in calm water under sunny skies.
The trail information forms can be found at the City of Homer parks office, located in the Public Works building across from the animal shelter. Brann put in an application for assistance with the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program. If granted, NPS will provide two years of technical assistance. They will help form partnerships with parks, apply for grants and provide help with the process of putting together a water trail, also called a Blue Trail in a national movement to mark significant water ways.
According to Dave Brann, the NPS has helped to develop 82 water trails in the country in the past year. He hopes to hear back from NPS on the status of his application by October.
“By giving people end point information about campsites and designated areas to explore, it encourages people to complete the trail or explore a section of it,” said Brann. By next year he is hoping to have a website with campsite information, designated launch/landing sites and a brochure with a map of the water trail.