Day 45: Kodiak, AK
Sunny and warm.
Today was the first day since June 30 that we woke up in a real bed and not in Arvi. Not a big deal. I will tell you about sleeping in Arvi another day.
We explored the island of Kodiak some more. We went to Fort Abercrombie, which was built to defend against Japanese attack in WWII, and White Sands Beach, where the sand is actually volcanic ash from the eruption of Novarupta in 1912, now in Katmai National Park. Later we took a nerve-racking drive up to the windmills, the highest hill around, and saw a gorgeous view of the town of Kodiak, the bridge to Near Island, and lots and lots of calm, beautiful blue ocean. It was really special.
We drove to the Russian River and the Buskin River at sunset, hoping the shy Kodiak bears would come to get some pinks* out of the river.
Not tonight. There are people around, and high tide is at 1:00 am, and we read that the bears like to fish when the tide helps the fish up the river.
Two more days on Kodiak to see bears.
We were unable to bring Arvi to Kodiak because there was no room on the ferry. So we walked on the ferry and got a hotel room and a rental car. The major rental agencies were booked, and I found a guy who’s starting his own business. We rented a 2009 Explorer Sport Trac yesterday and a 2000 Excursion today from him. Tomorrow he has nothing available and Thursday we get the Excursion again. Of course these vehicles cost less than a name brand agency would charge, and the vehicles are Alaska-worthy. But we’ve had to have them back to the agent at a decent time in the evening. This I find inconvenient because I would like to stay at the river until 1:00 am to increase my odds of seeing a bear.
My husband doesn’t seem willing to wait until 1:00 am either.
That said, we are loving Kodiak.
*Pinks are one of the five types of Alaska, or Pacific, salmon: Chinook (King), Coho (silver), Sockeye (red), Humpy (pinks), and Chum (dog)
Arvitrekking 
I had no idea so many species of salmon exist!
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