The Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea

The Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea

The word unique is of  French origination from the Latin unicus or un meaning one. From it's early introduction into the English language in the 17th century it has been used to describe something that has no equal or the only one of it's kind, but the definition broadened in the 19th century to include that of something unusual or special. Those adjectives accurately describe the city of Homer, Alaska, warmly referred to as, "A quaint drinking village with a fishing problem". Aside from the drinking and fishing, it's location, beauty and wildlife are examples of what a unique place it is.

Homer is located on the shore of the Kachemak Bay as far south on the Alaska Highway as you can go, giving the town another of it's nicknames "The End of the Road".  It's distinctive landmark is the Homer spit, a 4.5 mile gravel bar that is the longest road into the ocean in the world, unique in it's traditional, absolute definition as being the only one of it's kind. The spit is a hub of activity in the summer tourist season but come September completely shut's down like an abandoned ghost town. Only one business, The Land's End Hotel and it's restaurant, The Chart Room stay open, catering to the locals dining out and other Alaskans looking to get away for a quiet weekend.

It's hard to describe the thrill of driving into Homer for the first time and seeing the full view of Kachemak Bay and it's deep blue water surrounded by the stunning Kenai mountains and steep, icy glaciers. On a clear day, three giant volcanoes can be seen on the far side of Cook Inlet. Although usually sleeping peacefully, Augustine, Iliamna and Redoubt remain active and are capable of putting on quite a show.  The spit itself has justifiably been named one of the top 100 beaches in the United States. The views are incredible and the stunning sunsets in late summer are a perfect backdrop to the tent strewn sands. Although the spit is the biggest attraction, Homer's allure doesn't stop there. You need to drive farther east to see the lush vegetation Homer has to offer. The undeveloped lands with tall birch trees, grassy meadows and brightly colored wildflowers growing in the summer are just as spectacular as the views of the bay. Winter in  town is something tourists don't usually experience but my favorite time of year. The trees are bare and regal. The crisp air sparkles with reflected light from the pristine white snowy ground. Any time of year, Homer's magical beauty is truly extraordinary.