7/17/19 - Day 19 - Ninilchik

Ninilchik is another tiny fishing village in Alaska. This one is located midway down the Kenai peninsula on the shore of Cook Inlet. Across the water there is a row of snowcapped volcanoes. I had heard of Mt. Redoubt because it erupted fairly recently, 2009.  The other two large peaks are Mt. Iliamna and Mt. Spurr.

There is an interesting mix of cultures in this village. The first nations, Athbascans, live alongside practicing Russian Orthodox church members, and together they are swarmed with tourists from near and far.
Russian Orthodox church, still active

It is easy to see why this would be a good location for a fishing village. Salmon run up the little rivers as they return from the ocean. And Cook Inlet is a fairly calm large body of water. As a result, fishing for saltwater species like rockfish, lingcod, salmon, and halibut is rather easy when compared to some other locations. Eagles enjoy fishing here too,
Adult eagle teaching a juvenile the art of patience.


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