4th of July of 2020 was a little unconventional. No fireworks, no parades, no BBQ with friends and family. With travel restrictions still in place, I kept it local and decided to put a new spin on a favorite Anchorage escape: Seward! The big attraction of the weekend was a stay at Orca Island Cabins, a little slice of Alaskan paradise located about an hour outside of town by boat. I added a few fishing adventures along the way as well!
Wednesday included a quick stop in Soldotna to visit a friend. After a few hours of catching up, we grabbed dinner from Pizza Boys (amazing) and headed out on the Kenai for a little fishing! Although the fishing was pretty slow (we only caught a single king), the pizza and company were awesome and the views along the Kenai were beautiful.
Upon arrival in Seward, it was time to check in to the AirBNB: the Rocket House Adventure Cabin! This cabin is managed by Miller’s Landing on Lowell Point, just outside of Seward. It’s a simple dry cabin, with a bed and table downstairs plus another bed in the “loft” above the main area. With no running water, you’re expected to pack your own and there was a bathroom just around the corner to share with a few other cabins. There was also a wood stove, but it was ridiculously hot for Seward, so that was definitely not necessary! Honestly this cabin would be much better suited for typical, misty Seward weather. I really liked it, especially the big windows and views of the mountains, but it was a bit toasty!
The next morning started at the docks bright and early for a fishing charter with Saltwater Safaris. It took us a few hours after leaving Resurrection Bay before we arrived at our fishing spot and were told to drop our hooks. Black rockfish were biting right off the bat, and I also caught my “over and under” halibut (one smaller than 28 inches and one larger).
The fishing boat was manned by our captain and two deckhands, who did an amazing job assisting everyone. Although we were hoping for a little more autonomy and instruction, this charter was very much set up so that everyone was successful, no matter what their skill level and experience fishing. I personally really appreciated the fact that they made sure everyone caught their two fish. There was a sense of community towards the end where everybody was working together watching poles and encouraging one another. All in all a great experience!
Once back in Seward, our crew set up photos of the charter’s haul and filleted the fish for us. It was then dropped off at J-Dock for packaging and freezing and we grabbed dinner at the Alaska Seafood Grill. We enjoyed some halibut and ice cream at their outdoor seating before heading back to the cabin for some beach-combing and packing.
The next morning started with a grocery run to stock up on ice and food at the local Carr’s. Although the Orca Islands yurt had all of the necessities for cooking, there is no refrigeration and the hosts suggested bringing ice. (We also brought our own cooler because we knew we’d be transporting fish home, but they have coolers available in the yurts.) Once the reusable bags and cooler were packed, it was time to head down to J-Dock to meet the boat.
We were greeted at the dock by Susan, one of the owners of Orca Islands, and her son, Simon. The Swiderski family has been welcoming guests since 2004, and they are amazingly hospitable. They helped everyone load their gear onto the boat and we headed towards the island.
Once we arrived an hour later, we got a brief orientation and Susan showed us around our yurt. They have just about everything you could ask for! There was a small kitchen area with a heater, a futon couch, bed, and a bathroom, complete with shower and composting toilet! Everything is very open and airy, except for the walled off bathroom. Right outside of our yurt was a beautiful deck with Adirondack chairs, a table, and grill.
As far as entertainment goes, the Orca Islands has quite a few options available for guests! Our yurt had some books, games, and a deck of cards. There is also an art gallery in the cabin near the dock that is open 24/7, which we really enjoyed looking through. Most of the artwork was done by Susan and it is stunning! The gallery is one of various public spaces that you can enjoy, along with covered decks and fire pits that offer breathtaking views of the ocean.
We took advantage of the gear available to guests and went out fishing our first night. We didn’t catch much beyond a few tiny rockfish, but I loved the bright purple sea stars on the rocks and bright red and yellow columbines clinging to the sea cliffs. It was super hot again that first day on the island, and so after fishing we enjoyed dinner on the deck.
The next day started with omelettes and plans for kayaking! We geared up and got out on the water, heading over towards a cove that had been pointed out upon our arrival. Once we got into the cove, we tied up our kayaks and hiked a short way to a gorgeous waterfall, where we enjoyed a little picnic lunch. After enjoying the views and break from paddling, we headed back to our kayaks and started our return trip.
We had planned to go hiking once we got back, but unfortunately the Seward weather had finally decided to show up! The wind had been kicking up some choppy waves and as we arrived back at the docks there was a solid blanket of misty clouds hanging over the tops of the mountains. There is a 1 mile hiking trail that goes up the mountain opposite Orca Island cabins to a World War II bunker. Simon had told us that there are amazing views from the top, but with all the mist settling in there wasn’t much to see.
Instead, we decided to cook up our stir fry dinner and listen to an audio book while sketching and painting on the deck. We had brought some wine and enjoyed one final, quiet evening of sipping and playing cribbage before taking advantage of the fire ring near the art gallery. Gotta love s’mores for dessert, even if you’re glamping!
We left for Seward the next morning around 10am, and got a lovely send off from some Minke Whales who decided to stop by and say hello right as we were departing! After a chilly ride back to town, we loaded up our car and headed back to Anchorage. I really loved experiencing this new version of Seward, and I can’t wait to see what the next visit holds!