Kodiak, Alaska--Birding, Hiking, and Crab Fest Feasting
On our first stop in Alaska, we hiked the trails in Fort Abercrombie State Park and then walked into town to join the locals for some Dungeness crab at Kodiak’s 2025 Crab Fest.
We departed from Muroran, Japan, on May 18th and set sail for Alaska. Seven days later—and seven time zone changes later—we arrived in Kodiak. As we entered the harbor, the early morning sunlight illuminated the snow-covered mountain peaks with a gentle glow.
We docked near the town of Kodiak at around 7 AM. Immigration was onboard, and the U.S. citizen passengers were welcomed “home” for the first time since our departure from Miami, Florida, on January 7th. The process was easy, taking us only seconds to “check in.”
We were eager to disembark, but we had to wait until everyone cleared immigration. Therefore, we couldn’t leave the ship until around 9:30 AM. We had signed up for the 2.5-hour Regent-included Abercrombie State Park Nature Walk excursion.
Highlights included:
Enjoy the serenity of nature by walking through forests and along coastal areas.
Gain an appreciation for the local flora and fauna.
Description: Explore Kodiak’s spectacular beauty during this scenic walk through a portion of the 183-acre Ft Abercrombie State Park. Depart the pier for the drive to the headquarters of Ft Abercrombie State Park. You will walk along well-maintained trails that offer breathtaking ocean views, using the provided map. Various seabirds inhabit the park’s coastline, and whale sightings are frequently reported in this area throughout the season. Return to the park headquarters, where you will re-board your coach for the return drive to the pier.
This is our favorite kind of excursion. Provide transportation, give a brief overview of the bus, then inform us of the return time and send us off independently. Once we arrived at Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, we checked the map and watched everyone head along the main park road toward the historical WWII ruins. Many of them chatted loudly and laughed as they enjoyed the scenery.
We decided to take a different approach. I opened our eBird identification app, and then we ventured away from our group, down a dirt trail, and into the mossy forest. Sherpa and I were nearly giddy at the thought of spending 90 minutes walking in the woods.
People ask us what we’ve missed most while traveling the world on a ship for nearly five months. We have the typical answers — our family, spending time with the grandchildren, our home, and our gardens. But I always add a less common answer — “I miss walking in the woods every day, and watching the spring progression of wildflowers.” So it makes sense that we were especially happy to be walking through this Alaskan forest, searching for wildflowers.
Our bus driver shared some information about the climate and weather. We were in a temperate rainforest, and everything was covered with moss due to the abundant annual rainfall. A week ago, the landscape was gray and wintery—no snow, but nothing fresh or growing either. Then the sun came out for a day, temperatures rose, and everything transformed into a vibrant green. Spring sprang to life.
We hiked the Lake Gertrude Trail, a 1.7-mile circumnavigation of a small inland lake, with plenty of ups and downs. It wasn’t a difficult trail, but it isn’t suitable for folks with mobility issues. As we walked toward the Pacific Ocean, we climbed a hill and reached the top of a three-story observation tower. An easy descent down well-constructed steps, and we were on the rugged beach.
The views were breathtaking, the air was refreshing, and we felt more alive than we had in the past week. There truly is something healing and beneficial about connecting with the earth and the natural world.
Birdsong accompanied us as we walked quietly through the mossy forest. We documented more than ten species, either through sound or sight identifications, including new-to-us species: Pacific wrens, a Varied Thrush, Golden-crowned Sparrows, a Harlequin Duck, Glaucous-winged Gulls, and Pigeon Guillemots. We also saw a few favorites: Hermit thrushes, Fox sparrows, Chickadees, Mallards, and Green-winged teals.
All too soon, it was time to board the bus for the return trip to Kodiak. We were dropped off at the pier and decided to walk back into town rather than take the time to drop off my camera gear in our stateroom. We walked along Cannery Row, passing not only canneries but also other small fishing businesses.
These outdoor wall exhibits are a part of the Kodiak Maritime Museum.
“A museum without walls, this organization has been working since 1996 to preserve and recognize the island’s maritime history. Their displays around town include 14 interpretive signs at St. Paul Harbor… the most recent included a photographic retrospective of king-crab fishing’s boom years.” -- museum website
The Mariner had great timing as far as our arrival in Kodiak—we were there for Crab Fest 2025.
“It’s finally spring on our island home and time for the 67th Annual Kodiak Crab Festival!… Crab Fest is so important to our tiny but mighty community. From the hope and promise of better weather and seasonal abundance plus brighter, greener days, to the food, crab, parade, events, activities, music, the excitement of it all…..and each other. Crab Fest is an incredible way to connect with one another, to enjoy yourself and just have fun.” — Crab Fest website
And we did have fun! We laughed at the idea of buying cheese curds in Alaska. “Yes, they’re really from Wisconsin,” read the promo on the food truck’s advertisement. We realized that was another thing we had missed—cheese curds! Yet, knowing we would have an abundance of cheese curds in our lives in just a couple of weeks, we opted for a Dungeness crab lunch instead. Sorry, but in the excitement of EATING all that deliciousness, I didn’t think about taking a photograph.
We planned to visit the Kodiak Island Brewing Co. in Kodiak, but we encountered a time crunch. The brewery didn’t open until noon, we needed to be back on board by 2 PM for our 2:30 PM departure, and we had a fifteen-minute walk back to the ship. We could have made that the priority, but then we wouldn’t have had time to visit Crab Fest 2025 and enjoy the company of the locals while eating some of the freshest, most flavorful crab we’ve ever devoured.
We compromised and stopped at the local liquor store, where the woman clerk regaled us with Alaskan adventure stories while giving us advice on local beers. Sherpa picked up a six-pack of Maya’s Spruce Tip IPA, brewed by Denali Brewing in Talkeetna, Alaska. And he is glad he did!
Sherpa’s Take: 6.5% ABV. Sherpa’s Take: 6.5% ABV. “Amber color, slightly cloudy. Moderate carbonation, with a hoppy and bitter flavor that is not overpowering. The spruce tips are integral to the beer’s makeup. When poured, there is a pronounced “Christmas tree” aroma, and they also balance the natural bitterness of the hops. A long aftertaste is pleasantly bitter at the back of the mouth. As the beer warms, the bitterness becomes smoother and slightly sweeter. There is a lot of character and complexity in this brew. A great IPA.” 8.5/10
We set sail at 2:30 PM, just as the clouds gathered and turned the day from partly cloudy to completely overcast. We observed the otters swimming in the harbor, then passed a small island that deserved the nickname “Bird Island.”
We not only saw hundreds of Black-legged Kittiwakes, Glaucous-winged Gulls, and the relatively rare Glaucous Gulls, but also watched Horned Puffins doing their unique style of duo acrobatics.
What a wonderful, albeit too brief, day in Kodiak, Alaska. We wished we had a little more time—even another hour would have allowed us to explore some of the town’s historic buildings. Does that mean we need to come back?
Next stop: Whittier, Alaska (and Anchorage)
Wisconsin cheese curds in Alaska!! That made me chuckle so much!! Hoping to get some this summer! 😊
We have been to Alaska twice and have not made it to Kodiak yet; it is on my list!