Clamming on Saturday

Saturday morning we got up and headed south toward the clams. We had heard of two places that were popular, Clam Gulch and Ninilchik. We got going a little earlier than we had planned (thanks to the girls getting up at 5!) so we had plenty of time. Clam Gulch is about 2o miles south of where we were staying (near Kenai), so we pulled in there first. It's a state recreation (DNR) area and campground. You can camp or park, and then walk down to the beach. It's a short walk for an adult, but for a tired preschooler (to sleep at 10pm, up at 5!) it would be quite a trek, especially on the way back. Since we had time, we decided to head 15 miles farther south to Ninilchik and check it out.

Ninilchik worked out beautifully. There's a nice parking area that's right on the beach, so the walk was easier. We piled out of the car and donned rain gear and headed down the beach. It wasn't raining, but of course the sand is wet, wet, wet. Or "gooshy" as Stacy described it. We started right in and learned as we went. One of the big lessons we learned was to keep a closer eye on the kids! It seemed that no sooner had we dug a clam then one of the girls would step into the hole. Stacy didn't last long. As soon as her foot got wet she was done! She and I hung out at the car for the next hour or so. Kelsey stuck it out with dad, helping him spot good 'clam holes' to dig. When they arrived back at the car, she was wet to the knee on both legs and cold. But she had a good time!



The girls napped in the car while we had the clams cleaned and Scott learned how to for the next batch. Then we headed back north to Kenai. We spent the afternoon in Kenai, visiting their Wal-Mart (new thigh waders for Scott), farmer's market, park, and McDonald's with a playland. Then we headed back to the hotel for a shower and unwinding in a desperate attempt to get the girls to sleep a bit earlier. Success! They were both asleep by 8:30. Scott and I lasted until at least 8:45!