Our Story

Gary came to Alaska from Wisconsin in 1971 to work at his brother’s lodge “Our Point of View” in Cooper Landing after graduating from high school. Gary’s love of the lifestyle, outdoor and sheer beauty kept his heart and home in Alaska. 

Barb came to Homer for a summer job at 17 and never left to go back to Montana. My first job was at the Glacier Drive Inn located at the edge of the harbor. After one shift I felt I had met most of Homer. With folks who fished, farmed, and moved with the seasons for work. 

Gary and Barb met on the Homer Spit in 1976. We enjoyed our time together yet went on to  our different adventures in the Great State. In the summer of 1979, we met up again on the Homer Spit. From that time on we worked and traveled together. Married in 1980 in Bear Cove by a dear friend “Hobo” Jim Varsos. We built our home mile 8 East End out of rough-cut lumber from the Gibson brothers. They milled local trees and had Small Potatoes lumber.   

Depending on the time of year jobs were available moving with the seasons between commercial and subsistence fishing. Gary and Barb built a restaurant on the Homer Spit using Barb’s homemade family recipes.  Gary was sport fishing for halibut out of the Homer harbor. Barb ran the restaurant for 19 years before selling it. After that Barb only worked for the family at our business Inlet Charters. Through the years of working with families and guides throughout the state we decided to offer “Across Alaska Adventures” in addition to Inlet Charters sport fishing out of Homer. 

We have felt our lifestyle has allowed us the freedom to work hard and be part of this wonderful outdoor world. As time went on, we had our son Avery in 1989. Avery now owns our boat the Whistler and sport fishes out of the Inlet Charters office and doing what it takes to raise his beautiful family in the Homer community. To our delight we had our daughter Emily in 1994. Emily grew up in the Inlet office, adventuring across the Bay and exploring travel when not completing college. Emily is now a teacher in the Homer area sharing her love of learning with her students. In the summer Emily works in the Inlet Office. 

Both Gary and I realize what a special life we are living and with our family. The opportunity to meet folks from all around the world to share our diverse community of talented individuals that make Homer “The Hamlet by the Sea!”