Keita I
After 3 action-packed days at Within The Wild's sister property, Winterlake Lodge, we were flown by floatplane directly to Tutka Bay, where we had yet another memorable time. Given the stark contrast of the environment, as well as the different activities on offer, they serve as a great complement to one another should you have the time and funds to swing it.||||First thing's first... if it's your first time to Alaska, you're looking to experience the remote Alaskan wilderness that you've dreamed about, and you can only stay at one of the two lodges, it's no contest - Winterlake wins, hands-down. It's far more remote, the glaciers are bigger and more awe-inspiring, activities are more action-packed, and the overall vibe of the lodge really gives you the sense of being in a raw, unspoiled land. Tutka Bay, by comparison, is a bit more "civilized" by virtue of being located in a higher-trafficked area, and is more Ocean/water-centric in the activities in its immediate vicinity, and the fact that it's "on the grid," meaning you have 24/7 electricity and WiFi in the cabins.||||With that out of the way, how does Tutka Bay measure up? Very nicely! The property and its surrounds are gorgeous - it's located in a secluded cove within Kachemak Bay and is surrounded by water, forests and beautiful mountains. The build of the property is relatively low-impact, giving it a nice sense of place. At the same time, it has just about all of the amenities that we expect in a 5-star city hotel - good food, solid internet, comfortable beds, and spacious rooms with tasteful decor. We loved our cabin - "Kittiwake" - it was a 2-story unit with the living room and bathroom on the first floor and the bedroom on the second floor. Compared to Winterlake, it was much more spacious and airy, allowing one to really spread out, relax, and enjoy the indoors as much as the outdoors. It was maintained very well - no need for a refurbishment anytime soon, unlike quite a few "country-style" properties we've stayed at in the past. The common area (which includes the dining room) is also tastefully furnished and decorated, and is the perfect distance from the cabins - far enough to enjoy the walk, but close enough to be convenient.||||Within The Wild is renowned for offering up great food at both of their properties, especially Tutka Bay, and the quality of the cuisine did not disappoint. Prior to dinner, they serve hors d'oeuvres (and drinks) during happy hour, and dinner itself is a 3 or 4-course affair, with awesome bread to go along with it. Although the variety of ingredients is limited relative to what can be obtained in the lower 48-states, the kitchen staff make the most of the produce (and their cooking skills) to offer dishes that are unique without trying too hard to be fancy for the sake of it. When you're in the wilderness, you don't want food that's too rich, heavy or alien, and Tutka Bay does a great job at balancing good taste with healthy and light.||||Activity wise, we felt that there were less compelling options compared to Winterlake, but it's really a matter of taste. If you're into marine activities (fishing, boating, whale watching, shorebird viewing, tide pooling) or cooking (they offer a cooking class at Tutka Bay), the lodge will certainly fit the bill. For us, the "classic Alaska" that we seek is the one that has towering peaks, massive glaciers and icefields, and a remoteness that gives a sense that the place is unchanged from pre-historic times. There is, however, one excursion (included in the 3-night rate as a free option) that tips the scales a bit towards Tutka Bay, and that's the bear viewing experience.||||It's weather dependent, but this all-day excursion takes you on a boat ride to Homer, followed by a shuttle right to an airstrip where they will then fly you to either Katmai or Lake Clark (Chinitna Bay) to see the bears. Katmai is supposedly the first choice, but the weather was not cooperative so we were taken to Lake Clark. The plane landed on a beach, then we were taken on a walk to an area where there are mudflats along the coast and a meadow further inland. You're (almost) guaranteed to see bears during the outing, and we saw an abundance of them. Due to the sensitive nature of the environment and the rising number of day-trippers to the area, sadly you are not allowed to stray off the paths and enter into the meadows themselves; therefore, it can be a challenge to get close enough to the bears to get a good look at them. However, you ARE permitted to get quite close to the bears that visit the mud flats to dig for clams. The reason, I was told, was because the mud flats were technically not part of the national park. In any case, we got to spend a good 90 minutes observing them, which was about the right length of time (it's fascinating, but they don't do anything but dig for clams when they're in the mud flats.)||||The rest of our time was spent mainly around the property - unlike at Winterlake, Tutka Bay has a small network of trails on premises that allows guests to venture out on their own, which we did on two occasions. We also went on two wildlife viewing boat trips - once to visit Gull Island to observe Puffings, Kittiwakes and Common Murres, and another to see more general wildlife (Otters, Bald Eagles, etc.) We did luck out in one of our outings... our captain spotted a school of transient Orcas (i.e. "Killer Whales,") and we were able to get a good view of them for about 30 minutes.||||As was the case with Winterlake, the staff at Tutka Bay were first-rate. Sam and Scott, who managed lodge operations, were on the ball, and Amy at the front desk was a real gem, as was the waiter Mike. The three guides (Kelsey, Margeaux and Sam) were great chaperones and wonderful people to get to know, and we absolutely loved Heidi, the resident masseuse (but also helped out waiting the tables during one of our meals), who was an absolute star.||||We were very glad to have combined Winterlake and Tutka Bay during our Alaska trip - by staying at both properties, we really felt that we got the most out of the Alaska experience, and were not left wanting whatsoever.
