Walking with Grizzlies

[Flutterby]

What beautiful scenery!! Lunch looks good too!

[Dewi]

Thank you Nan, Mel, Bushcraft, Lisbeth & Flutterby.

[Dewi]

The day arrived that we would fly over to Katmai to join up with our home for the next few days. The converted Tug, the Waters, would be our base from where we would go ashore to watch bears at close quarters.

We were driven to the air terminal for the float planes and everyone and their baggage was weighed.

Megs gets the shock of her life when she sees our little plane.

Photo courtesy of Linda Himelbloom

After a scenic flight over, we land on Kukak bay and are met by our guide, Brad Josephs, and the ships Captain, John Mitchell.


The scenery here is glorious.


And we were soon joined by the rest of the team in the second, slightly larger plane, whilst the one we had arrived on prepared to return to Kodiak.


No sooner had we placed our bags in our cabins, Brad had us donning waders and lifejackets to head ashore to look for bears.

Megs looks happy as she wades ashore from the skiff.


Brad set us up in a line along the riverbank where we perched on upturned buckets or camp stools. Two bears were in the meadow ahead of us, whilst more could be seen far off in the distance.


And before too long, one of the bears came over to say hello.


To me, it was worth the trip just to see the look on Megs face with her first encounter with a bear.

A smaller animal was also in the meadow and they were grazing on the lush sedge grass that grows in profusion here.


We watched as they went about their daily lives and did what bears do naturally.


A largish male wandered closer as we sat in awe at these wonderful animals allowing us some close views.


He decided that we were worthy of his presence and ambled on towards us without a care in the World.


Stopping to munch some sedges, he checked his surroundings for other bears and glanced at us a few times.






Before deciding that we were just part of the scenery and came over to greet us properly.


What an introduction! We were all elated and buzzing as we returned to the ship for the evening meal. What would tomorrow bring?

[Jillinflorida]

Not sure which is better - Megs face at the plane or the first bear!

Great photos, fantasic scenery and the bears - well - just amazing to be that close.

[nan]

wow, right, the Meg's face is a regal to see

nice proximate encounter
Bears are omnivore, even herbivore, they eat grass too

and yours, how was your face

[Amoli]

Bald Eagles and Puffins - how beautiful..

and an island to yourselves - calm

[Lisbeth]

The scenery here is glorious.

It is great in all the pics that you have shown.

Were you there in the salmon "coming upstream" season or was it too early?

[Bushcraft]

That's awesome

Classic face from Megs

[Richprins]

Who is the lady with the "regal pose"?

A tiny plane indeed!

[Mel]

Before deciding that we were just part of the scenery and came over to greet us properly.

Okay, was it then that you did laundry the next day?
That bear was very close...

Well, at least you had a super companion in Meg - Alaska is definitely not for Sissies either. -O