We shared an intimate encounter with this brown bear from our kayaks this morning. Another Alaska memory to store away forever.
We saw four brown bears this morning while we kayaked around Geographic Harbor in Katmai National Park. I felt like I really put our guests in the perfect positions for all the bear viewing. It is always a great feeling as a guide, when you make good calls on what the wildlife is going to do before it happens. It takes a certain amount of luck, and a lot of experience sure helps too. This morning was a little of both.
We started off at the estuary in the back, since we could see a big brown bear there from our boat. I got my kayakers together, gave them a quick talk about kayaking around bears, and listening to my advice out there. Then we paddled in close to watch a bear move around a little deeper in the meadow. As we were watching, people from an anchored private charter boat pulled up in their dinghy, and proceeded to get off on shore and walk right up the salmon river towards the bear. I could see our bear getting a little annoyed and turning away towards one side, so I gathered my group and paddle away from the river, over to the edge of the estuary. Sure enough, the bear came away from the group on land, and right towards us. We got some great shots from a very low angle, almost like we were in a photography blind or something.
After our bear finally ambled off into the dense bush, I told my group to follow me. I wanted to go paddle along the shoreline, in the hopes that another bear would pop out onto the beach. After six or seven minutes of paddling, I saw our next bear walk out of the forest and turn to walk down the beach towards us. He was still a quarter mile away from us, so I took the group closer, but not too close to spook the bear. Then we just sat there waiting. Eventually, the bear came right past us. We were so calm and quiet that the bear just eased right by us. This is why I love kayaking in bear country, you don't have to be loud at all.
Then I took my group farther in front of the bear, knowing that the bear will most likely walk around the corner to get to the big estuary and salmon stream at the back of the valley. Sure enough, he came right towards the point where we were waiting. I could hear my group suck in their breath as the bear walked out into the shallow water right at us. That is when I took the photo above. But, it turns out the bear just wanted to grab a salmon head that had previously been gnawed on by another bear.
After all of our bear encounters, everyone was more than happy to have a leisurely paddle back to the boat, to start getting ready for bloody mary's and brunch!
A large brown bear, standing in the water, not too far from my kayak. I was a little nervous about being in such shallow water, but the bear acted calm and so did we. And what a shot!
As our bear walked down the beach towards us, it hung out next to the grass, giving us lots of room.
This is the bear that we watched leave the area after the shore party arrived, only to circle around right to where I led our kayakers. What a start!
Speaking of kayaking, the conditions don't get any better than this. Beautiful surroundings in Katmai wilderness and almost all to ourselves.
The group gathers before heading off towards our first bear of the morning.
I couldn't believe our kayaking luck today. Look at the flat, glassy, calm water. Volcanic ash can still be seen high up near the tops of the mountains from the huge 1912 eruption here. It was 30 times more powerful than Mount Saint Helens.
Dani, pointing to a bear on the far shore.
This is amazing.
Katmai National Park might be bigger than the size of Switzerland, but today it seemed as intimate as it gets. Most of the park is designated Wilderness, which means no roads, only accessible by boat or plane. Or if you are really lucky... kayaks.