Grizzly bears thrive here and the viewing opportunities are spectacular. We have operated our Grizzly Bear Lodge for decades and know the prime spots for bear watching. The ultimate grizzly bear photo opportunities.
When first noticing the white water created by a pod of pacific white-sided dolphins guest have a hard time wondering why we are changing directions suddenly. As we approach closer as in the above photo the cameras suddenly become very active. As with killer whales the “Whale Watching Guidelines” request that we do not approach closer than 100 meters (yards) but the dolphins seem to have their own ideas as will be shown in tomorrows post….
If this was a picture from the spring there would not be much more than the bear’s head out of the water. As the season progresses and the bears put on more fat more of their back appears. Our viewing area is comprised of many islands so it is not unusual to find bears moving between islands.
For two seasons we have been lucky to have Felix staying up the river, helping out tremendously, while working on his university projects. Many of his amazing shots can be viewed on his website.
https://felixrome.smugmug.com
Thanks to Rainer and Gabi for this shot of a mother Grizzly Bear with two cubs feeding on the beach at Glendale Cove
“Mum and her pups rolling stones at the beach – we watched them for almost one hour from our boat”
Another season has passed and it is time to start putting things away for the winter months. The grizzly and black bears are putting on last minute calories in preparation for their hibernation and the humpback whales are starting to head for their breeding grounds. Joe and I towed the dock out of Glendale Cove the other day and were blessed with an absolutely beautiful October day in Knight Inlet.
This is to be a grizzly bear family that is together for it’s third summer. It is one of the cubs that caught the salmon the mother is on the right. Not sure what has her interest as we were sitting in our skiff about forty meters in front of the cub with the salmon. Actually the guests were in the skiff I was sitting on the bow of the boat holding it in place on the river. The grizzlies did turn and cross the river to eat the salmon but also came back to catch several more while we watched from front row seats. The only time we got their attention was when I stood up to move the skiff away from their fishing area and the mother stopped and looked our way. I sat down and she went back to fishing. We are part of the background as long as we play by the rule – Do not move.
Grizzly Bears all seem to have their own fishing style. Often the larger, more mature bears are far more patient opting to let the calories come to them rather then run around burning calories in hopes of maybe catching a salmon. This bear sat for two hours picking off the occasional pink salmon as it swam by. Initially just due to the bears size we assumed it was a male. After a “better look”, however we discovered that this is in fact a very healthy female Grizzly.
Also: -if you search “You Tube” using the keyword SAILCONE you can view some videos from and about the lodge.
To view a map of the lodge’s area and the location of each day’s itinerary”
Look to the left and scroll the sidebars to “Categories” and select “Wildlife Tour Itinerary” It is possible to navigate the map using the arrows in the upper left corner and to zoom using the + or – signs as well as changing to a satellite view in the upper right corner of the map.
It is possible to navigate the map using the arrows in the upper left corner and to zoom using the + or – signs as well as changing to a satellite view in the upper right corner of the map.
This is the Grizzly Bear viewing platform that we use from August 25 until the end of the season. The maximum number of guests we are allowed to have in the platform is 5 and during our time it will only be guests from our lodge. People have plenty of space to get some great views and photos of the bears as they look for salmon. The viewing in this area is well managed, limiting the number of people and the times that we can view. This allows guests to have great experiences viewing the bears, but also creates low stress levels for the bears as they go about their business.
Black Bears are often seen in our area and are excellent climbers. Unlike the Grizzly Bears they have short, sharp claws and can easily climb tress and move over harsh steep terrain. This bear was spotted on the way up Knight Inlet on a steep rock face overlooking the water.
Bald Eagles are frequently sighted in our area. At times they can be seen in large numbers. This is usually where food supplies are high. For example this could be in areas with high concentrations of baitfish or along the rivers in the fall when the salmon are spawning. They are not migratory, but do move around with the food supply. As mentioned earlier when the salmon are spawning we often see many along the rivers, while there will be fewer along the coastline. With little need for camouflage their white head and tail feathers can be spotted easily. The female is slightly larger and her white head extends down a bit farther onto the body, but it is subtle. It takes these birds 4.5 – 5 years to acquire this unique plumage. As juveniles they are a brown colour. With exceptional eyesight and the ability to view 270 degrees they are understandably often seen in high perches and in trees near points and passageways.
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