Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Tour Blog

We offer an exceptional fly-in lodge for Grizzly Bear Watching and Whale Watching in British Columbia.

Learn about What’s happening at the Lodge, view our British Columbia’s Wildlife Report, read our Grizzly Bear Watching Blog and Whale Watching Blog. Learn more about a Day on the River Blog, see Our Tour Guide’s Photos & Blog and  Photos from Our Guests.

Grizzly coming to investigate

Classic Grizzly PoseGrizzly bear viewing from the lodge on Minstrel Island requires run up Knight Inlet to the Glendale River estuary.  Once we arrive we transfer to sixteen-foot flat bottom skiff which allows us to travel in very shallow water. Being able to move in shallow water means that your guide can leave the skiff and manoeuvre the boat by walking along side. This permits us to move up the river at a low tide where as using a motor we would need to wait longer and the bears would have left the estuary. As I recall this picture is an example were a grizzly came to investigate and we slowly backed down river until curiosity was satisfied. No we were not in danger as any loud noise such as banging an oar on the metal boat and the bear would have left immediately.  The bears we view have come to accept our presence and do not show aggression only curiosity.

 

 

Spring Grizzly Bears Mating

Female GrizzlyMale grizzlyGrizzly bear’s mating time is late May through June in the Glendale River area of Knight Inlet. It is also the same time that the mother grizzlies are bringing their new cubs to the estuary area for the first time.  This is potential a dangerous mix as males have been known to kill cubs as it is believed that the females will come into season. The courtship we watched unfold seemed to involve an uninterested female who was trying to avoid the male. The male was following her along the beach until she took to the water and eventually swam past the bow of our boat.  The male was undeterred and wadded along the shore to keep pace with the female. This continued up the delta grassland of the estuary until they disappeared in to the surrounding forest.

 

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Trapper Rick's fishingGuest showing salmonAfter catching the pink salmon in the river at Trapper Rick’s it is a short journey to thinking of a fishing trip to the lodge and catching the larger Chinook salmon.  Grizzly Bear Lodge has a partner website under “Sailcone Wilderness Fishing Lodge” for guests interested in a few days fishing or guest who salmon fish while their spouses enjoy the wildlife viewing. In this case a guide had a day off and went salmon fishing and his catch became a photo opportunity for the guests.

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Trapper Rick's cabinrick's fishingGuests electing to stay an extra day in the lodge cross-Knight Inlet Inlet and pass through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River located in the coast range of BC mountains and spend a day with Trapper Rick. If you take time to scroll down the side bar on the left and go to “Pages” and then “Google Map of Grizzly Bear Lodge Itinerary” it will show the remoteness of this river valley.  Rick’s cabin is an “A” frame left by the Department of Fishers when they built a salmon ladder on the river. Beside the natural beauty of the area, Rick’s many stories of trapping in the valley; the chance of seeing a grizzly bear there is always the fishing. Many guest say they have no interest in fishing until they have a rod in their hand and a quick lesson on how to “spin cast” and then “fish on” and they are hooked on fishing. The next challenge the guide has is to get back to the lodge before dark.

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Humpback whalesSea lionsThe whale watching safari day requires a fifty-minute boat ride to the area of Johnstone Strait adjacent to Vancouver Island. Wildlife viewed normally includes black bear and eagles on the way to the Strait’s and seals, Steller sea lions, harbour porpoise, dall’s porpoise, dolphins, resident killer whales (orca), minke whales and humpback whales while in the viewing area.  Guest’s interests vary but humpback whales such as the mother and calf shown as well as the bull Steller sea lions are always favourites.  The whales spend the summer feeding in the area and it is common to see eight or more whales in a day feeding on the herring.  The Steller sea lion are more abundant in the early spring and fall as they pass through the area between California and Alaska, however for the past four years a couple of dozen sea lion have made this area their permanent summer residence.

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Dinner tablemain courseThe guests and guides enjoy a meal around the large oak table, which seats ten. Starting with soup or salad followed by the main course, which in this case is salmon. Dinners are a lively time with discussions and questions about the day’s activities, what is on for tomorrow and any other topic one can imagine. One comment that is often heard is all we seem to do is eat (breakfast), view wildlife, eat (picnic), view wildlife, and eat (dinner). Yes and the answer is that is why we try to keep you luggage to 20 pounds because that is how much weight you could gain and we do not want to overload the plane on the way out. After eating the discussion continues around the table or moves to the “living room” and often involves the exchange of email addresses and the promise to send pictures.

 

 

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Grizzly bear with salmon

Grizzly bear fishing techniques vary but from the number of salmon around the bear in the first photo not too much skill is required on this day. One fish under the belly another in the water and a third under the raised paw this makes it easy for this sub-adult grizzly. The second bear in deeper water seems to have its eye on the fish but isn’t sure how to catch the salmon. Because of the number of salmon the bears are very tolerant of one another it is common to see several mothers with cubs as well and juvenile bears feeding in the viewing area at the same time. After the two hour viewing time we are permitted on the stands it is back to the estuary for a picnic lunch possible a run up the river in the skiff and another chance for more wildlife on the return to the lodge.

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View from standsPink salmon in riverOnce the grizzly bear tour arrives in the Glendale River estuary we to transfer to shore and drive a van for fifteen minutes up an old logging road to the two viewing stands on a man-made spawning channel. The stand we normally use has view of the natural river on one side (the view shown) and the entrance to the spawning channel on the other. The stands are large enough to move about for good photos and steady enough to use tripods while others move around. The bears move up and down the river to feed on the pink salmon waiting to enter the spawning area or already in the spawning beds. The pink salmon show are often so abundant that you can not see the river bottom but this still makes it difficult for some bears to be successful at fishing.

 

 

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Bald eaglesPacific white-sided dolphinsGrizzly Bear Lodge’s day tour to view grizzly bears try to leave camp prior to 8:00 to arrive in Glendale Cove and make it to the viewing stands by 10:00.  The viewing stands are used after August 24.  The trip up Knight Inlet is always interesting and leaving early gives on more time to enjoy wildlife along the way. First, eagles are a constant interest and there are daily opportunities to some great photo in this case a rare shot of two mates sharing the same branch.  For me this is ideal as it allows me to answer an often ask question “Is that a female or male eagle?” Answer “The female is larger and unless they are side by side it is hard to tell the size.” This photo solves that question for these two eagles. Second, pacific white-side dolphins are a constant joy and if I had my choice I could run with them all day. This was a perfect morning for the perfect picture. A glassy calm day on the water which reduces the boats rocking and also permits one to see under the water and know when a dolphin is about to break the surface. All that said an excellent picture such as this still requires many tries and a certain amount of luck.

 

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morning dressblack bear

The lodge normally accommodates eight guests. This means that you interact with the other guests and the staff on a full time basis unless you prefer the privacy of your room. The mornings on the water are be cool so we provide the “floater suites” to keep you warm. They are your “Personal Floatation Device” and even if you choose not to wear them they need to be with you in the boat.  After snack time the guides will bring out the suited to make sure you have one that fits this taken care of it is time for your first “quest” for wildlife. The first evening we do a tour looking for black bear and eagles in the vicinity of the lodge, normally an hour or so before or after dinner depending on the tide.  The black bears are on the beach looking for food so we need a reasonably low tide to provide the beach. If we don’t have success on the first evening most days we find black bears while on a grizzly or whale tour. This evening was successful.