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.

Curious 1 of 3

Steller Sea Lions

Most marine wildlife is curious but the key is to be sitting / drifting quietly. This viewing area has a fast tidal current that allows us to drift past a number (25 to 150) Steller sealions at a haulout on a small rocky island. The many young sea lions in the water will come and play around and under the boat and given time will approach quite close.

 

Mother and cub

Grizzly and cub

The photo from yesterday and today’s post were both taken after August 25th, which is the date we start using the viewing platform on Knight Inlet’s Glendale River. The platform is about 4 by 7 meters (yards) square and 3.5 meters high thus the slightly downward angle to the pictures. The platform, on one side, overlooks a large holding area used by the salmon before they enter a man made spawning channel as well as the natural river on two sides. These two grizzlies are on the third side, which is the road we use to get to the platform they had come up from the holding area and walked along the edge of the stand to move over to the river. Note that the cub is even in step with its mother.

 

 

Where does this Grizzly fish?

Boss grizzly bear

The answer to “Where does this Grizzly fish?” is anywhere it wants. When the large males grizzlies come to the fishing ponds on the Glendale River in the fall they are dominant. Other grizzlies move out of their way and even off the river. As a guide it is nice for the guests to see the large males but it will limit the number of bears that appear on that day so it is even nicer when these bears move on to another area of the river. Once they move the mothers and cubs come to fish and this is more entertaining than one large grizzly.

 

 

Spin-fishing with Trapper Rick

River Fishing

On that extra day’s stay at the Lodge we visit Rick on the Kakweikan River. Travelling over old logging roads to a river crossing we then have a short hike to Rick’s cabin, which overlooks a set of falls. At the falls there are salmon that leap the falls or use the fish ladder to bypass the falls. The salmon gather below the falls and at the peak of the run grizzly bears come to feed. This is an opportunity to fish on the river and catch pink or coho salmon as well as trout. Many guest say they have no interest in fishing but once they see the pristine river full of salmon they say they will try for a few minutes which turns into an hour or more. We have the time and the day is yours so enjoy it.

 

 

Humpback Missing a Lunge?

Humpback feeding

A good photo of a humpback whale lunging up through a herring ball. The photo is good but the lunge appears less than successful. The water coming out of the mouth should not contain so many herring. The mouth should be closed and the water forced out through the baleen and trapping the herring inside. The number of whales in our viewing area has increase dramatically over the past five years so we often see more than a dozen different whales on each safari. So we are successful even if the whales are not.

 

 

Intersting Grizzly Encounter

Grizzly bear coming

Spring grizzly bear tours from the Lodge require an hour and quarter boat ride up Knight Inlet to the Glendale River. Arriving in the river estuary we tie to a float and transfer to a flat bottom skiff, which allows us to move along the shore and up the river in shallow water. As the tided rises and we move up river to view grizzlies digging for eatable roots, eating wild rice or sedge grasses. On both banks of the river is sedge grass that is over a meter (yard) high so when you are on the river below the top of the bank a grizzly can approach unseen. On this day the grizzly walked out of the grass it was probably startled by our presence. When we are in the river there is no motor rather it has “one guide power” meaning your guide is in the water pulling the skiff so it is quiet. Startled or not the bear did not stop or change directions but crossed the river about fifteen meters (yards) away as we did not even have time to back down river. The grizzly bears have accepted our presence and we are part of the background.  It is the guests who have the “comfort zone” that we occasionally cross.

 

 

Arrival Day 5 of 5

Grizzly Diner

Back at the lodge and it is time to eat again. The lodge is known for its excellent food (check TripAdvisor) and this night it looks like Seafood Paella and Greek salad also somewhere on the table is fresh homemade bread and wine (white or red). Dinner is a social affair as you eat with your guides around a large table and this means the meal and conversation will last several hours.

 

 

Arrival Day 4 of 5

Black Bear Tour

After your snack and normally before dinner it is time for a tour of the local area. The tour is an hour to an hour and a half depending on the wildlife we encounter. We look for bald eagles, harbour seals and black bear. The bears come to the beach to turnover rocks. This inter-tidal zone “food” is high in protein and is made up of crab, clams, barnacles, amphipods and other tiny invertebrates. The tour also familiarizes you with the boat and guide although your guide may change depending on the day’s activities.

 

 

Arrival Day 3 of 5

Lodge Crab

Once the guides have move your luggage to the lodge and rooms are assigned it is “snack” time. The means fresh dungeness crab or prawns depending on the season, a selection of cheeses, crackers (biscuits), and drinks (tea, coffee, pop / soda, maybe a beer). While you are eating Angus will explain the operation of the lodge and facilities as well as the itinerary for your stay.

 

Arrival Day 2 of 5

Grizzly Bear Lodge

Your first view of the Lodge, except for the plane landing, is from the dock. The camp staff will be on dock to greet you and unload the plane. Unloading means your luggage and food coming into the camp as no plane leaves Campbell River without food if there is extra room. The first building partially hidden by the tree is the main lodge. This building has three guestrooms up stairs and one down (this is seldom used). The second building is the owner’s (Angus and Krystle ) home and over in the corner on the point is the cabin. Between the cabin and the lodge there are normally a maximum of eight guests in camp so the boat on the dock with four guests has room enough to move around for pictures and travel comfortably.