River Day

For those that want an adventure that goes a little more off the beaten path… to Trapper Rick’s!

Our optional extra day is truly extra-ordinary, please take a look below.

Trapper’s Grizzly Adventure 1 of 2

watching a grizzly bear fishing

Your extra day at the lodge is a tour with Trapper Rick who is cross Knight Inlet, through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River. This remote river is located on the BC mainland and we travel by road, cross a river by boat and a short level hike to Rick’s cabin. Just below the cabin about 200 meters (yards) on the river one is able to sit and overlook and area where the grizzly bears come to fish salmon. The first photo shows guests looking across the river….

Morning Break on a Whale Watching Safari

towing a lodge

It is mid September at Grizzly Bear Lodge as one of the local fishing lodges is being towed back to its protected winter base. Aside from the variety of marine wildlife (orca, humpback whales, seals, sealions, dolphins, porpoise, bald eagles, many different water birds, swimming black bears) this area also has “work” related activities: commercial fishing; tugs towing floats, barges, log booms; cruise ships; seaplanes arriving and departing etc. That is to say there is never a dull moment on a tour and many opportunities for interesting photos.

Interesting photo- mouth of Knight Inlet 2 of 3

seagul fishing

The interesting aspect of this photo taken on a whale watching safari is that Glen managed to catch a seagull with two herring in its mouth. Also interesting is the importance of finding a herring ball while whale watching because this leads to really interesting photo as tomorrow’s post will show…

 

 

 

Bald eagles waiting for dinner

Bald eagles perched to feed

Bald eagles are a common sight in our tour area. As one of our guides says to his guests: “I will point out the first ten eagles and after that you are on your own.” This does not mean we don’t stop to get a good photo but that means when the eagle is a little lower down in a tree and not a white spot on the top of a tree. The waiting aspect of the photo is because that is what eagle do. They wait for a salmon on the surface or a herring ball to form to provide a “chance” for a meal.

Bald Eagle with salmon

Bald eagle eating

Spending the hours we do in the boat on our tours from the lodge we frequently see bald eagles on the shore eating their catch. In this case the catch is a pink salmon we saw it pick from the water a few minutes earlier. Until the salmon arrive in the rivers the eagles are more concentrated in the Johnstone Strait area where there is an abundance of herring which are a little easier to catch than salmon. If you have time to Google “Eagle Myths – State of Alaska” you will find one of the best article I have read on a bald eagles lifting powers “Eagle Flight and Other Myths Eagles Don’t Eat Children or Pets By Riley Woodford”.  Short version: “best estimates put the lifting power of an eagle at four or five pounds.” The full article is definitely worth the time.

Trapper Rick’s Grizzlies 3 of 3

Grizzly eating fresh salmon

 

 

When the grizzly bear eating the salmon is about fifty meters/yards across the river the guests get some good photos and memories to share around the dinner table back at the lodge. These are also the memories that have the guests return to the lodge for a second and third visit as well a recommend the Grizzly Bear Lodge to their friends.

Trapper Rick’s Grizzlies 2 of 3

Grizzly bear coming closergrizzly bear river fishing

Yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s post photos are taken with a Pentax Optio Wpi 6MP and 3X Optical Zoom which does not have a “good zoom” lens for wildlife photo’s so with most cameras you would have much better photos. It is the feeling you get when watching grizzlies that are across the river from where you are sitting that is the adrenaline rush. You are not in a boat or a viewing stand but sitting on a rock bank across a river from the grizzlies. Trapper Rick knows these bears and they respond to his voice but he is still carries a gun to ensure your safety. The grizzly bear in the water is fishing for salmon and does manage to catch one…

Trapper Rick’s Grizzlies 1 of 3

Grizzly walking upriverGrizzly closer

On the extra day in camp we take a forty-five minute boat ride cross Knight Inlet through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River and spend a day with Trapper Rick.  This river is located on the BC mainland and once there we travel by road to Rick’s cabin. Below the cabin on the river is a waterfall and a fish ladder that help the salmon by-pass the falls. (For more photos of Trapper’s cabin and surrounding area go to “Categories” on the left and select “River Day”.) This grizzly bear is working its way up river to the falls and the salmon….

Trapper Rick’s Boat Pool 3 of 3

grizzly on the river

Part of the reason for crossing the river was to join it’s sister on the far side. In the previous posting the sister was looking across the river at this scene and a freshly caught salmon is always an invitation. This process of grizzly bears moving up and crossing the river took about an hour but the guests did not feel that it was time wasted.

 

 

Trapper Rick’s Boat Pool 2 of 3

grizzly closer

As the grizzly came closer Rick started to talk to the bear and it listened. He has been in the valley for twenty-five years and knows the bears and they know his voice. Rick has great respect for the grizzlies in his valley and they accept his presence. This grizzly turned and crossed the river….