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 Rick’s Boat Pool 1 of 3

Grizzly approaching

The extra day in camp we cross Knight Inlet through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River and spend it with Trapper Rick.  This river is located on the BC mainland and we travel by road to the river which we cross before a short walk to Rick’s cabin. We arrived at the “boat pool” to cross and were stopped by a grizzly bear. Rick is kneeling down on a three meter bank that over looks the river as a grizzly makes its way up river toward us….

 

 

 

Dall’s Porpoise

Dall's PorpoiseDall's Porpoise

Dall’s porpoise are the fastest cetacean in BC, at speeds up to 55 km/hr and like dolphins they will often play around the boat. The white in the corner of the photo is the edge of our boat. Dall’s are found only in the North Pacific Ocean and adjacent seas (Bering Sea, Okhotsk Sea and Sea of Japan). They range from coastal waters to deep offshore waters.  Details of migrations are poorly known, however, Dall’s porpoise are year-round resident though-out much of their range, generally moving north for the summer and south for the winter. Dall’s porpoise feed mainly on small schooling fishes (herring, anchovies, mackerels and sauries) and cephalopods (octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish).

 

 

 

 

Extra Day on the River 3 of 3

Grizzly blocking raod

The decision was that we were not a problem and the road was theirs to use. We waited and moved very slowly down the road and followed them for more than ten minutes until they found a break in the thick brush along the road. As they slowly moved off the road we were free to continue to the river and Rick’s cabin and to look for grizzlies feeding at the falls while salmon leaping the falls and moving up river.

 

 

Extra Day on the River 2 of 3

Grizzly on road

On the road to the river before we cross to the cabin we may have a traffic problem. The problem is not other vehicles because there are no other vehicles it is bears. We drive the road slowly and on this day came upon a mother and cubs. As we approached they turned in concern and soon made a decision…

 

 

 

Extra Day on the River 1 of 3

ricks walking

The extra day at the lodge normally means a trip to the Kakweikan River and a day with Trapper Rick.  This river is located on the BC mainland and we travel by road to Rick’s cabin. The day includes a short hike to Rick’s cabin once we have crossed the river. The walk, which follows the river, is the only time you are not aware to the mountains that surround the “wild” valley that Rick inhabits.

 

 

Bald Eagle Soaring

Bald Eagle

Depending on the time of the season bald eagle may or not be abundant. By late August through October the most of the eagles have moved away from their ocean feeding grounds to the rivers that are full of spawning salmon. Birds of prey find it much easier to feed on dying or dead salmon than to catch live food (herring or small salmon) and they use fewer calories. Fortunately our grizzly bear viewing tours are on such a river so eagles are available for good photos all season.

 

 

Extra Lodge Day

walk to TrappersFrom the scenic walk along the edge of the river to the view from the deck of Trapper Rick’s cabin the extra day at the lodge with the Trapper is hard to explain. The best explanation was one I got this summer from a guest. He said it is what city people idealized it would be like to live in the woods and enjoy nature without the interruption of job and neighbours.  Maybe a little of Thoreau’s walden pond was part of the explanation.

Trappers deck

Dolphin Feeding

Dolphins feeding

Compare this photo to the one in the September 12th posting to see they are the same type of dolphins – Pacific Whitesided Dolphins. In the 12th posting they are playing beside the boat but today they are working / feeding. The dolphins often work in pods to corral the herring and then take turns feeding but on this day it was a solo act.

 

 

Immature Bald Eagle

Bald eagle

Adult plumage develops when a bald eagle become sexually mature; it takes five years for a bald eagle to attain solid white head and tail feathers. For the first five years they gradually change; the beak turns from black to yellow, the eyes from brown to pale yellow, body feathers from mottled to dark brown, and head and tail feathers from mottled to solid white. This eagle is close to maturity if you compare it to September 11th posting it’s head is not full white, the beak is not bright yellow or the eyes pale yellow.

 

 

Bald Eagle Catching

Bald eagle fishing

Not all fishing attempts by bald eagles are successful and if they do not succeed it is still a pleasure to watch. In the tour area of Grizzly Bear Lodge there are many mating pairs of eagles and it does not matter if you are on a grizzly, whale or the extra day trip you will see eagles. Actually when you are sitting on the front deck of the lodge eagles fly overhead.