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….
In an instant the mother was in protective mode. Another grizzly appeared on the beach and even though the new bear was a hundred meters (yards) away mother was on alert. The new grizzly was a young male so the mother and cub continued up the beach and the male moved off the beach. No one wants to confront a mother with a cub.
If you have read much of the blog you will know that my camera is a waterproof Pentax Optio Wpi 6MP and 3X Optical Zoom. It is a good camera but does not have a “great” distance lens so I sometime zoom in with the computer and it gets a little “fuzzy”. The point being is that I saw the guest’s photo back at the lodge (because that is what happens in the evening) and they were great. In this photo the cub was using mother as a play toy but that all changed in tomorrow’s post….
All wildlife we view on our tours has its comfort zone and when something encroaches they become concerned. This grizzly bear was on the beach eating sedge grass when something behind it got its attention….
Glen (guide) thought it looked like a “shower cap” I choose a “diva crown”. Glen took the photo and I’m doing the blog so not sure who gets to name the photo? Either way it was a first for both of us and we have each been at the lodge for about fifteen years. BC’s Glendale River that flows into Knight Inlet becomes quite turbulent after a heavy rain and produces natural foam that adorns this grizzly bear’s head.
Heading off the beach to the top of the tidal zone in search of berries. Climbing over barnacle and seaweed covered rocks is avoided by using a strategy placed log.
The viewing stands we use on Knight Inlet’s Glendale River provide excellent opportunities for photos. The March 25th and 26th postings are from this location as is today’s photo. This grizzly bear is less than 15 meters (yards) from the camera lens as it makes a meal of the salmon it just caught below our viewing platform. This grizzly is sitting on the bottom and enjoying its meal.
These first year black bear cubs are not able to scrape the barnacles and muscles off the rocks like their mother so they are waiting for a chance to move off the beach to nurse. But then again this photo was from June 18th which makes them two and a half months younger than the grizzly cubs of yesterdays post and at this age that is a long time.
These two first-year grizzly bear cubs spotted on a morning tour try to stay as dry as possible as they wait for mother to catch them another salmon. It is September 6th and the mother is still quite thin as she has to feed her cubs plus put on enough bulk to survive hibernation. Fortunately she has two months to achieve that goal.
Even if I did not have the date on the photos to check by the size of these grizzly bear cubs one can tell it is mid July in Knight Inlet. Peder and Ann have captures the activity that we find on the beach at this time of year. The salmon have not arrived in the rivers so the grizzlies obtain much of their protein rolling rocks on the beach for the crabs, clams, amphipods and other tiny invertebrates. The cubs may roll a few of the smaller rocks but mostly rely on mum. We have attracted the one cubs attention for a few minutes but it’s mother is only interested in food. Not to worry there were good photos face on but it is common to have the grizzly in this position as it is easier to roll rocks down hill.
Just like that another season has come to an end. We are grateful for all the wonderful staff and the guests this season. It was an excellent season and we are already looking forward to next May.
One of the highlights of the season was all of the new cubs out. It was awesome to see so many new cubs of the year and that is great news for our bear populations moving forward. We had great spring viewing and this continued through summer. On our river trips we started to see salmon arriving in August and enjoyed some great shoulder season viewing. The fish at the viewing platforms were a little late showing up this year, but viewing during late September at the platforms was great and the estuary viewing remained strong throughout the season.
Out in the whale watching world it was another year that saw large numbers of resident Orca who remained in the area right into October. The Humpback viewing was also great with large numbers feeding in Blackfish Sound. It is so amazing to have these magnificent animals back in our waters in such numbers.
Over the winter and spring we will be doing some repairs and maintenance. We rebuilt the front deck last spring, utilising cedar cut on site. We will continue with some siding, rooms improvements and hopefully a floating sauna ready for the start of our season.
2026 is already looking like a very busy season for us. We only have limited high season availability so please book early to ensure we have space for your group.
Looking forward to seeing you next year
Angus Reid
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