Alaska Brown Bear
The gun shot boomed twice cutting through the frigid night air. It was midnight and I was frozen with fear. Did our young guide Dillon, with the big 12 gauge shot-gun, shoot a bear, or shoot himself? Or, is he a fiction novel freakish serial killer about to kill all 9 of us idiots who paid big money to fly into Bear Camp in a small 6-seater plane that could land on a beach (big sand tires) twice a day between high tides a brutal weather conditions!
Bloody hell, I could see my breath while laying in my comfortable cot, in the dark with my runny nose so darned cold it could fall off at any moment. With a small dim light from the propane heater it would seem easy that I could find the tissues inside my backpack at the bottom of my bed. That would mean removing the blanket and allowing more cold air to reach me. Zero heat was generated from the heater on ‘low’ because the fear of dying of some carbon gas was a warning my favorite son-in-law Danny gave me, which meant I froze the whole night long. At least bedtime was at a respectable hour of 11pm. I had to pee so badly but was afraid of venturing outside, alone in the dark, to the outhouses out behind our Bear Camp tents. I was desperate and prayed for morning to come quickly. My two tent-mates were young girls, Avery, aged 10, and D’Asia, aged 12, and gave me no sense of safety although my granddaughter, D’Asia, the 12-year-old was fearless and thus far on our Alaskan adventures the best fisherman among us. I could wake her up and she would have held my hand.
Bear camp tent girls
Danny, who was luckily afflicted at birth with triple ADD (endless energy) was in heaven way up here in Alaska where there is never a dull moment, 24/7 activities with hiking, fishing and now bear watching. He planned his own “Danny Disneyland” and ‘fun’ was on the daily menu. I am lucky and blessed to be apart of such a unique family trip. To see Alaska through the eyes of young Avery and D’Asia made each new adventure pure joy! We couldn’t help but over use the word awesome!
Bear camp family pic
I was tired from being awakened earlier that morning at 4:45 am to go fishing on the Kenai river, near Sterling, AK, for King and Silver salmon. It is a giant mystery why the fishing guides claim you must start your day before dawn and be on the boat before 6am (still before dawn) with lines and hooks in water ready for the fish to bite. Complete BS! I personally found out the real truth … we were still on the Kenai river fishing at noon in the – still cold but warmer part of the day – and the fish were definitely out there and chose to bite or not to bite even at noon. With the sun peeking out here and there, my nose was still frozen even wearing 3 layers of jackets with a woolen toque with ear flaps … August weather in Alaska!
I was tired from being awakened earlier that morning at 4:45 am to go fishing on the Kenai river, near Sterling, AK, for King and Silver salmon. It is a giant mystery why the fishing guides claim you must start your day before dawn and be on the boat before 6am (still before dawn) with lines and hooks in water ready for the fish to bite. Complete BS! I personally found out the real truth … we were still on the Kenai river fishing at noon in the – still cold but warmer part of the day – and the fish were definitely out there and chose to bite or not to bite even at noon. With the sun peeking out here and there, my nose was still frozen even wearing 3 layers of jackets with a woolen toque with ear flaps … August weather in Alaska!
Twelve feet away
I laid there wondering what to do. Get up and check out the murder scene of what happened barely 15 feet from the front of my tent? I was so afraid I couldn’t make myself go investigate. I heard tree rustling sounds from outside the tent wall and could hear breathing from my daughter Toni’s tent next door barely 2 feet away. Also, every few minutes a water droplet, caused by condensation from our breathing, would fall from the vinyl ceiling hitting the wooden floor and the top cover of our thick bed duvets. (Chinese torture)
My bladder would not make it to morning. Now what? I had some solid choices, walk to the outhouse, go directly outside my tent door, or use the small bowl sitting the nightstand. The last choice was the winner.
Bear camp mom and triplets
The sunrise was brilliant pink and orange and magical when morning finally came and everyone was talking about the gunshots in the night. No one was dead nor were any bears killed … phew! Dillon explained he heard a bear too close to our camp so quickly shot a blank to scare off the nosey intruder. It worked. He did his job well. One well traveled couple, from Richmond, VA, bragged how toasty warm they were all night long with their heater turned up to ‘high’. (I glared at Danny) After a quick breakfast we walked to the sandy point where the large inlet was now at low tide. The bears were there! Everywhere you looked we could see them making their way to the best fishing spots.
AWESOME up close and personal moments with big giant brown bears. Running and splashing pawing their fish catch. So big and beautiful. Watching their magnificent interaction with their cubs, living the life cycle … fattening up at low tide fishing for the hundreds of dog salmon that were caught up in the tide pools. Nature is amazing and cruel. These sows and cubs would soon have to find their hibernation spot, mountain side, and sleep the winter away using their bodies high fat content surviving to spring.
Alaska the beautiful gave us a treasure of memories and a trip of a lifetime.