Coastal Brown Bear Sow Scratching an Itch While Watching Cub Eat Barnacles - Kukak Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska
This pretty lady had an itch to scratch on her leg. Being a lady, she graciously took a seat and discretely scratched her itch, while watching over her 2nd year cub, as she fed on barnacles on the tidal flats of Kukak Bay.
This was our first time being on "shared beach" with wild Coastal Brown Bears (aka, Grizzly Bears). We had been watching Coastal Brown Bears for the past day from our skiff, holding within 50 yards or so of Bears on the tidal flats (at low tide).
Our Bear Guide turned to us and asked, "Ready to go see the Bears in person?"
This became my favorite question for the rest of our photo expedition, to which I quickly developed my favorite answer, "SURE!!!"
Oh, and my second favorite question became, "Wanna get closer to the Bears?", to which my answer was "YES!!!", or sometimes "yes?"...sort of a situational answer on my part, but always answered in the affirmative.
So, we headed to the beach, unloaded ourselves and our photo gear from the skiff, received a reminder briefing about Bear Safety from our Bear Guide, and then headed down the beach towards this sow and her 2nd year cub.
I was preoccupied taking pics of the Bears, not noticing that the Bear Guide and my wife continued on another 10 yards or so, parallel to the Bears.
After finishing her scratching, this pretty lady rose up and then strolled directly towards me, to within approximately 45 feet of me.
I had five seconds of fear, starting with the moment at which I realized that I had not stayed close to (or behind) our Bear Guide, who had earlier emphasized to us that we were always to keep the Bear Guide between ourselves and the Bears.
As this beautiful lady strolled towards me, I took a couple of steps to the side, away from the Bear and towards the Bear Guide.
The Guide quickly had my wife call to me, "Rick, Stop! ... RICK, STOP!" Never looking away from the Bear, I stopped shuffling towards the Guide.
Once I remained still and was no longer giving ground to the Bear, she lost interest in me and changed her course so that she would miss me by 10 yards, thus ending my five seconds of fear.
My wife, bless her heart, teased me for the rest of our Katmai photo expedition, as she never felt any fear with these wonderful Bears.
5 seconds of fear!
5 seconds for which I'll be teased the rest of my life, but which I'll remember with incredible fondness as long as my brain cells last, hahaha.
What a freakingly wonderful experience :)...
Coastal Brown Bear Sow Scratching an Itch While Watching Cub Eat Barnacles - Kukak Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska
This pretty lady had an itch to scratch on her leg. Being a lady, she graciously took a seat and discretely scratched her itch, while watching over her 2nd year cub, as she fed on barnacles on the tidal flats of Kukak Bay.
This was our first time being on "shared beach" with wild Coastal Brown Bears (aka, Grizzly Bears). We had been watching Coastal Brown Bears for the past day from our skiff, holding within 50 yards or so of Bears on the tidal flats (at low tide).
Our Bear Guide turned to us and asked, "Ready to go see the Bears in person?"
This became my favorite question for the rest of our photo expedition, to which I quickly developed my favorite answer, "SURE!!!"
Oh, and my second favorite question became, "Wanna get closer to the Bears?", to which my answer was "YES!!!", or sometimes "yes?"...sort of a situational answer on my part, but always answered in the affirmative.
So, we headed to the beach, unloaded ourselves and our photo gear from the skiff, received a reminder briefing about Bear Safety from our Bear Guide, and then headed down the beach towards this sow and her 2nd year cub.
I was preoccupied taking pics of the Bears, not noticing that the Bear Guide and my wife continued on another 10 yards or so, parallel to the Bears.
After finishing her scratching, this pretty lady rose up and then strolled directly towards me, to within approximately 45 feet of me.
I had five seconds of fear, starting with the moment at which I realized that I had not stayed close to (or behind) our Bear Guide, who had earlier emphasized to us that we were always to keep the Bear Guide between ourselves and the Bears.
As this beautiful lady strolled towards me, I took a couple of steps to the side, away from the Bear and towards the Bear Guide.
The Guide quickly had my wife call to me, "Rick, Stop! ... RICK, STOP!" Never looking away from the Bear, I stopped shuffling towards the Guide.
Once I remained still and was no longer giving ground to the Bear, she lost interest in me and changed her course so that she would miss me by 10 yards, thus ending my five seconds of fear.
My wife, bless her heart, teased me for the rest of our Katmai photo expedition, as she never felt any fear with these wonderful Bears.
5 seconds of fear!
5 seconds for which I'll be teased the rest of my life, but which I'll remember with incredible fondness as long as my brain cells last, hahaha.
What a freakingly wonderful experience :)...