These blondes and brunettes, along with their beautiful auburn and black haired friends would like to distract you from Africa for a moment
Jul 14th, 2008, 06:44 PM
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These blondes and brunettes, along with their beautiful auburn and black haired friends would like to distract you from Africa for a moment
They are bears!
<b>Bears in Alaska:</b>
Link to report on US forum
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35143602
Link to just the 60 photos from the trip
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US
<b>Bears in Minnesota:</b>
Link to report on US forum
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35143796
Link to just the 27 photos from July
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US
Link to 13 photos from previous late August visits
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US
Sorry if your hopes were raised beyond 4-legged, furry animals.
<b>Bears in Alaska:</b>
Link to report on US forum
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35143602
Link to just the 60 photos from the trip
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US
<b>Bears in Minnesota:</b>
Link to report on US forum
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35143796
Link to just the 27 photos from July
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US
Link to 13 photos from previous late August visits
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US
Sorry if your hopes were raised beyond 4-legged, furry animals.
Jul 14th, 2008, 10:36 PM
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Oh my Lynne you have shamed me into starting on my report! For now it may be in the form of a quickie report along with some select photos, but I will try to have it up by the end of the month!
Unfortuantely, the pilot for our one day trip with Hallo Bay had to scrub the day because of the weather, so we never got to view the bears as planned. At six in the morning, dressed for any occasion, I cried a river over that one, I assure you. But as our son, who as you know is a pilot, said when I was crying the blues into the phone to him:
'Mom, better to be on the ground wishing you were up in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground.'
True, couldn't argue with that one.
And Jim's usual comment when things like this happen cheered me up a great deal too -
"We'll just have to come back again"
Yep, I liked that one!
I haven't read your report yet, but I looked at the pictures - absoluetely marvellous! WOW! We really do have to go back!
Unfortuantely, the pilot for our one day trip with Hallo Bay had to scrub the day because of the weather, so we never got to view the bears as planned. At six in the morning, dressed for any occasion, I cried a river over that one, I assure you. But as our son, who as you know is a pilot, said when I was crying the blues into the phone to him:
'Mom, better to be on the ground wishing you were up in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground.'
True, couldn't argue with that one.
And Jim's usual comment when things like this happen cheered me up a great deal too -
"We'll just have to come back again"
Yep, I liked that one!
I haven't read your report yet, but I looked at the pictures - absoluetely marvellous! WOW! We really do have to go back!
Jul 15th, 2008, 09:45 AM
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Oh, wow wow WOW, Lynn! I just looked through the first 10 pictures or so -- fantastic! I'm going to have to spend more time on this and read the whole report when I'm at home later. We went to Alaska 10 years ago for our honeymoon, but couldn't afford to do any bear-viewing, so it's a big dream to go back some day and do this. Thanks for sharing!
Jul 15th, 2008, 05:11 PM
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Thanks Joyce and I'm glad you saw the humor in the bad words.
Lynda, Your comment reinforces how everything revolves--or doesn't revolve--around the weather there. I had 70 hours total of altered plans. I am so sorry you were not able to do the bear viewing. If next time turns out to be later in July of 2010, then maybe I'll see you on board. Or are you and Matnikstym going to the Pantanal at that time?
You have some good men in you life!
MyDogKyle, Since you mention price, I could do a private Tanzania trip for one for less per day than the daily cost on the boat. It even beats out some of the Botswana 5-Paws on a per night comparison. But Alaska is expensive so what can I expect when I have the opportunity for my own private bears. Plus I was booked on only a 3-night trip.
I balanced the AK cost out with the MN black bears, where we ate peanut butter sandwiches and cheese and carrots kept cold in the cooler.
SD,
One other time I asked you this but I may have missed your answer. Are you from South Dakota? If you want to go soon, as in several weeks, you'll be able to see the fishing bears. Foxes and wolves are more likely later in the season as well. Plus the Spring cubs come out.
Lynda, Your comment reinforces how everything revolves--or doesn't revolve--around the weather there. I had 70 hours total of altered plans. I am so sorry you were not able to do the bear viewing. If next time turns out to be later in July of 2010, then maybe I'll see you on board. Or are you and Matnikstym going to the Pantanal at that time?
You have some good men in you life!
MyDogKyle, Since you mention price, I could do a private Tanzania trip for one for less per day than the daily cost on the boat. It even beats out some of the Botswana 5-Paws on a per night comparison. But Alaska is expensive so what can I expect when I have the opportunity for my own private bears. Plus I was booked on only a 3-night trip.
I balanced the AK cost out with the MN black bears, where we ate peanut butter sandwiches and cheese and carrots kept cold in the cooler.
SD,
One other time I asked you this but I may have missed your answer. Are you from South Dakota? If you want to go soon, as in several weeks, you'll be able to see the fishing bears. Foxes and wolves are more likely later in the season as well. Plus the Spring cubs come out.
Jul 16th, 2008, 11:05 AM
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Lynn or anyone else,
Have you done this bear viewing tour in BC http://www.tiderip.com/grizzlysalmontour.html? I'm thinking about a trip to Vancouver Island late summer next year. Thanks again for the idea, Bill!
Have you done this bear viewing tour in BC http://www.tiderip.com/grizzlysalmontour.html? I'm thinking about a trip to Vancouver Island late summer next year. Thanks again for the idea, Bill!
Jul 16th, 2008, 12:48 PM
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Hi Patty, yes, Tide Rip is who I went with to see grizzly bears in the Knight Inlet. Like I told you before we were a little early for the bears because the salmon were just beginning to arrive to but we saw a couple of bears fishing. We went by boat and then boarded a platform type small boat that the guides would wade through the water pushing to approach the area. If I remember correctly in late August/early Septebmer though you can go by boat and then access a land based viewing platform and there should be many more bears there. The guiding and the boat were good so I was really pleased with my experience using them and would recommend them.
The Knight Inlet is absolutely stunning and there are lots of bald eagles in the area too. You should also take an orca trip from this same general area, much better and less touristy than the ones out of Victoria.
The Knight Inlet is absolutely stunning and there are lots of bald eagles in the area too. You should also take an orca trip from this same general area, much better and less touristy than the ones out of Victoria.
Jul 16th, 2008, 02:58 PM
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Pleasure to help Patty! We viewed orcas with Mackay Whale watching http://www.whaletime.com/
I picked them because of their longtime involvement and superior boat including an underwater hydrophone to listen to whales. They know the different pods and often the individuals within the pods. It was a good experience and I recommend them for a big boat trip. However, the next year we went whale watching in eastern Canada using only small zodiac boats and I do prefer that experience so you may want to look for an operator that does zodiacs. The advantage of the big boat was they have bathrooms and you are out much longer but the zodiac is more intimate and exciting. There were a few kayak campers out there to setting up tents in amazing settings and that is what I will do next time. I have a slightly blurred photo of an orca coming past a kayaker and the dorsal fin extends three feet or so higher than the kayakers head -- I would have done almost anything to change places with the kayaker when I saw that! You also sometimes see black bears digging for mussels, etc. on the beaches while boating. The place is really magical, I absolutely loved it there.
I picked them because of their longtime involvement and superior boat including an underwater hydrophone to listen to whales. They know the different pods and often the individuals within the pods. It was a good experience and I recommend them for a big boat trip. However, the next year we went whale watching in eastern Canada using only small zodiac boats and I do prefer that experience so you may want to look for an operator that does zodiacs. The advantage of the big boat was they have bathrooms and you are out much longer but the zodiac is more intimate and exciting. There were a few kayak campers out there to setting up tents in amazing settings and that is what I will do next time. I have a slightly blurred photo of an orca coming past a kayaker and the dorsal fin extends three feet or so higher than the kayakers head -- I would have done almost anything to change places with the kayaker when I saw that! You also sometimes see black bears digging for mussels, etc. on the beaches while boating. The place is really magical, I absolutely loved it there.
Jul 17th, 2008, 11:20 AM
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Bill,
The kayak trips do look amazing! Not sure if we'll have time for that and everything else we want to do though. Looks the the kayak/camping trips are a minimum of 4 days (but I've just started researching so there might be other options I haven't found). I'll look into Mackay and see if I can find a zodiac operator too. Thanks!
Lynda,
I haven't forgotten and thanks again for the invite!
The kayak trips do look amazing! Not sure if we'll have time for that and everything else we want to do though. Looks the the kayak/camping trips are a minimum of 4 days (but I've just started researching so there might be other options I haven't found). I'll look into Mackay and see if I can find a zodiac operator too. Thanks!
Lynda,
I haven't forgotten and thanks again for the invite!
Jul 17th, 2008, 03:03 PM
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Patty: yes, so many things to do there. We stuck to that east coast and did not make it to Tofino on the west coast which we will definitely need to return to explore. It's good when there are too many great options.
Jul 17th, 2008, 10:32 PM
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And PB, when you do come back, we have <u>two rooms</u> booked for your family here at Swain Hotel for a pre-stay before going over to Tofino! There are incredible places to stay over in Tofino, not incredible as in luxury, but comfy-cozy little family cabins on the ocean, I think you'd like it there.
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