Hallo Bay/Bear Viewing
Sep 6th, 2004, 06:30 PM
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Hallo Bay/Bear Viewing
We just returned from a two week trip to Alaska. I was really looking forward to a bear viewing trip out of Homer that we had planned with Hallo Bay. It actually turned out to be a disappointment -- we only saw 4 bears and most a distance.
I don't know if it is was the time of year or the company. My prior research had indicated that this would be a good time to go.
I don't know if it is was the time of year or the company. My prior research had indicated that this would be a good time to go.
Sep 7th, 2004, 02:35 AM
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You should go with Emerald Air Service and you wouldn't be dissappointed. Did you get your money back? 4 bears? I can't believe!
You should listen what other posters had to say about their trips Do you remember your own posts from June?
Author: RP
Date: 06/12/2004, 09:54 pm
Message: We are looking to do a day long bear viewing trip and have been reading about Hallo Bay as well as Emerald Air.
We will be traveling with two children ages 12 and 7.
Wanted to get some views on what is better?
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Author: Wildflower
Date: 06/13/2004, 05:23 am
Message: RP, I never went to Hallo Bay but every year my husband and I go bear watching with Emerald Air Service and I can guarantee they will deliver unforgattable day. Your children will never forget this experience. When are you planning on going?
Here is what we wrote in our journal about our first bear watching trip. Please keep in mind that this is not a trip report. This is our personal journal.
'Then came the most exciting day of the whole trip. Emerald Air Service flew us in a float plane to a 900 ft. Lake in the Katmai National Park. There were 9 of us and Ken, the pilot/guide, and Chris, the guide/naturalist. They had been in an IMAX film about bears.
We landed on the lake and wearing our hip boots walked across the tundra to a bluff. We had seen more than 20 bears in that river on the flight in and we were walking right to them. We watched from that vantage point and took some long lens shots, then moved closer down to the bank of the river to where the bears had trampled down a bunch of the tall grass and willow bushes.
By now we could recognize the bears that Chris and Ken had named: Scarface, Grandpa, Betty, Tom Thumb and, yes, they do have personalities and different looks. As Scarface would walk up or down the stream, the other bears would move slowly and reluctantly out of the way while others quickly disappeared into the willow bushes. Grandpa waited patiently while Scarface fished and when Scarface moved away, Grandpa moved in. We were within 20 yard of Scarface and he never paid any attention to us.
The bears fish by standing in the stream and as the fish move up the river to spawn, they pick out a fish and jump into the water, ducking their head under water and trying to catch the fish in their mouths. It is hard to see whether they use their claws during the catch. But if they catch one, they hold the fish in their mouths until they wade ashore, put the fish on a rock or rocks and hold it with their claws while they strip the meat away by pulling it off the fish, they seem to eat the bones because we could hear the crushing of the bones as they eat fish. When the bear is done, the birds get the remains.
The bear cubs are poor fishermen. They wade into the water like mama bear but they don't seem to get the idea of putting their heads under water to catch the fish with their mouth. After a while, I felt like putting on a wetsuit and showing them how. Mama bear does teach them how to fight for fish, she makes the cubs fight her for the fish she catches for them. Cubs stay with the mother for three years before they go off for themselves.
The most exciting bear watching event was watching a mama bear and three cubs. The four of them crossed the river on our extreme right. Mama bear continued on down the river and the three cubs got up on the bank and started walking down the path that our group was on. Ken told us to be very quiet and back off the path so the cubs could get by, which we did. Mama continued in the water about 50 yards below us on our left. Meanwhile the cubs came down the path to about 15 or 20 feet from us and stopped. They had seen us and they crouch in the willow shrubs. Every once in a while one would stand upon his or her hind feet and peer at us over the willows, then a little later another one would stick a head up and smell. Then two together would stand up. Meanwhile mama walked ashore and disappeared into the shrub. We caught a glimpse of her hurrying along about twenty yards in back of us hurrying to her cubs. They all joined up and followed mama across the river and disappeared into the shrub on the other side.
Those six hours in the field of bear watching were the most exciting and interesting experience we have had in our last seven years of vacations and that includes our safari in Kenya and two-week long trip in Galapagos Islands. Even flying back to Homer was exciting and unique. Ken flew the plane around Mount Augustine, a volcano that was letting off a little bit of steam but last erupted in March 1986. More great photo opportunities.'
RP, every time we go we experience something new, something so exciting that we already planning to return. This year we are going to be there in September. If you would like to see some pictures I took, send me an e-mail and will send you a link to my photo album ([email protected])
Author: earlxx
Date: 06/14/2004, 09:49 pm
Message: to the top for RP
My mum did not like her trip to Hallo bay
You should listen what other posters had to say about their trips Do you remember your own posts from June?
Author: RP
Date: 06/12/2004, 09:54 pm
Message: We are looking to do a day long bear viewing trip and have been reading about Hallo Bay as well as Emerald Air.
We will be traveling with two children ages 12 and 7.
Wanted to get some views on what is better?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author: Wildflower
Date: 06/13/2004, 05:23 am
Message: RP, I never went to Hallo Bay but every year my husband and I go bear watching with Emerald Air Service and I can guarantee they will deliver unforgattable day. Your children will never forget this experience. When are you planning on going?
Here is what we wrote in our journal about our first bear watching trip. Please keep in mind that this is not a trip report. This is our personal journal.
'Then came the most exciting day of the whole trip. Emerald Air Service flew us in a float plane to a 900 ft. Lake in the Katmai National Park. There were 9 of us and Ken, the pilot/guide, and Chris, the guide/naturalist. They had been in an IMAX film about bears.
We landed on the lake and wearing our hip boots walked across the tundra to a bluff. We had seen more than 20 bears in that river on the flight in and we were walking right to them. We watched from that vantage point and took some long lens shots, then moved closer down to the bank of the river to where the bears had trampled down a bunch of the tall grass and willow bushes.
By now we could recognize the bears that Chris and Ken had named: Scarface, Grandpa, Betty, Tom Thumb and, yes, they do have personalities and different looks. As Scarface would walk up or down the stream, the other bears would move slowly and reluctantly out of the way while others quickly disappeared into the willow bushes. Grandpa waited patiently while Scarface fished and when Scarface moved away, Grandpa moved in. We were within 20 yard of Scarface and he never paid any attention to us.
The bears fish by standing in the stream and as the fish move up the river to spawn, they pick out a fish and jump into the water, ducking their head under water and trying to catch the fish in their mouths. It is hard to see whether they use their claws during the catch. But if they catch one, they hold the fish in their mouths until they wade ashore, put the fish on a rock or rocks and hold it with their claws while they strip the meat away by pulling it off the fish, they seem to eat the bones because we could hear the crushing of the bones as they eat fish. When the bear is done, the birds get the remains.
The bear cubs are poor fishermen. They wade into the water like mama bear but they don't seem to get the idea of putting their heads under water to catch the fish with their mouth. After a while, I felt like putting on a wetsuit and showing them how. Mama bear does teach them how to fight for fish, she makes the cubs fight her for the fish she catches for them. Cubs stay with the mother for three years before they go off for themselves.
The most exciting bear watching event was watching a mama bear and three cubs. The four of them crossed the river on our extreme right. Mama bear continued on down the river and the three cubs got up on the bank and started walking down the path that our group was on. Ken told us to be very quiet and back off the path so the cubs could get by, which we did. Mama continued in the water about 50 yards below us on our left. Meanwhile the cubs came down the path to about 15 or 20 feet from us and stopped. They had seen us and they crouch in the willow shrubs. Every once in a while one would stand upon his or her hind feet and peer at us over the willows, then a little later another one would stick a head up and smell. Then two together would stand up. Meanwhile mama walked ashore and disappeared into the shrub. We caught a glimpse of her hurrying along about twenty yards in back of us hurrying to her cubs. They all joined up and followed mama across the river and disappeared into the shrub on the other side.
Those six hours in the field of bear watching were the most exciting and interesting experience we have had in our last seven years of vacations and that includes our safari in Kenya and two-week long trip in Galapagos Islands. Even flying back to Homer was exciting and unique. Ken flew the plane around Mount Augustine, a volcano that was letting off a little bit of steam but last erupted in March 1986. More great photo opportunities.'
RP, every time we go we experience something new, something so exciting that we already planning to return. This year we are going to be there in September. If you would like to see some pictures I took, send me an e-mail and will send you a link to my photo album ([email protected])
Author: earlxx
Date: 06/14/2004, 09:49 pm
Message: to the top for RP
My mum did not like her trip to Hallo bay
Sep 7th, 2004, 11:36 AM
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We spent 8 nights at Hallo Bay in September 2003 -- had an absolutely wonderful visit with phenomenal bear viewing. Hallo Bay does tell folks (at least they told us) that August is the worst month for bear viewing at Hallo Bay...they're no longer feeding on sedges, and are in between salmon runs. Also, it is best to stay a couple nights to maximize viewing opportunities. Bear viewing depends solely on what the bears feel like on a given day. I would go back to Hallo Bay in a heartbeat. Besides the bears, the scenery was sensational.
Sep 9th, 2004, 04:09 AM
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RP, my mother had a similar experience in the end of August. She stayed there for two nights and saw only six bears. Only one of them was close enough to take pictures. I agree you should go with Emerald Air, they go where bears are but Hallo Bay stays always at the same spot. good luck on your next trip to Alaska. Did you have a nice trip? Please post your report.
Sep 12th, 2004, 06:49 PM
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RP
i think time of year has something to do with it. bears move according to whats for dinner.. i went with emerald air services and this was the highlight of my trip. we went to where the bears were- my understand is that during this time of the year the bears are pretty content to snack!!they roam around and eat the salmon eggs and berries so they are more scattered out not concentrated in one area such as during salmon runs at Brooks. I plan on going next year with Emerald Air Services(Ken and Chris). They are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about bear behavior and Katmai.
i think time of year has something to do with it. bears move according to whats for dinner.. i went with emerald air services and this was the highlight of my trip. we went to where the bears were- my understand is that during this time of the year the bears are pretty content to snack!!they roam around and eat the salmon eggs and berries so they are more scattered out not concentrated in one area such as during salmon runs at Brooks. I plan on going next year with Emerald Air Services(Ken and Chris). They are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about bear behavior and Katmai.
