July 18, 2008 -- Glaciers and 'DA' Bears

Today was a highlight of our trip.  We wanted to make certain that we would get to see some Alaskan bears!!  When we booked our bear watching trip, they asked if we would need fishing licenses.  So, we also got to do some fishing for Alaskan salmon on the same trip.  First, eight of us were loaded into a small seaplane and transported across to the western shore of Cook Inlet.  Here there is a nature refuge.

We had told our guide that the emphasis was on bear watching.  So after we landed in a lake at the Refuge, we boarded fishing boats from the plane, and went to the inlet where the creek connects with the lake.  This is where the salmon return each year to spawn, and of course, where there is salmon, there are bears!!  There were five of us in the boat, us, our guide, and fellow motorcycle riders who were staying in their trailer in Alaska for the summer.  (Their trailer is used as a motorcycle hauler/residence).

Our guide got our fishing boat situated so we would definitely see the bears -- there were about 7 fishing boats jockeying for position on the stream.  Even tho' we didn't have the best fishing spot, Ed caught 3 (daily limit for out-of-state licenses) and Bev caught one.  Our new friends also gave us theirs to take home.  There had been other catches for all of us, but Alaska law states that the fish needs to be caught with the hook in the mouth; so if the hook is attached anywhere else, then had to put the fish back into the water.

Best part of the trip tho' was the presence of the mother bear and her 3 cubs.

They came down to the lake twice throughout the day.  The first time was to just get a drink of water. 

 Then the next time they came down to eat.  When they were done eating, the guide said they would be coming our way.  We thought he meant on the land (which was about 50 feet away).  Instead, mother bear came into the water that was half way between us and shore.  WOW!!  We did get some good pictures of this. 

Mom took time to take a bath and then show the youngsters how to wash their ears

Much to our surprise because this wasn't advertised, after we left the lake where we were fishing, the pilot took us for a close up view of the Mt. Redoubt glacier.  They don't advertise this portion of the trip because they never know when the weather is going to cooperate.  Here is the view looking down into the glacier.  Mt. Redoubt had been dormant for a long time, so we were quite surprised  when we read in the 2009 paper that the volcano had beecome active again.

After the trip was over, we had to arrange to get back to Soldotna and arrange to ship the fish home.  We joked on the way back to the plane about me carrying the fish on the back of the motorcycle while we drove the 30 miles into town.  The other couple had their truck, so offered to drop the fish off at the processor.  The fish weighed out at 18 pounds; and they were in Fort Collins when we arrived home.