August 7, 2022: The Fishing Bears

"One and Done" Bear

Today we visit the Anan Bay Bear Observatory. We've never been before and it's quite an adventure. Since the anchorage out front of Anan is pretty sketchy in terms of holding, we anchored last night in Santa Ana Inlet and made the 2-hour run to Anan Creek early this morning. We drop anchor in about 60 feet of water over loose sand and cross our fingers that the sailing vessel Tenacious will be here when we return. It's high tide, and there's no dock, so securing the dinghy to the slippery rocks on shore is an exercise in balance and faith in the Almighty. Rockweed is wicked slimy, and the barnacles on the rocks are our friends! 

We scramble ashore and are met by the ranger, who gives us a briefing on being bear aware. The 1/2-mile trail we'll follow to the viewing platform is criss-crossed with bear trails. We borrow a can of bear spray, just in case. 

Dolly with Cubs

There is plenty of bear sign along the trail, so we step carefully. Skunk cabbages have been ravaged. the roots are a favorite of bears. We don't dilly-dally. We are greeted by another ranger at the viewing platform, along with a black bear I call "One And Done." He is a skilled fisher, and his M.O. is to trot down the hillside to his favorite rock at the rivers' edge, snatch a fish in his jaws, and trot right back up the hill to dine solo in the woods. Very efficient, no drama with other bears. He does this over and over again while we are there.

A little farther downstream, a family of grizzlies appears. The big sow is called Dolly, and we learn this is her first year here. She has two cubs, one a little lighter, one a little darker. They orbit around her as she fishes, sniffing everything, climbing rocks and logs, and enjoying the bright red salmon meat Mom brings. A bit later another sow, who is the alpha bear here, appears with her two cubs. She is working her way upriver as Dolly and her cubs work their way down. For a while we watch six grizzlies working the same stretch of riverbank together. It's magical.

Suzy with one of her cubs

After hours of immersing ourselves in bears stuffing themselves for the winter, it's time to return to Tenacious. Having seen the many bears in the area, we skedaddle back down the trail, peeking around corners and looking over our shoulders the whole way. We return the bear spray to the ranger, and are very glad to see Tenacious, floating serenely in the sunshine. We pull anchor to continue on our ways, our lives richer for having spent the morning with bears.

August 14, 2022: Bears at Verney Falls

Lowe Inlet has been one of our favorite destinations since our first visit years ago. There is a waterfall there, with perfect fishing-bear "platforms" one each side. We anchor in the outflow directly in front of the falls, and are close enough to see if the bears are fishing from the foredeck.

It only takes a moment to launch the inflatable for a closer look. As we enter the basin close to the bottom of the falls, we can see thousands of salmon, seething through the raucous water, seeking the moment when instinct leads them to hurl themselves up the falls. They are clever (?) enough to put most of their efforts into leaping at high tide, when the distance from the water to the top of the falls is shortest, but throughout the bay salmon are honing their best jumping technique, erupting out of the water and splashing down all around us.

The Universe has brought us here at the right time: salmon are running and we have two black bears taking turns fishing. The bear on the right fishes for a while, then when the bear on the left side emerges from the forest to fish, the right-side bear scampers back into the woods. The left-side bear must be the alpha. He catches several salmon as we observe. The eagles and ravens watch carefully for the right moment to snatch a scrap or two after he leaves each carcass.

I could watch for hours ...

August 16: Back on the Beach

We revisit a favorite spot on our way south. It's a wild beach not far from Ivory Island lighthouse near the mouth of Seaforth Channel. I love to climb around the shoreline beach combing, and Patrick gets to fish. Today, we both succeed!

I spend a couple of hours clambering over rock outcroppings and playing balance-beam on beach logs--not easy when you're wearing sea boots, I must say. Treasures can be found at the tideline and all around; irridescent abalone, colorful turban snails, many shades of colored beach glass frosted by decades of tumbling in the rocky surf, and a scattering of ever-smaller bits of a blue fiberglass boat that I first discovered years ago when it was still recognizable as a vessel. I imagine animal shapes in the driftwood that huddles at the high-tide line. I gather up several plastic bottles for proper disposal later.

Meanwhile, Captain Pat puts his time to more productive use. He has broken out the fishing rod and his trusty green-and-white hootchie, and returned to pick me up from the beach with a fine, fat coho in the bottom of the dinghy. Of course, he has to show it off! Tonight's dinner menu is settled. The sea offers us all kinds of bounty!