Return to Katmai

My alarm went off at 2:30am and that meant exactly two hours of sleep and time to head to the airport. Extreme thunder and lightning continued through the morning hours punctuating the sky and spotlighting the towering cumulus clouds above Calgary. Fortunately by the time my flight left at 6:30am the sky was calm and clear. I was flying on Alaska Airlines, from Calgary to Seattle, to Anchorage, then to Kodiak. After landing in Kodiak I was shuttled over to Andrews Airlines. After making a few last minute phone calls to say good bye to family and friends, I located my pilot waiting on the pier. He introduced himself as ‘Willy’ and loaded my gear into the old orange Beaver de Havilland. “You’re travelling light!” he said, and I thought he was being sarcastic. When I realized that he was serious I thought about all the small comforts that I had left behind, thinking at the time that I had overpacked. I laughed when the pilot told me the plane was made in 1958, “it must have been a good year I said, so was I”.

We took off in the Beaver, I being the only passenger, from a small lake covered in blooming lily pads. Within minutes I lost any sense of doubt about why I was on this journey. The vibrant green mountains reminiscent of the hills of Ireland in their emerald colour, were dotted with the remains of the winter snowfall. As we passed closely by these spectacular cliffs a small herd of mountain goats stood sillouetted atop the highest ridge with the backdrop of Shelikov Strait. With the sound of the plane’s engine the goats quickly disappeared over the sharp ridge. The pilot quickly banked the plane in a way that only bush pilots can manage, and we popped up through a valley and found the goats on a near vertical cliff on the other side. Amazing in their agility, even the babies were so sure-footed they seemed to stick to the mountainside as if on Velcro.

This scene was quickly followed by the meeting of an enormous fog bank flowing down Shelikov Strait. Behind that was my destination, Hallo Bay and the Hallo Glacier. We flew a loop above the glacier so that I could get a bird’s eye view. The de Havilland is capable of flying as slow as 60mph so we were able cruise past the glacier and view the incredible moraine and icefields. It was only later that day that I would be told that my pilot was Willy Fulton, a major figure in the Werner Herzog movie “Grizzly Man”, the documentary about the ill-fated Timothy Treadwell. He was the pilot that transported Timothy regularly and was the one that was supposed to pick him up on the last day of his 2003 expedition, only to find that he and his girlfriend had been eaten by a bear. This attack had taken place about 20 miles north in Kaflia Bay, but much of the documentary took place here in Hallo Bay – the ‘Grizzly Sanctuary’.

Willy set the float plane down next to the Kittiwake, a crab ship formerly called the Time Bandit of Deadliest Catch fame and owned by Katmai Coastal Tours’ operator John Rogers. Here was told to rest for a few hours while the crew organized departing passengers and gear. I was back in bear heaven, and this time the weather looked to be in my favour.

In typical Katmai fashion ‘rest for a few hours’ turned into a call half hour later for ‘plans have changed, get your gear in the skiff’. I was given two bear proof containers for my food and a small argument ensued between two guides as to whether it is best to keep the containers within the camp’s electric fence or outside the perimeter. One theory is that if the bears can actually test out the containers and cant get in them that they then never bother. Another suggests, why give them the chance just keep the food inside the fence near the tents and then there is never any temptation. The discussion is not resolved.

A brief ride in the skiff, on with the hip waders (I am trying out my new NEOS hip height pull over boots) and alas I arrived on the tidal flats in Hallo Bay. Kent waded out to help me unload my gear and escorted me back to camp. Our camp is situated below a small bluff in a mossy meadow full of lupines, chocolate lilies and irises. Here I meet ‘Suzie’ a middle-aged woman doing research on the bears and I am somewhat relieved that I am not the only female in the camp. However, I am told for the next 4 days that I will be the only one in this tenting area. Kent is camped a few minutes away and another group is about 200 meters to my west and Suzie is doing a ‘walkabout’ of sorts on her own.

I was given a few minutes to organize my gear in the spacious Hillebrand tent, and after a brief snack we grabbed our camera gear and headed towards the meadow where the bears were feeding on grass. By now the evening light was just beginning to improve and it was nearly 8pm. A group of ‘day-trippers’ had flown in and were observing the small group of 4 bears. Before long they left and Kent said “Ok now we can ‘do our thing’”. We walked to the edge of the grassy flat and set up our gear just as the evening light turned to golden perfection. A female bear was grazing close to us and gradually ate her way over to where we were seated. My bear flare was ready, but I quickly had to drop that in favour of my wide-angle lens. My heart was pounding as I tried to remain calm. This was a much closer encounter than any in my previous trip and it took all my courage (and maybe a few meditation skills) to keep my breathing slow and take advantage of this amazing photo session. I am a confirmed bear junkie.

It was nearly 11pm and still light when I climbed into my sleeping bag. I thought I may not be able to sleep from the excitement of the bear shoot, but the days travel caught up with me and I slept like a rock until 5:30am the next morning.

Meeting The Family

The morning dawned with a thick fog. I began with a hot cup of decaf and a bowl of spicy cardboard (aka reconstituted Huevos Rancheros) and waited for Kent to arrive with the day’s plan. Fog can be a double edged sword, you are either socked in for hours – even days, or you will have a spectacular shoot as the fog begins to lift its veil. We decided to head out and be in position with hopes for the best. Today the veil revealed a stunning panorama of the Aluetian Mountains, part of the Alaska Range, and in particular the Devil’s Desk (6700 ft) so named because it appears to be the source of extreme weather. Just to the north of it lies the pyramid shaped Kukak Volcano.

Once the best of the morning light had past, we set up on a grassy bank with hopes of seeing the female bear and her two cubs that Kent had seen a few days before. Eventually we spotted her in a meadow about ½ mile away and began hiking towards her. She stood up to see who was approaching and when she saw it was ‘just us’, she went back go nursing her cubs. She lay on her back and the two little ones climbed all over her for their lunch. Unfortunately by the time I got close enough for a photo the event was past. Still, what a magical moment to view. Despite the harsh light of mid-day I managed to get a few nice shots of this family.

The day had started with fog so dense you could almost call it rain, and by mid afternoon is had to be in the high 20’s Celsius. Luckily I had worn layers and was down to shorts and T-shirt by the time we returned to camp for some rest and a late lunch. Time to regenerate for the evening excursion.

Melissa Standing

It would have been nice to have a nap, but the tent was like an oven and the mosquitos and horse flies were ravenous around the camp. I opted for a walk on the beach where a cool breeze and no bugs enticed me. Who could have thought that in Hallo Bay Alaska I would be putting on shorts and sandals and taking a walk on the beach with a bottle of ice tea in one hand and bear flare in the other.

We started out again at around 8pm in search of the cubs and ½ hour along the trail (the entire area is a grid map of intersecting bear trails) we met Katmai Coastal Tours owner John Rogers and his 9 year old son James. They had just dropped off a film crew at the south meadow and apparently this is where the sow and her cubs were feeding. We soon caught up with the crew, introductions were made and we all knelt in the muddy flats to watch the show. The cubs are about 7 months old, probably born in January and may have left their den sometime in April. They seem so small and fragile, it is no wonder only about half of all cubs survive to adulthood. Their mother was constantly on high alert, not for humans, but for the danger of other bears. She was very relaxed around us, but the moment another bear would enter the area, she would stand up on her hind legs and snort warnings, calling the cubs over to her and clacking her jaws in agitation. She is one of the most spectacular bears I have ever seen both in size and stature as well has her thick and shiny coat.

We photographed the young family for about two hours. It was mesmerizing watching the cubs tumble and play fight with each other, or pick up a piece of bark or seaweed and toss it around like a toy. Finally the sun went down behind Kukak Volanco and at about 11pm we began the 40 minute hike back to camp. Along the way I found an amazing wolf track in the mud and marked the spot as a candidate for a plaster cast for tomorrow.

As we were returning to camp, walking along the bear trail in the dusk, with high grasses on either side, we passed 6 other bears coming in for the night. All of a sudden there was a frenzied rustle in the grass behind me and an animal darted past me about one meter away and then stopped just ahead of Kent on the trail. A lovely multi-coloured cross fox was out for her evening hunting! Exhausted and with light almost gone, I kept trudging along the trail, too tired to get my camera out of the backpack.

It had been a long and rewarding day of shooting. Kent assured me that in all his years in Katmai, this had been one of the best he had had, calling it a ‘precious day’ of imagery.

Starving and tired, I fired up the stove and cooked a batch of ‘Sidekicks’ (thanks for the idea Brenda!) and crashed for the night. It was 1am.

Cub Scouts

6am came early. As I lay in bed, I thought about a lecture I had heard from a female mountain climber talking about her summit attempt of Mount Everest. I remembered how she said she became quite adept at peeing in a bottle from the horizontal position in her sleeping bag, so that she did not have to go out in the cold. I was envying this skill. It had gotten quite cold and damp in the night and I had slept in long underwear and a down sweater. But now, the sun was just coming up over the water casting a pink glow on the mountains and glaciers behind me. We had been told by John that if the forecasted wind kicked up that they would have to drop off the film crew and head for more sheltered water. Since I was ‘borrowing’ their camp I was hoping that the wind would hold off. I was really enjoying the solitude of have my own camping area. I made a breakfast of instant oatmeal, grabbed my coffee and headed down to the beach to have breakfast and enjoy the sunrise. All was quiet and calm for now.

Our main goal for the morning was to find the sow and cubs. Knowing that they would not be far from the ‘Nursery Hill’ a small ridge about 45 minutes from camp, we heading directly there and found them grazing. Again the cubs were performing, one minute wrestling each other, the next stuffing their faces with the protein rich sedge grass. The most wonderful moment occurred when mother called her two babies over and proceeded to play with them, cuffing them aside gently with her huge paws and wrapping her enormous jaws around them. I felt as though I was looking into someone’s living room, and indeed I was.

From time to time Kent and I would catch sight of Suzie, content on her walkabout, journal in hand. She made no effort to meet up with us and we respected her space. I located the big wolf track I had discovered the day before and was thrilled with the way my plaster cast came out. I hoped I could make copies to display at my art show in August.

Later in the morning, a Cessna aircraft with tundra tires landed on the beach just to our southeast. Kent recognized the plane as belonging to Bill Simms, owner of a prestigious wilderness lodge 96 miles north of Hallo Bay. We decided to wander over and say Hi, with hopes of being invited for lunch. Bill was there entertaining a couple of fishing buddies and they were just preparing a lunch on the beach. As Kent predicted, we were invited to join in. We were treated to a delicious meal of seafood jambalaya, fresh cherries and Dr. Pepper. Bill graciously gave us a doggy bag, and I wondered about the wisdom of carrying around a bag of seafood in what might as well be grand central for bears. I decided that Kent knew what he was doing and jambalaya for dinner instead of freeze dried lasagna sounded pretty good. Since we did not need to return to camp for lunch we opted to stay at the south end of the bay and take a break for the afternoon, since having good light again would be a few hours away. Kent went directly asleep in the shade while I combed the beach for some big boar tracks to make casts of. That accomplished, I took the spare time to do some macro photography, as the knoll we were paused at was literally covered in lupines and irises. It was also a fabulous viewpoint to observe the bears traveling all around, from the tidal flats to the streams, through the meadows and into the forest. I also observed a large tan coloured wolf in the meadow where the sow and cubs were grazing. I managed a quick nap, but with so much going on it was difficult to stay down for long. Both because of the abundant activity to be seen and captured, but also I was not as comfortable as Kent about sleeping in the bear’s bed.

By early evening we decided to visit with the sow and cubs again. The evening light and the yellow-green grass provided the perfect setting. One of the cubs was in quite an antagonistic mood and managed to draw her sibling into a little fight. One of them let out a yelp of panic, and mother, who had been grazing with her back to them about 30 feet away, spun a 180 and within a blink she was on top of them breaking it up. Her sheer power and speed was breathtaking. Kent remarked that he had never seen such an alert, protective mother. All I could think about was the seafood jambalaya laying next to me in the grass, and hope she wasn’t hungry too! This was a bit of a turning point for me. For the first time I really felt uncomfortable (afraid?) and was praying that they would wander off away from us. It was at that point that the more outgoing of the two cubs started sniffing the air and heading our direction. This was a real test for me. Knowing that to move at this moment might cause alarm to the sow, but fearing that should the cub stray any closer, we might be in trouble anyway. We both took the safeties off our flares and kept shooting. It really didn’t help that at this moment Kent decided to relay to me some of his stories of closest calls with sows charging at him. At the end of the day it was all fine, but inwardly I was really hoping that tomorrow we could just go for a stroll on the beach or maybe photograph the ravens and eagles for a change….

Back in my tent I reviewed the day’s images on my netbook, and decided it had all been worthwhile!

Making Tracks

I awoke at 4:30am ready for the day’s adventures. I stepped out of my tent and went to hop over the two strand electric fence when I realized that the top wire was now waist high. Obviously Kent had adjusted it after I retired for the night. A thought occurred to me about keeping clients in as well as bears out…. I had to take a running leap to get over it (turning it off would have been too easy). As I landed on the other side I looked up toward the beach and there was a grey wolf sitting in the tall grass on the skyline perhaps 20 meters from me. We both looked at each other in surprise and then he disappeared towards the water.

I began to make breakfast, the usual concoction of instant oatmeal with a handful of dried bananas, granola and some peanut butter thrown in for taste. Just as I sat down to enjoy it I could hear the distinctive sound of grass being uprooted, and it was very close. In the next moment I looked up and saw a female bear munching away right where the wolf had been. How long had she been there? The grass here is waste high and when the bears are laying down grazing you cant see them at all. It was an auspicious start to the day!

Our plan for the day was to catch sunrise mountain reflections in the middle pond. Unfortunately a forest fire somewhere in northern Alaska had created a hazy sky, which is almost never good photographically, especially for landscapes. We opted for sunrise over the ocean and a walk down the beach to see the fledgling ravens on the cliff. We then noticed the film crew out on the flats filming two bears in the water and decided to head their way. The bears had caught two sockeye salmon this morning which meant that the salmon run was starting very early this year. This time of year most of the bears fed on the sedge grass or dug for clams. It was interesting to watch them sniff for clams and then dig down into the sand, pull the clam out and eat the whole thing, shell and all.

Today was the day to shift camps so that the film crews could have the large camp. It was far too hot and bright out for decent photography, so it was a good chance to clean up and get moved. In the late afternoon we decided to catch a ride in the skiff back to the Kittiwake to see if we could scrounge some ‘real’ food. We just had enough time to wolf down some sandwiches and cake before the skiff was heading back out with the videographers. The film crew was pumped, and they told us about their morning successes as they had captured a sub-adult bear swimming across to the puffin island. The crew took their gear over to the island and filmed the bear get out of the water, go directly to the puffin rookery and proceed to dig into their dens. Bears will sometimes go for the puffin’s eggs but this time the bear came out of the hole with an adult puffin in his mouth. They also found another sow with two cubs. It was unclear how they would have got to Inagiak Island. Some thought she may have hibernated there but it did not seem cold enough. Others said the only possibility is that she took her cubs there on a very low tide, which meant she either piggy backed them or they swam the best part of a mile in the ocean. I guess we will never know.

I felt somewhat refreshed from a good meal on the ship, but the last 3 days of hiking with heavy camera gear while wearing hip waders was taking its toll on me. The Neos were great for crossing rivers and standing in the ocean, but were terrible to hike in and I started calling them the ‘boots from hell’. The days had been great photographically, but we had been on the go from dawn till dusk every day. My steps were getting heavier and slower and Kent was getting farther ahead of me on the trail as the miles went by. This was a little disconcerting but I could not force me legs to work any better. We walked past the clay with the good bear tracks in it and I poured another plaster cast. Then we took off too find the sow and cubs. Finally located them down by the river so we set up and started shooting. Another guide with three photographers in tow appeared and set up about 10 meters behind us. For some reason they did not sit down in the crouch position but rather chose to shoot standing up with tripods fully extended. You could tell that this made the sow rather nervous as she looked more agitated than usual. My sense was that she was agitated enough to set some boundaries so I had the safety off my flare. The sow told her cubs to stay put in the long grass and she moved forward to check us out. As Kent and I were closest she arrived to us first and came to within 5 meters. We sat very low and Kent talked to her calmly. The other photographers however, began to retreat in fear – not a good move in this situation. They were not listening to their guide as he told them to stay still and keep together. I thought for sure the sow was going to charge them, but after a while she seemed satisfied that they meant no danger to her cubs and she turned around and gathered up her children and headed over the berm and out of sight.

We decided to pack it in for the day, as it was still a good hour hike back to camp. On the way back we passed the film crew and spoke with their guide Brad Josephs. He expressed concern about the sow and thought from her behavior that she could charge someone if she feels pressured by too many other bears. The guides were all in agreement that she meant no harm to people, but if a boar arrived on the scene and things got hectic we could be in the way. I resolved that for the next couple of days that I needed shots of fishing bears instead.

Back at the new camp by 11pm and too tired to make any food, I took a chased a couple of Advil with the last Dr. Pepper from Bill Simms and crashed for the night.

Gone Fishing

For the next few days the film crew from Koas Entertainment would be guided by Kent. They had taken over my old campsite (now dubbed Camp Koas) and I had moved to a camp slightly north. Everyone was interested in shooting bears fishing, and as the occasional sockeye was making its way back and forth, it seemed that the bears had picked up their interest in their favorite food source. As we left camp Kent turned on his old transistor radio which picked up an odd music/weather station from Homer. He said the bears did not like Barry Manilow and it kept them away. I laughed when the station started playing a Celine Dion song, and I knew for sure the camp would be safe. I was happy to be going out to shoot bears fishing, it was fun with a lot of action and it was a situation I was both familiar and comfortable with.

There were several bears out fishing and Kent positioned the film crew to catch the action. We needed to be away from the camera men so that the sound of our camera shutters did not disturb their footage. Kent parked us quite a ways out in the shallow water of the braided flats. I thought we were too far away from the bears, especially since I was only shooting with a 70-200mm lens with 1.7X converter. No sooner had this thought crossed my mind when I spotted a sockeye swimming towards me. I thought ‘oh great here will be some action’ but at first the bears did not react. The fish swam closer, into the shallow water and ran aground about 10 meters from me and started flopping in the sand. “oh shit” I said out loud. Not because I was afraid of the bears coming that close, but because I knew that it would be only a matter of seconds before the bears would come after it, not enough time to switch to my short lens!

Sure enough the big female came thundering through the water and galloped right up and grabbed the fish. As if showing off she laid down facing us with her catch between her enormous paws and proceeded to devour it. I cant begin to describe the sound of a bear tearing apart a fish. The rip of flesh and crunch of bones, fish eggs squirting out, is quite the event. Minutes later another fish ran aground and we were again thrilled with close up action. The film producer was thrilled with the footage, it looks like they plan to use the piece with the bears starting at one end of the flats and charging right in front of the two photographers. It was an awesome morning shoot!

We arrived back at camp around noon and Kent took me for a short hike up on Bear View Bluff. The panoramic scene was breathtaking, looking down on the low tide. It was curious to see how many bear beds were situated at the top of the bluff. Little beds were dug in the most precarious places, all with the most amazing views.

Exhausted, we took a much needed mid-day siesta. I slept well for two hours and then spent some time changing my packs around. I was having a tough time with my camera bag and my back was starting to spasm. I had to come up with a better way to lug all this gear around. I pulled all my clothes out of my MEC backpack and reloaded it with camera gear. I figured, worst case scenario, the pressure points would just be in different places. It turned out to be much better. I also changed to carrying my tripod and big lens on my hip. Totally not cool but at that point I really just needed to be more comfortable with my load and didn’t care if I looked like an amateur in front of all these pros.

The fun part about shooting with the film crew was hearing about how they were composing their shots, their story lines and sequences. They were all experienced and well known photographers and between Kent’s advice and eaves dropping on the crew I was picking up great information. The name of the project was “Grizzlyland” and it was going to be a series of 8 shows.

We headed out again around 6pm which seemed to be just about the time it got cool enough to work and the light was less severe. It was turning into a record breaking summer for high temperatures in Alaska. The haze from the fires was starting to dissipate and some nice clouds were starting to appear. Finally some interesting skies were coming our way.

The evening shoot was back to the fishing area. When we arrived only one bear was out on the flats. Then, as if someone had rung the dinner bell, 4 bears appeared over the burm and the action was on! Not only were they catching fish but several arguments ensued. Loud roaring and much posturing took place as the bears reinforced the pecking order and defined their space. Bandit, a bear I had seen fishing last year, was there, the rest were older females. They were having no part of his antics of trying to steel fish and he was forced to fend for himself. The light was phenomenal and we shot until the sun went down, about 11pm.

Close Encounters

It had been planned the day before that we should all try to find the wolf on the beach in the morning. I was up at 4am, dressed fed and geared up by 5am and down at the beach. No wolf appeared but the morning light on the Devil’s Desk was too good to pass up. We bailed on wolf waiting and took off for the reflecting ponds in the middle meadow. It was our best day yet for shooting the mountains, with fairly clear skies and some interesting clouds and reflections.

The film crew wanted to get some wildflower shots back by Kent’s old campground, and it was a great opportunity for me to retrieve my bears paw cast. Unfortunately the plaster was a mess. Either I poured it too dry or the tides damaged the material, as it was just a crumbled mess when I found it. Oh well something to look forward to doing next year.

Off we went to the fishing grounds again. Only 3 bears fishing this time, it seemed they were not so keen. We waited for about two hours but the salmon just didn’t seem to be moving much so we called it a morning and headed back for our routine afternoon nap.

We headed out in the afternoon towards Nursery Bluff so that the producer could get some Point of View shots there. At this point we split up and I opted to go with Suzie and Steve, one of the other cameramen, to find the sow and her cubs. Steve told me that they decided to call the cubs Scrappy and Hope for the movie. The guides had called the sow Melissa for several years. But her name would probably change for the series. Steve is also highly experienced with bears and he assured me that she was safe to be around and that the worst case scenario is that she might knock us down trying to charge a bear that would appear behind us. I felt so much better. Steve is an outstanding photographer in his own right, and was very willing to give advice on shooting techniques. I told him I was having trouble getting sharp images with animals running directly towards me. He was eager to share his knowledge and the value of being in such an elite group was becoming more and more evident. I was learning new skills and getting good advice every day.

We found Melissa and the cubs a little farther away from their regular area. She was slowly expanding her range and getting more comfortable with certain bears being within her perimeter. She was certainly comfortable with us today, so we set up close to her and were again entertained by the cubs and their antics. They crossed over the shallow creek and once on the other side the cubs went ballistic.

They bolted like two colts on a lunge line running flat out in 10m circles around their mum. She was getting quite perturbed and huffed at them a few times but they were defiant and kept on circling at full speed. Mum spun around and around trying to keep an eye on them and finally she put a stop to it by blocking off their circle. She got them back in line and they wandered away into the tall grass.

Kent and the rest of the film crew caught up with us and we headed down to the flats, where the tide had just gone out again. The bears were doing their daily migration to the beach and they were coming in larger numbers now. Word was out that the salmon were coming. With each low tide they were catching more fish and this time the eagles had decided to join in. Tonight there were just as many bald eagles as there were bears. The fishing was great and just as the light started to fade the bears began to head back to the meadow. It was like they were punching out for the day. Kent had gone over to speak with the producer on the other side of a small rivulet. One of the female bears decided to make a bee line between them and me which did not leave much room. Because the light had faded I had pulled out my little point and shoot camera and was using it to video the bears walking past. I captured this female walking between the guys and me, only 3-4 meters away! It was absolutely exhilarating.  One of the other guides standing farther up the beach caught the whole scene with his camera. Thanks Dave! We headed back to camp, fully satisfied with the day’s shoot. I lingered back to catch the last reflection of Kukak volcano in the waning light.

Showdown

I had a sleepless night. My joints were aching, a sign that the weather was changing. Sure enough when dawn arrived the fog was so thick the condensation was like rain on my tent. I went out at 5am just to see if the wolf was there and check how socked in we were. There would be no photos for a few hours at least. I made breakfast, worked on my journal and organized my gear for a wet day.

The bears were out on the beach but fishing was minimal and most were just sleeping on the sandbars. The fog was lifting slowly and it seemed the best idea was to visit Melissa and the cubs. Better to shoot bears in poor light than sit in a drippy camp. We found her grazing in a meadow right in front of Hallo Glacier. The cubs played and she was even more comfortable with our presence than ever. She was quite happy to turn her back on us and let the cubs get closer. Scrappy, the precocious one sniffed the air and walked directly over to us. He clearly wanted to check us out and was just about close enough to sniff the camera tripod. The cameraman kept trying to shoo him away with his foot but he was extremely curious. Melissa looked up nonchalantly and went back to grazing. The only real danger in this situation is if another bear especially male were to suddenly appear. Then things could get a little hectic.

As fate would have it a young ‘teenage’ bear crossed the river and sent the whole scene into a flurry. Melissa huffed a warning to her cubs and they ran back to her (oh thank god) and climbed all over her for security. She repeatedly stood on her hind legs to see what the other bear was about and to intimidate him. She hustled the cubs away and kept looking back to make sure the boar was not following. He did not pursue her, but rather took an interest in what we were up to. These teenage bears swagger and get quite arrogant but are really not that brave. This guy thought he would waltz right into our group, but Kent would have no part of it. From years of experience he recognized that this bear was showing fake bravado. Much to our surprise Kent got up with unlit flare in hand and charged at the bear. The expression on the bears face was of total shock and he spun on his heels and ran. Kent did not retreat until the bear was well on his way. I was too mesmerized by the activity to keep shooting, but the film crew caught it all on tape. They now call Kent the ‘Mad Swede’ and promise to give him a credit in the movie.

We gave Melissa a chance to get comfortable again in the next meadow and then repositioned ourselves for the next act. By now the fog had lifted considerably and the surrounding mountains were becoming visible. She and the cubs went for a drink at the stream and then she came back up and lay down in front of us and nursed the cubs. The babies sounded like two lawn mowers, their purring so loud as they suckled. Then everyone (including the film crew) laid down for a 20 minute nap. They told me to keep watch and let them know if she moved. I said sure but I want a credit too for being on nap patrol! It was testament to Melissa’s trust in us that she went to sleep on the stream bank with her back to us and her eyes on the stream ahead of her. After their nap the cubs played some more and then the family crossed the stream and headed for the woods. We made the long trek back to camp completely elated with the morning shoot.

The film crew was running low on batteries, and since the Kittiwake was back in Hallo Bay, we were ferried on board for a brief stay. Time enough just to shower, build a sandwich, charge batteries and download images, then back to shore for the evening shoot.

At about 9pm the action started in earnest with 6 bears out on the flats fishing. Well actually Bandit was sleeping and the girls were fishing. Paula was very active and I managed to capture her standing up and doing a quarter turn on one leg – like an 800 pound ballerina! Since the low tide was getting later each night it meant a shorter time for shooting and it wasn’t long before the light was gone. The guys busied themselves talking shop, but I wandered around the sand bars looking for the right place to shoot the setting sun. The sun had just gone behind Kukak Volcano and I found a quiet little reflecting pool with fascinating patterns in the sand. The only way to compose the shot was to get down into the muck on my belly. I lay flat out in the puddle on and started shooting, confident that I had the best scenic shot of the week.

Bear With Me

More fog! I checked the beach at 5:30am, then 7am and then went back to bed. By 9am it looked slightly less foggy so Kent and I headed out to find cubs. Another guide had taken over with the film crew so we were free to follow our own agenda. Predictably Melissa, Scrappy and Hope were near the middle river. The cubs were having fun again, and it occurred to me what a delicate balance this was and how quickly their lives could take a turn. But for now they could play their innocent cub games, wrestling, face-slapping and biting each other for hours on end. Another guide David and his two guests from Italy came and sat with us. It is less for the bear to deal with when everyone sticks together and I was more comfortable with a group of 5 rather than two. Clearly though the sow was getting really relaxed around people and was now allowing most female bears into her zone. We sat in the grass taking photos and they grazed closer and closer, the cubs playing and eating and playing some more. Melissa came so close to me I was able to zoom right in on her face. I was getting more comfortable trusting her behavior too, which meant I had the mind to be more creative with my shots. I heard a rustling noise to my right and noticed that the one Italian fellow had put on his backpack to protect himself and was curled up hiding behind Kent. When the bears finally headed away from us again, he almost collapsed in relief. I was more comfortable with each bear experience, but in a way that allows you to be on high alert but at the same time functional. It is a complete adrenaline rush, unlike anything else I have experienced.

The fog was coming and going, but it seemed like our little meadow was perfectly lit with soft light while the rest of the bay remained enshrouded in fog. Melissa and the cubs continued to provide frame after frame of outstanding moments. She lay down on her back and nursed by the riverbank and then rolled over on her belly and tried to relax. The cubs climbed all over her and I wondered if she ever got any peace. It was my best day of shooting to date and I finished the mid-day shoot with over 350 images. Exhausted we opted to nap in the bear beds at the top of a small knoll. I counted 11 bears around me and went to sleep with my camera bag as a pillow and the flare in my hand. I have no idea how long I slept or what time it was, but was awoken by the sound of two male bears crossing the river. The fog was getting thicker and it looked pretty obvious that there would be no evening shooting. As I got up out of the bear bed I wondered if someone would be coming home to find the scent of a human in their sleeping spot – kind of like the fairy tale The Three Bears, but in reverse!

We had gotten word from the Kittiwake that, weather permitting, Kent, myself, Suzie and Rob (Koas producer) were being moved over to Inugiak Island! I tried not to get my hopes up, knowing that plans change by the minute and are always dependent on the weather. I spent the evening repacking my gear and praying to the weather gods.

Devil’s Advocate

Again the fog was so think it was like rain. The drip, drip of water from the trees on my tent did not inspire me to get dressed and check out the beach. But I did my usual early morning scan of animals and weather and it looked to be a slow day. We were hauling out today and reorganizing for Inugiak. I was wishing for a couple of extra days, but knowing that I had to be in Kodiak by the 15th my time was running out.

With visibility at a minimum I entertained myself using my macro lens and flash to reshoot all the flowers in soft light with water droplets all over them. Kent took off to look for a September campsite near Nursery Hill. Shooting flowers just did not provide the same interest as going for bears so before the hour was up I changed gear and headed out on the flats. Suzie walked with me for a while and told me about her thesis on bears and asked if I would be willing to provide photos for some articles she was planning to write. It sounded like a fine collaboration to me.

I hung out for a while with a group shooting on the flats but since the fishing boats had shown up yesterday the bears were not getting any fish. I was hoping for some boar shots and we literally stumbled upon one sleeping between the logs high up on the beach. We then spotted Rex, the alpha boar of the range and followed him out to the meadow. He looks like a true warrior with one ear flopped over, a huge scar on his scalp, multiple scars on this neck and numerous open wounds on his body. I would hate to see the condition of his last opponent. He or she is likely dead. Just before I arrived in Katmai the film crew had been watching a different sow and cubs. After the first day they did not see her again, only the cubs wandering by themselves. She had to have been killed and the cubs would not last long without her. It is such a sad thing that only 50% of cubs survive. The guides tell me that first-time mothers almost always lose their cubs to the fate of other bears. Top of the food chain or not, life is a constant struggle.

When you walk alone with bears, it really does ground you and make you aware of where you stand in the food chain and within nature. You become ultra aware of your surroundings and something rather primal takes over.

As I walked the long hike back to camp alone, I was torn between wanting to have my first face-off alone with a bear, and getting back without incident. No bears crossed my path, so initiation would have to wait for another day. For now I would just have to busy myself for the afternoon packing up camp in preparation for our high tide pick up in the skiff.

Back on board the Kittiwake and the weather was starting to turn for the worse. The decision was made that I would have to leave the next morning (après fog) otherwise I may be fogged in for days. I would miss the excursion to Inagiak. It was tempting to try to stay but back in the real world I had an exhibit starting in two weeks, barely enough time to process my best images and get them printed.

Once the decision was made to leave on the next morning flight, I began to look forward to getting home. At the same time it felt like I was leaving in the middle of a great movie. I wanted to find out what happened with Melissa and her cubs, see her teach them how to fish, and watch the big bears compete for space on the flats once the salmon began their big runs. I wanted to see the Scrappy and Hope stick their heads up in the fireweed and grow their heavy coats for winter. I was confident that Melissa would protect them well. I said my silent farewells to the bears and was surprised at how emotional my departure was. For the time being my work here was done but I knew that I would return again soon to the bears beneath the Devil’s Desk.