Inbound to Anchorage, two glaciers can be seen center frame.
With a day to kill, and not much to do in Anchorage, we drove down to Seward.
The trip was dotted with views like these. The Dall sheep were a nice surprise.
A 6-hour cruise of Kenai Fjords provided many a photo-op including a pod of Killer Whales (Orca)
There was no shortage of Puffins to be seen tucked into cracks along the rocky outcroppings in the Fjords.
Calving glaciers kept us on our toes. And yes, that is the real color of glacial ice.
Sunshine passes through the glowing ice of a Kenai glacier.
The Alaska Railroad made a couple of passes along the way.
Humpback whales dotted the waters of Kenai Fjords. No breaches today...that shot still eludes me.
Our chariot awaits...Katmai Air brought us safely to Brooks Lodge. No roads where we're going...
What you don't see is the wreckage of a float plane on the beach about 50 yards from this sign.
Brooks Falls, obviously the place to be. (Unless you don't want to see Grizzly Bears)
A Brown Bear sow and yearling cub take in the afternoon sun on a peninsula near the lodge.
Brown Bears do have the right of way around camp. Visitors took advantage of this photo-up near the lodge.
Brown Bears (Grizzlies) use different methods for hunting Salmon. Some stand still and peer into the shallows of the river
waiting to jump on the unsuspecting fish. During the summer months, Salmon battle their way upstream to spawn...and die.
Some are able to reach their goal, some are stopped along the way and meet a premature fate.
No fishing pole, no hook, no bate, no hip waders...he still caught a Salmon.
Some Brown Bears walk on their hind legs to get a better view of the elusive Salmon.
A Magpie taunts a big boy. One swipe from that paw and he won't know what hit him.
A Brown Bear sow crosses the river with her two yearlings in tow. These cubs are still very vulnerable to
other bears. Male bears have been known to kill and even eat cubs in an effort to mate with the sow.
The protective sow charges a boar (male bear) that gets too close.
This display is half bark...
And half bite...
Another fishing method. Some bears stand on top of the falls and catch salmon as they
jump in an attempt to continue their journey upstream.
Notice how scarred the Salmon get from fighting each other, slamming into rocks and
near misses by hungry bears. This is not an easy process for them. They're driven by pure instinct.
A Brown Bear sow sits with one of her spring cubs.
While mom fishes in the river, she sends her three cubs up a nearby tree for safety.
What a treat...these guys were in this tree for over an hour...right next to our shooting platform!
Mind you, they're dangling about 30 feet above the ground!
Mom greets one of her cubs as they are reunited at the base of the tree.
Tempting fate.
A catch!!
And a quick meal. Sushi anyone??
Can't you just picture the thought bubble above this Salmon's head right now?
By the way...this is THE shot I went to Alaska for. Score!!
Hi.
A Brown Bear sow sits by the water as her cub amuzes itself close by.
Oh, did I mention that I had nothing else to do but take this picture because these bears
happened to be occupying the trail back to camp? Yup...smoke 'em if you got 'em.
The hunt continues...
A big Brown Bear boar heads for the mensroom in camp. Our cabin is the one directly
above this building in the background. Nice bear....niiiiiice bear...
ONE -- wait....make that TWO reasons to stay inside the lodge for a while.
Three days later...back in Anchorage.
The crew, from left to right: Kenji Luster, myself and Doug Pearson.
What a great trip...I'll definitely be back.
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