Hiking with Bears

The Great Bear rainforest in British Columbia is a highly appropriately named place for hiking with black bears and last summer that is exactly what Mrs Enthusiast and I set out to do. Setting off for our day trip by boat from our base at Nimmo Bay we were dropped off with our two guides at the bottom of a gravel road. Here they kept an old 80s minivan which was to be our lift to start the journey into the wilderness. Loading up all our gear we were buffeted around as we drove up and over the mountain. The trip without the bumpy van ride would have been 6 hrs by boat and as such meant the destination was an unspoilt wilderness

(holding on for dear life)

Glad to be out of the van we unloaded the supplies and we were told to get into our wading gear as we were going to pursuing our foe up a salmon stream where they would be feeding.

(Mrs Enthusiast enjoying her waders)

Ready to set off on the next leg of our journey we climbed aboard another boat and were whisked across the most beautiful isolated inlet with forested hills rising above us on both sides.

(the boat ride)

Not wishing the ride to end we arrived at the start the of the salmon spawning river. Before we had even had a chance to think about disembarking we heard a rustling of the bushes on the shoreline. A majestic black bear appeared to check out the new arrivals. We sat mesmerised for about half an hour as she made her way along the shore occasionally sniffing the air to try and work out whether we were a threat.

(sniffing our scent)

Finally she disappeared from view and it was safe to go ashore, well as safe as you can be when entering bear territory. Our guides took on a much more serious demeanour and unloaded their shot guns. These were going to be our last line of defence if things took a turn for the worse. However we were told that the area was so infrequently visits by humans that the bears would most likely ignore us. Even with this in mind we set off with some trepidation wading up the river.

(head of security)

The river was littered with salmon, both lying dead on the side and swimming like zombie fish in circle. Although knowing that salmon die when they spawn it was still quite a shock to be walking through this graveyard.

(Zombie fish)

We waded on through the deep river climbing over fallen trees and scrambling over rocks, but so far the bears eluded us. Halfway we stopped to check some motion cameras the guides were using to monitor the population in the area. They had been triggered multiple times so we were close. After an hour of wading our hopes were starting to fade and we were about to reach our turn around. Then suddenly ahead of us there was a flash of black disappearing into the undergrowth and we quickly set off in pursuit. As we rounded the next bend in the river we were just in time to see the bear starting to fish.

(fishing)

We sat still about 75 meters from the bear, who was plucking fish after fish out of the stream with apparent ease. Everyone either snapping away trying to get the perfect bear shot, or just drinking in the view. Whilst we were transfixed on the sight in front of us another bear burst out of the undergrowth about 25 meters from where we were crouching. The shotguns were gripped a little tighter but he proceeded to meander past us and start fishing close to the first fisherman. Neither bear seemed to mind the presence of the other or indeed the paparazzi.

(The late arrival)

We could have stayed there all day, but eventually we had to pull ourselves away and turn for home. Such a magical experience with such beautiful creatures that will stay with us forever.