It’s that time of the year when bears are everywhere. Thirteen-year-old A.C. Darden who comes and stays with us frequently told me that the day before she came to visit there was a black bear down on the dock at the nearby village. Fortunately there aren’t that many tourist vessels in yet and the summer people are still sparse so there was no interaction.
My dad, A.C.’s brother, and I went over to work on the dam a few days ago and found that a bear had been there, too. While I was gone the bear had ripped the pump off the dam and chomped into almost every piece of plastic around, including oil jugs and the container we use to prime the pump. Fortunately he didn’t bite the pump itself, or the waterline. He did carry off our can of ether, though, that we use to get the balky pump engine started. I pictured him passed out somewhere in the woods after puncturing the can.
Apparently, though, it didn’t keep him down for long–either that or there’s another bear around–because two days ago my dad saw a black bear near the beach that has a good signal, where I go to send my blog posts.
Not wanting to make the bear’s acquaintance, even though I go everywhere with a .44 strapped to my hip these days, I’ve decided to just send off this short blog post explaining why my longer post about my trip back from Juneau will be delayed–it’s on a bear hold.
Sorry for the shortness of this post, but I have to use as few photos as possible so it will send from my house. I’m willing to brave deep snow, gales, and pouring rain to send off blog posts, but I’m not willing to face this:
Carole( clsawada@bellsouth.net )
6/6/2018 05:40:26 am
Stay safe! I am tired of reading the obituaries of people who thought bears were cute and cuddly.
Mr. Dirt and I just returned from a cruise to eastern Canada — Nova Scotia, PEI, Quebec and Montreal — and now we are yearning to take another one to Alaska. We sent off for a brochure for one of the small ships . . . hey, we can dream!
Tara (ADOW)( taraneilson13@gmail.com )
6/6/2018 06:46:12 pm
It’s always good to hear from you Carole. It drives most Alaskans crazy how callous tourists can be about bears. Common sense, alertness, and good decisions are the best defense in bear country.
Your trip sounds fun! I love Canada, though I’ve only been to the southwestern parts of it. I hope you do make it to Alaska. The smaller ships are the way to go. You might even try the ferry–I just wrote a column about my trip on the ferry and I’ll probably write more about it, possibly on here. I love Alaska’s ferry system! (Google: Alaska For Real Capital City Weekly The Ferry Way. Sorry, links don’t seem to work in the comment section.)
Let me know, whatever the case, if you decide to go and when you’ll be here.
Carole( clsawada@bellsouth.net )
6/8/2018 04:40:22 am
I did not know about the ferry tours! I sent off for a guide, and now I have found itineraries for 8- to 14-day vacations — but no fare info. I would love to take the 14-day land and ferry package!
I sent you an email with a link to a local bear story. We have black bears, though most people don’t see them often. One went for a swim across Mobile Bay recently, though, and a fisherman shot a video which he sent to the local newspaper.
Tara (ADOW)( taraneilson13@gmail.com )
6/8/2018 06:55:16 am
Hi Carole–I just responded to your email and you’re going to think I’m a nut. I totally forgot I told you to check out my column for this week,so I sent you a link to it. All I can plead is no sleep–we’ve been having the usual pollen issues. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 🙂
Nice video of the swimming bear, by the way. We occasionally see bears, black and brown, swimming around here, and its instructive just how fast they are in the water.
Mark Morse( xcor00@gmail.com )
6/12/2018 07:15:00 am
I love this!! I most enjoy thinking about you walking around with a Dirty Harry .44 on your hip. You go Girl!! I’ve been to war in Iraq as a United States Marine but Bears and Snakes scare me to no end!!
Be the first to comment