Alaska is full of brown and black bears, and we wanted to see them in their natural habitat. When we asked about the best place, several people said Pack Creek on the eastern side of Admiralty Island was ideal. Turns out this is a Park Service-controlled viewing area, where the bears are (supposedly) acclimatized to human viewers, and under the control (and protection) of local rangers. A permit is required, and we were fortunate in obtaining four at the last minute.

Although the weather showed signs of reverting to its old habits (rain), we still had a bit of sunlight to make the colors pop out on photos.

On the way through the various channels, we ran into some radar interference.

You can see the interference dots on the screen above. We normally leave the automatic radar interference rejection turned off as this gives us the strongest signal.

Turns out the other radar running was on this interesting-looking power boat. These guys are running at 11.2 knots, just a hair slower than we were at the time we passed them. That’s one of the nice features of ARPA. It shows us not only the projected course of a target and how it relates to what we’re doing, but also the speed of the target and closest point of approach. We often use this to study wave patterns of the hulls of boats which are passing us or which we are passing, and then relate this back to their speed.

Notice how clean their bow and stern waves on this boat look. We’re not sure what is below the waterline here, but is must be efficiently drawn.

When you arrive at Pack Creek you are met by a ranger, who acts as guide, docent, and protector (of you and the bears). The dinghy is pulled offshore on a continuous line, and then you hike a half mile to the viewing area. You are told to stay together as a group, and to walk well away from the tall grass which lines the foreshore.

Bear watching has been spotty at Pack Creek this year, but we were lucky to have seven bears to observe.

This is a mother brown bear and her two three-year-old cubs. This is the last year they will be with her – after which, they have to fend for themselves.

Mom would catch fish with hardly any fuss or motion. She’d be standing in the stream one minute, and the next walking out with a nice, fresh salmon. The kids, on the other hand, did a lot of splashing, but rarely brought anything to the feast.

Our granddaughter Emma took this photo. When fish are plentiful, the bears eat only the choicest portions, leaving the balance for other scavengers.

Our ranger carried a .357 rifle in his gear. However, park regulations dictate that if a bear is not threatening, no round be chambered.

This bear decided to take a walk closer to where we were watching.

He’s got his nose in the air, checking out what we small like. Bears also have excellent eye sight.

Above is an uncropped photo. This guy was within 20 feet (6 meters), maybe closer. By now our guardian ranger had instructed everyone to pick up their packs and stand together, while he moved between us and the bear. However, his rifle remained at his side without a round in the chamber. Had the bear decided he wanted a change in diet from salmon to, say, nice fat tourist, the bear would have passed the sinewy ranger and gone for one of us.

However, the bear exhibited no stressed or aggressive behavior, and ambled away after a few munches of grass.

The Tongass National Forest has a workbook for children. There are puzzles, word games, and lists of flora and fauna to check off once viewed. Emma is getting some pointers here on herbs and flowers. She eventually checked off everything in the book except for hummingbirds and thrush.

Speaking of birds, there are bald and golden eagles in great abundance where ever salmon are found.

They are fascinating to watch fly and work, especially if you are a pilot. They make wonderful full-stall spot landings. And in high lift configuration they take off with a fish half their body weight. Bigger fish they paddle ashore, or partially lift from the water, allowing part of the weight to be taken by floatation.

Bears are extremely fast, powerful, and potentially dangerous animals. If you live or cruise in this part of the world, you need to be aware of how to deal with them – for their good and your own. We’ve talked to a number of experts and read several books on the subject. We’ll pass on what we’ve learned in a subsequent article. Bottom line is that with the correct approach, you are more likely to be hit by lightning than attacked by a bear.