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BEAR WATCHING IN CANADA
BY ANN ANGLESEA AT DELMAR WORLD
Last year, I visited Knight Inlet in Glendale Cove - a remote floating
lodge 80 kms north of Campbell River, British Columbia, accessible
by boat or floatplane. The purpose of my visit was to see Grizzly
Bears in their natural habitat. This is what I discovered...
I was lucky enough to be sat with the pilot on the 10-seater floatplane
which is where my adventure began. This incredibly scenic, floatplane
flight took 30 minutes from Campbell River to Glendale Cove and was
breathtakingly wonderful! We landed on the crystal-clear waters and
chugged our way to be greeted by a couple of the friendly staff at the
lodge.
After a quick familiarisation tour and a delicious lunch, we were kitted
out in suitable attire and I was soon off on a small boat with Marie,
our bear expert and two other eager passengers, all of us excited in
anticipation of what we might see on our first journey through the
crystal glacier-fed waters of the Inlet. Within minutes, two young
male bears were playing in the grass around 200 metres away which
we viewed through binoculars for closer observation. I was fascinated.
Further on, we saw seals who popped their heads up at the side of the
boat.
As we continued along the estuary, there in front of us was a bear
swimming in the water - her cub was on the shore! Mum was trying to
entice her cub into the water to catch salmon, but the cub appeared to
not want to get her feet wet! It was truly mind-blowing, and the bear
appeared not to notice we were there.
The following day we viewed bears from platforms well-positioned
over the river and again, it was a wonderful experience. Two young
males jostled in the water for an hour or so. A female bear swam with
her two cubs and caught salmon with her paws. A bald Eagle fed on
the leftovers.
In addition to bear viewing, I took an early morning single kayak with
an instructor and saw seals. This was a new experience for me – the
majestic scenery felt incredibly special. I also managed to fit in a hike
through the Great Bear Rainforest, with a knowledgeable guide –
72 wirrallife.com
that too was fabulous. The lodge provided delicious food and wine, a
friendly atmosphere as well as comfortable en-suite accommodation.
WHEN TO GO?
This was an incredible experience and I can definitely recommend
visiting in September/October when the salmon are plentiful, and
the bears are in the river. However, the season runs from late May to
mid-October and each season has different attractions - Early season,
seals, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins and the occasional Minke whale
will travel through the Inlet. In the summer, Orca (killer) Whales are
plentiful and in September, the Humpback Whales are making their
way from Alaska to Hawaii. It also depends what else you would like
to do whilst you are in Canada because the Rocky Mountaineer Train
which runs up to the Rockies from Vancouver is a spectacular trip
and an Alaska Cruise option is a popular add-on. In fact, the bear-
watching trip will represent a portion of your itinerary and whilst a bit
pricey, is definitely worth it.
HOW MUCH?
My package was £1460 per person based on a twin share
accommodation and included a two-night package at Knight Inlet, a
pre-night in Campbell River (so three nights in total), floatplane flight
transfers. All meals at the lodge, wine with dinner, all activities such as
boat ride, bear & whale-watching, kayaking as well as an interpretive
guide throughout. As this does not include flights to Canada it can be
combined with a stay in Vancouver or part of a longer itinerary.
TOP TIPS:
• If a lodge experience blows your budget, visit Tofino on Vancouver
Island where you can take bear (Black Bear not Grizzlies) and
whale watching trips excursions from the town.
• Take mosquito spray as you may see some bugs in the evenings.
• Take gloves and a hat as the boat trips can be chilly.
Call our office today to Talk Travel on 0151 363 6115 or email us
at [email protected]. Alternatively call in store- 5 Milner
Road, Heswall (opposite Windsors).