Port Alice and Neroutsos Inlet at Dusk

Well, with just one day left for the hunt, I had a tough choice to stick with the party or go and do my own thing for a day.

Sadly, Mike had to bow out due to illness so Jason would be going out with another guide. This was the deciding factor for me; Jas would be out with a new guide and would need to move quickly to find a bear on the final day. 

Instead, I took my camera out to Telegraph Cove and a few other little corners of north Vancouver Island. To be honest, I did need a break from the fourteen hour days in the truck and on the trail.

The day was completely clear and rather hot... not the greatest for shooting random landscapes. I knew I simply had to wait till dusk, and I had just the right spot in mind at Port Alice.

In the fading light, miles away, Jas finally got his bear.

A rail yard at Telegraph Cove: there is a fair bit of rail line on this island. Mostly it is used to move timber, but I just learned that there is also a passenger service. That would have been fun.

The road out past the mill: this is the road just past Port Alice that goes out past the pulp mill and onto the timber trails. 

Sunset Neroutsos Inlet: Taken from the boat ramp at Rumble Beach

Final BC sunset: just as the sun dipped, a thin wisp of cloud blew up from from the inlet.

Clouds, Estuaries and Grass Flats

Another day and another roll of gorgeous locations and even a bit of hip wading.

The morning was cold and blustery, starting out with clouds swirling around the hilltops. The afternoon finished balmy and warm again. It was another day of scouring known locations for previously spotted bears. Alas, the bears were again keeping a very low profile, and theories were thrown about as to why.

We finished the day with a visit to an estuary grass flat, so far unexplored by our guides. It was time for more wading and clambering, during through trees, and I just about fell off a log into the rather frigid water. I did fall on my face in some mud.

By the end of the day, all we saw were glimpses of bears' hindquarters disappearing into the undergrowth. But it was my last day with the guys in the truck... as there was just one more day in north Vancouver Island, and I wanted to visit a few more places before it was time to leave. 

Heading out: first stop this morning was a low slash down near the inlet. Again, the hunting party moved off while I took advantage of the time to set up a tripod and shoot some of the dramatically changing skies. The rain was interrupted by the occasional sunburst, meaning I was cycling through wiping my lens down and shading it from the sun every few minutes. I tried some half successful long exposures, of which this was probably salvageable. Not much success, though

Rapid change: this was taken within minutes of the shot above.

Red bellied bee snapper: actually, I have no idea what type of bird this is. I don't usually shoot birds. But our guides were a wealth of information not simply on hunting bears, but on just about every aspect of wildlife in this region. I do know it's not a Blue Grouse.

More snow and mist: we never actually climbed any of the peaks where there was still un-melted snow, but they were all around. 

The slash: a slash is what is left after loggers have done their job on a slope. The land lays fallow like this for a while before it is replanted and simply left to grow.

Grass flat: we took a forest trail down to an estuary behind which Mike thought there may be some grass flats. It was one of the few corners of this part of Vancouver Island that our guide had not yet explored. Donning hip waders and carrying all the gear, we set off over a series of estuary and through some picturesque grass flats. We saw no bears, but there was plenty of sign for large cats, and Jason spotted a mink. I managed to fall off a log.

The Weather Turns

Just a very quick post today, to try and catch things up.

Today, the weather turned grey and blustery. In a way, this was good news for me as it meant more dramatic skies and a bit more atmosphere. Unfortunately it also meant walking and driving thorough cold and damp, But the views were worth it.

And the bears proved even more elusive.

Mist: the forest completely changes complexion in the rain.

Forest: as hunter and guide were off checking out an estuary that was a known haunt for a large boar, I took the time to shoot the forest and the changing light. A mix of light rain and mist swirled about most of the day. For the first time, I was able to set up the tripod and use a wide lens.

A photo bomb: as I set up a shot of the forest road and surrounds, I noticed some movement back up from where we had driven through half an hour before. It was the bear that the hunting party had set out to find, simply crossing the road. I had the camera locked in the tripod and a wide lens on, and I was set to take a series of multiple exposures. As the bear wandered across the road, all I could do was click the shutter. The other guys turned up just ten minutes later, but the bear was gone.

More mist: forested slopes simply faded away into layers of grey.

Forest Trails and High Ground

After two unsuccessful days staking out known patches it was time for a change of plan. Mike, our guide, decided to take us on a rolling tour of several spots on much higher ground and nearer trails that are navigable by truck.

The bears eluded us almost completely today, save for a sighting of a sow and two cubs. Regulations only allow males of a certain size to be hunted, so we just took the chance to observe these three at close quarters.

Otherwise, there were a couple of long walks and a nap in the middle of the day, and lots of breathtaking views. 

Last of the snow: there are some peaks around this part of Vancouver Island that still carry snow well into spring. Even a really hot spring like this. One thing that is very noticeable is that above a certain altitude a chill kicks in, and if the wing blows over one of these the temperature can go to very warm to very chilly in moments.

Nap time: we spent a couple of hours laying up in this spot after what was supposed to be a quick walk to investigate some suspicious broken trees on a trail. Leaving packs and gear in the truck, we headed off up the trail and half an hour later we were atop this knoll. It was hot, and Mike declared that no bears would be moving in this heat, so neither should we. An hour or so (I couldn't really tell) was passed dozing in the sun. You can see Jason sprawled out on a rock at the bottom of this photo.

Bear sign: male bears are very territorial and mark their ground by scratching and breaking trees. Boars (male bears) are aggressive toward each other and especially to sows with other boar's cubs. An un-mated boar will attempt to kill unprotected cubs if they have a chance. The other classic sign is a pile of excrement, with diameter being a better indication of bear size than sheer mass. I'll spare the blogging world an image.

Landscape for the sake of it: this simply gives an idea of the different terrain out here, and the constantly changing mix of forest and slash, hills and valleys. Slash is where forest has been logged and replanting has not yet happened, with white and grey stumps littering the landscape.

High ground: I think this is the highest point we reached. This was a real aerie, up the end of a twisting trail. I'm now sorry I didn't take a panorama. That is the inlet and the pulp mill in the mid ground.

Cubs: the two cubs we spotted shot right up this tree and started barking at us. The sow was in the bushes at the base of the tree, holding its ground there in case we came closer.

Lumber trade: taken from the fast moving truck on the way back through Port Alice. Demand for log timber is booming, but since most is felled for the Chinese export market, an the Chinese prefer to just buy the logs and pulp or mill it themselves, much of Port Alice's processing capacity lies dormant. 

Sunset: although the weather has been a blessing in many ways, all those blue skies can make for less dramatic photos. As the light was dying and we were heading for our last spot of the day, I snapped this from the moving truck. I've been learning to rely on the camera's automation much more on this trip. Usually, I have all the time in the world to set up a shot manually, but not so for this sort of thing. I grabbed this by poking the lens through the window and hitting the shutter.

Last Light: off for last look before dark. This shows the scale of the trees in this place. Just about of of this forest has been felled and regrown several times and the original huge cedars are long gone. Sometimes their huge stumps can still be seen. We will have to wait till California to see remnant old growth forests

One more sunset: the day ran late, and we were still on some high ground as the sun finally dipped. The long northern evenings always surprise me.

Side Bay Revisited

After the close encounter on day one, our guide took us straight back to Side Bay to look for the bear they almost took, and to stake out the meadow of sea grass once more.

I was a little better prepared photographically, though I still am largely lost when shooting in the woods on the move.

The day involved a lot of patient waiting, but to no avail.

Timber Road: these are controlled roads that range from fairly good affairs like this, to others that are barely more than thinned- out paths through a thicket.

Side Bay Beach: The beach at Side Bay was gorgeous. On this day, it was actually pretty warm. I fitted a wider lens on this trip out, so I was able to shoot the beach.

Close Country: given that the tide was in, we had to move through the forest proper to find the meadow. This terrain is incredible; the ground is a mulch of rotting vegetation and fallen timber. navigation is a very three-dimensional affair.

Sea Grass Meadow: we killed a few hours in the shade of the far embankment before fording the estuary to this meadow. Lying in the shade for the better part of the afternoon watching bald eagles soar overhead was magic. This is the meadow where Jas nearly stalked a bear the previous day. I lay on that log for another couple of hours while Jason and the guide headed into the woods again to see if they could find where the bear kept its lair.

Victoria Lake... I think: It was just about impossible for me to maintain any sense of direction as we drove around the forest trails. We reached this point late in the afternoon after leaving Side Bay, and I am guessing it is Lake Victoria. Or it may be the upper reached of Neroutsos Inlet. Or any number of other places. I have no idea. But it didn't matter, with the sun setting behind us on such a gorgeous day..

First Day, Port Hardy Bear Camp

Well, the whole point of this visit to Port Hardy is that I am following an old friend around on a bear hunt. It is a guided event, unfolding over six days throughout the timber country in northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. 

We will be driving around timber trails and doing a bit of walking searching for grown, male black bears. This part of Canada has the highest black bear population in the world, and are so common they often come into town and forage through people's bins. The timber country is old lumber country that has been harvested and regrown over multiple generations and is crisscrossed with rough timber trails used by lumber trucks when trees are being felled, but which are also accessible to properly equipped folk who know how to use them. Such as our guide.

I had no idea what to expect on the first day of the hunt. I have to admit I had a back-up plan consisting of a photo-tour lined up of the many little harbors around this part of the world. But it was not needed. I enjoyed every moment of the day, and those that have followed.

Neroutsos Inlet and the Port Alice pulp mill: first stop was a vantage point high above the inlet that would form the anchor of much of the hunt. This is the mill that once processed much of the timber felled in the area, transported old-style by floating logs down the inlet. The mill has been on much reduced capacity since being bought by a Chinese company. Much of the timber from here ends up in China where it is turned into furniture that ends up in places like Australia,

Forest: the first stop for actually looking for bears was Side Bay, on the far west coast of the island. It is accessed by wading through some thick, reasonably mature forest. The bay itself has a lovely gravel beach and the spot we were heading for was a meadow of sea grass located a few hundred meters up an estuary inlet. I made plenty of mistakes with my gear this first day, and many fabulous opportunities were missed. 

Side Bay Estuary: we spent most of the day by this inlet, and by the time we were on our way out the sun was dropping.

Forest Trail: the bears were elusive all afternoon, and after one very close stalk (by the hunters, not me; I was about 150m back!) we headed home through the forest trail.

 

Vancouver to Port Hardy

It's been a week since I could post, so I will be uploading a few days worth of images and gratuitous commentary in one hit. The reason for the delay is not connection, as the facilities here at Port Hardy are very good. No, its just the case that since arriving here we have been leaving camp at 0830, and getting back at 2230. 

Fourteen hour days driving and tramping around the timber country of northern Vancouver Island is a thing for people much fitter than I am!

Anyway, here is a post from the trip from Vancouver to Port Hardy. We were supposed to be staying at a small town called Sayward after crossing to the island, but a mix up with dates meant we had to forge ahead and reach Port Hardy before nightfall.

Happily, everything went smoothly. The ferry crossing was fantastic, and the driving was easy. The road was excellent, and even as the weather closed in, the journey went well ahead of schedule. This is in so small part due to Jason mastering the political spectrum of North American roads: keep it tight on the right, but swing hard left if you have to.

We made it to bear camp in time for dinner and to be introduced to everyone. To my relief, the "camp" is in fact a really well run lodge, and we have a cabin each. It's very comfortable, and every meal is a fabulous home cooked affair eaten round a dinner table with the guides and other staff. This has been a real treat.

I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking.

Leaving Horseshoe Bay for Nanaimo

The Ferry: I love ferries. They are almost as good as trains. Our vehicle is somewhere below.

Gratuitous Selfie: it was pretty windy on deck. My jacket was in the car which, I may have mentioned, was down below. The trip over was a wake up call from sunny Vancouver.

Vancouver Island, heading North: The southern roads were very good, and the weather held for a few hours.

Getting Closer: this is a couple of hundred miles short of Port Hardy. The weather had well and truly closed in, but the roads were still excellent. We spent most of this part of the trip behind a convoy of fuel tankers... and everyone just played it safe and kept to the speed limit.