Bear-ly a Race with Jamie's Jets

 

Brown Bear
by Kay Showalter

  We came around a bend in the river, a lady in front of me said, "There's a bear", I turned with my camera and began clicking away. Luckily, I have a good camera that takes pictures continuously when the button is held down. It takes approx. a picture a second. I got 3 pictures. The one I sent you is the best one.   The bear ran along the side of the river bank for approximately 4-5 seconds and then disappeared into the brush.  My husband also got the bear on our video camera. What a stroke of luck!  The back paw up in the air is my favorite too. I just loved it.
  I hope more people get to see this wonderful bear. We also saw a moose, but did not get a picture of it. Good times!  We just loved every minute of this trip. The Eagles, the Moose, The Bear, The beautiful Chilkat river, the mountains and valley, Oh, and last but not least, the hospitality of our hosts. Just wonderful.    Kay Showalter

 * Jamie (Jet boat Captain) was thrilled to see the picture of the great bear running alongside his boat.  He said, “The bear was outrunning the boat at 30 mph.”

     

  

Storm clouds that somewhat resemble a bear track.
Toes, pad below the toes.

Friday morning as I sat writing this blog, I heard a rumble, then another.  AVALANCHES? Too many!

THUNDER? Here in Haines?  A bright flash lit up the sky!

I raced down to the cruise ship dock to watch the dark storm clouds as they rumbled across the peaks of the Coast mountains toward the Chilkat Inlet, before swallowing the sky with their darkness.
The storm roared for the better part of an hour, and with it many displays of lightning.
 

                                                                                                       

I have never heard a thunderstorm in the southeast with that much enthusiasm, a mere rumble at best.  I am certainly impressed, as I am sure everyone else was, that was up early enough to have heard it.

  As I stood outside watching, I heard a voice in the distance say; “I have never heard a storm like this here.” 

 DID YOU KNOW?

 According a news source out of Fairbanks 139 wildfires are burning, due to lightning strikes and have burned approximately 195,000 acres.  Also, about 165 fires have been caused by humans and have burned 6800 acres so far this year.

by Angie

 A couple of wind surfers enjoying a beautiful day where the Chilkat River meets the Chilkat Inlet.

Commercial fishing boat in front of Haines.
by Angie