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May 15 to September 20 | Cost: |
| Enjoy the majesty of the coastal mountains as we explore spectacular Knight Inlet to find grizzly bears in the spring. As the snows melt, both black and grizzly bears emerge from their hibernation dens on the mountain slopes. |
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Departs 7 AM Returns 4 PM |
| Hungry bears make their way down to feed on the spring sedge grasses in the river lowlands. Sedges have 20% vegetable protein value, enough to sustain the bears. |
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| At low tide the bears feed along the inlet beaches, eating seaweed and turning over rocks to find crabs, barnacles and mussels. Many of the young bears are blond in the spring. |
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Wildlife sighting
report June 9 |
| Bears are conserving energy this time of the year. They get up late, and take siestas when ever they feel safe. Big Bertha here opened one eye when the camera shutter clicked. |
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Wildlife sighting
report June 14 |
| Late May to mid June is the mating season with lots of interesting interaction. The big boars chase the not-too-interested females, displacing other bears along the beach. Certainly this is our favourite time of the viewing season. |
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Wildlife sighting
report June 20 |
| We view the bears from the safety and comfort of our big flat bottom viewing boats. Their shallow draught gets us in close to the action. Please bring a good pair of binoculars. You can purchase a good set at www.tiderip.com/store and pick them up on the morning of your tour. |
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Wildlife sighting
report June 24 |
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By
July cubs of the year are scrambling along behind their mom as they first explore their wilderness home. Mom is very
protective of her cubs as she teaches them bear survival, keeping them
away from big male bears.
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Wildlife sighting report July 1
Departs 7am July & August, returns 4pm. |
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Children 8 to 14 are welcome at $240 per child, All tours subject to a 4 person minimum. We do not guarantee bear sightings, we do the best we can to get you close to the action. In 2011 we had a 94% sighting rate. see FAQ We do not take pregnant women nor people with serious back or neck problems. |
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| By the end of August the salmon are running at the river mouth. The bears are chasing the fish around in the low tide pools .... Lots of fun. Watch grizzlies at the river mouth flats on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiukdQsiisw . Often our viewing skiff is right in the river. Eagles dive down to snatch salmon, charging bears chase fish up onto a gravel bar. |
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| Fall is when the bears need to pile on fat for winter hibernation. Bald eagles are the first to spot salmon as they make their way up the inlet. Local grizzlies are drawn to the river by the smell of fish. Wild bears from other areas come over the mountain passes and swim the inlets following their noses to Glendale Cove. |
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Every bear
has its own preferred fishing technique. Some like to stand in a
riffle and pounce when an unsuspecting salmon goes by. Other bears
run around trying to corner salmon against the bank. |
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 2012
trips to run until Sept 20
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