Strawberry Looking For Salmon at Sunset

Memories of The Great Bear Rainforest

I had been waiting for a number of years to visit the Spirit Bears with Naturalist Tim Irvin and Marven Robinson of the Gitga’at First Nation.

Tim is the director and head guide at Wildlife Journeys. Marven runs his company Gitga’at Spirit Tours based in Hartley Bay, B.C. and is known as the “Spirit Bear Whisperer.”

Spirit Bears are a rare genetic variation of the black bear that are white and not albino.

Prince Rupert to Hartley Bay

I began my journey with a flight to Vancouver, British Columbia. The next day I took a flight to Prince Rupert. After a night in Prince Rupert and a nice dinner with Tim Irvin and our group, we took a water taxi to Harley Bay.

After arriving in Hartley Bay, Tim gave us an orientation on the Great Bear Rainforest, bear safety and the Guest House, our home for the next few days. Then we headed out on Marven’s boat to Gribbell Island.

Marven Robinson Waiting Off-Shore to Take Us Back to the Guest House

Strawberry, My First Spirit Bear

We spent the afternoon waiting on the river bank. Late in that afternoon we got a brief glimpse of Strawberry fishing at the mouth of the river.

Strawberry was the first Spirit Bear I witnessed and it was on my birthday!

Spirit Bear Strawberry in Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada

Łaaya

The next day after waiting quietly along the river bank we saw another Spirit Bear named Łaaya. The first letter of his name is a barred L in the native language.

He put on quite a show as he fished for salmon in the river.

Łaaya Fishing for Salmon

Black Bear and Cub

We were also treated with a sighting of a mother black bear and cub fishing for salmon.

Mother Black Bear and Cub

Timing is Everything

Strawberry was a regular site at the mouth of the river late in the day. Even though the tides went out at a different time, Strawberry knew when to show up to fish at low tide.

Spirit Bear Strawberry with Salmon

Morning in Hartley Bay

One of our last mornings in Hartley Bay we took a walk around the town. The morning light was fantastic in the bay.

Hartley Bay Sunrise

Happy Group of Travelers

Here is our happy group on the dock in Hartley Bay on the day we left. We had great weather and lots of sightings of not only two different Spirit Bears, but other wildlife and spectacular scenery.

You can see more images in my Spirit Bear Image Gallery.

“Travel is not reward for working.
it’s education for living”

— Anthony Bourdain