Capturing the Moment

  I set the skiff up to get this bear coming up and over this rocky promenade. It is always powerful getting photos animals coming towards you. It shows that you are being respectful and not scaring the animal. This is the ultimate goal for a wildlife photographer. Katmai National Park is known for being one of Alaska's premier brown bear viewing locations. People are used to the boardwalks and reservations needed for famous spots like Brooks Falls and McNeil River. However, if you have access to a sturdy boat, or an expedition ship in our case, you can get to the seldom explored coastline of Katmai, and see bears in the untouched wilderness. We were lucky with weather, and planned to explore two different bays on the outer coast, Kinak Bay and Geographic Harbor. We started out the morning with a new spot for me, Kinak Bay. This is a long inlet that narrows to a very tight gap, then opens up into a big back bay called Hidden Harbor. The other guide, Nicole, and I jumped in the skif...

  A swimming Katmai bear, heading our way! It was another spectacular visit to Katmai National Park in Alaska. Known for its bears, it did not disappoint. We had many close bear encounters, and we even got to see a number of swimming bears. One swam all the way across Kukak Bay. I couldn't blame him, as it was one of the hottest days of the summer for this part of Alaska. We had another playful bear that rolled over in the shallows, giving us a good view. We explored Kukak Bay in the morning. This is one of the more famous bays on the outer coast of Katmai National Park. People will fly in on float planes to come watch bears here. Early in the morning, Christian and I paddled our kayaks out for a recon of the shallow bay at the back of the bay. It was a beautiful morning with calm water, but no bears. Then, after breakfast, I took out a shorewalking group. The tide was going out, so the landing was tough. No one topped their boots, and everyone walked slowly so they didn't slip...

  Absolutely stunning kayak conditions this morning in Geographic Harbor. Last time I was here, all we saw was rain and fog. We had no idea about all these majestic mountains and beautiful views. And anytime the water is calm enough to see reflections of the landscape and sky, it is a day for kayking! The first time I explored Geographic Harbor, in Katmai National Park, it was rainy and foggy. We took our small boats around, looking for wildlife, but mostly just got pelted with rain. I knew from my research that this spot was supposed to be a real gem, with natural beauty all around, but I couldn't see it. This time, Geographic Harbor really showed off its stuff. Named after the National Geographic Society, this part of Katmai National Park is seldom visited. It is remote, and has no road access. This is the perfect place for us to visit with the expedition ship, Safari Explorer. We motored the boat all the way to the back bay, through a narrow entrance cut. The entire back bay was...