Campbell River Kayaking Tour Johnstone Strait Whale Watching Guided Kayak Camping Trip

Many people think that on the south coast of British Columbia, one can only view grizzly bears at Glendale Cove in Knights Inlet. This is far from the truth, for it is basically a marketing perspective by the companies that operate their businesses there. The truth be known that within minutes of Sayward by boat, are some of the densest populations of grizzly bears during the spring and summer. During the fall we travel to the salmon rivers that are about one hours travel.

The bears that we see in Port Neville, Jackson Bay, Forward Harbor, and Loughborough Inlet are the same bears that live and feed in Glendale Cove during August, September, and October. Grizzly bears travel back and forth from these areas to Knights Inlet to take advantage of seasonal harvest. The old logging roads allow easy quick access for the bears to travel from Knights Inlet to the edge of Johnston Strait. These same roads allow us to view them from our truck during their journeys.

People tend to think that the grizzly bear feeds on spawning salmon only. In truth the bears come out of hibernation in March, and look for something to eat that is easy to harvest. Low tide along the shores expose grasses and other fresh shoots that are the first foods of the year. At low tide the table is set for bears. The tidal flats offer items that may have washed in with a tide, and under the rocks are crabs, eels, and other saltwater creatures. The bears roll rocks that at times can be too large for a human to move and feed on the exposed items. Low tide also offers us many great opportunities to get close to many bears. Sometimes we get within 25 meters of a feeding bear. Onboard Gla-Lis, there can be no safer way to see the bears in their natural habitat.

In late summer and during the fall we still take advantage of watching bears feed at low tide, but this is only when we are journeying to one of the many salmon streams to see the grizzly bears.

There are too many rivers to name that we watch bears at, but we always know where they are. Some river systems there are bear watching platforms that we use right along the spawning areas of the salmon. At one river an hour from Sayward we sit on a covered patio of a cookhouse for Native Guardians, and watch the bears feeding in the river on salmon, eating grass on the banks, digging roots in the estuary grasslands, and feeding from fruit trees.

If black bears are your choice of bear, then you are in for a treat with our company. Minutes from the Sayward dock you will be in a area of one of the highest concentrations of black bears on earth. The best part is Loughborough Inlet and Phillips Arm have one of most diverse color characteristic of black bears. You will see chocolates, cinnamon, blondes, browns, patch colors and of coarse, black colored black bears. A multitude of bears will be seen from big males to females with cubs.

Knights Inlet is a long journey, and being an inlet the banks are steep, so wildlife encounters are sparse. Yes, we do some bear watching at Knights Inlet, but I have found that out of Sayward we encounter more bears in a shorter time traveling. Traveling through a multitude of islands and bays we are sure to see many bears, but we are also sure to see other wildlife. Timber wolves, blacktail deer, otters, seals, whales, porpoise, sea lions, mink, the odd cougar, and a multitude of bird life are many of the animals we see in our journeys.

Being so close to the bear territories allows us to offer cheaper prices for you to see the bears, but my expertise allows you to be guaranteed to see them as well. As a First Nations individual I used to hunt when I was younger. I entered the commercial hunting industry a number of years ago as a guide, but I learned that this was not a business I wanted to stay with, or condone. Now I can use all my hunting skills and knowledge to help others see the true beauty of bears. Unlike other tour operators, I have skills and abilities to ensure that the time you spend with bears will be the safest of any operation. Years of interacting with wildlife by once being a hunter allows me to have an edge over the other seasonal tour operators that have never done what I have.

What sets my operation a head of all the rest more, is that I am First Nations. Being raised with our culture and heritage, I mesmerize all my guests with stories and legends about the animals and our surroundings. My tours are sure to amaze you, educate you and entertain you. My lifetime of experiences in the region will make your tour one of the most enjoyable things you have ever done, and your wildlife experiences will last a lifetime. You to will come to realize, that even in this modern world, true Indian guides still exist!