Today's photo is the view from our cabin - what a view to wake up to!
It dawned bright sunshine but putting a toe outside to take some photos soon revealed, a significant drop in temperature, and the white of the first frost of the season.
After breakfast John and I walked to the public viewpoint on the river, which is about 20 minutes, from the Lodge. The viewpoint is manned by the National Park for the duration of the bear season and the deck is surrounded by an electric fence. ( albeit if a bear was determined the fence wouldn't hold them back!) The platform awash with hopeful photographers together with some of the biggest lenses I have ever seen. We met people who come here year after year just to see and photograph bears - its a clear addiction. Today all we could see was one bear at the river bend way in the distance - and that's where it stayed! On our way back I saw a mink cross the road and several small birds whose identity escaped us as we were 'book less '! Back at the lodge we had a cup if tea, from the always open tea and coffee station, after which I went to the gym to make sure the delicious food didn't hang around where it was not wanted. This trip it became a daily necessity - they had really good spinning bikes and large cards with 60 minute workouts to follow - getting the timing right was a challenge as without my glasses seeing the second hand on my watch was tough - but I managed and made it up where necessary!
After lunch we went down to the platform to see if any bears were around - sadly none. We then met up with Neil, our guide, for a 2-3 hour drift down the river in specially designed drift boat. It was really relaxing but exhilarating at the same time as the current in the shallow river was not straightforward and you needed a skilled oarsman to navigate it.
We saw bald eagles, gulls and ravens with their haunting call that often signifies bears - but sadly not on this occasion. Apparently the following boats said after us a mother and cubs and a single bear had emerged -but that's the luck of the draw and the evolving nature of the wild.
When we got back to the lodge we joined other guests on the viewing platform - as dusk was approaching our luck changed, if only fleetingly, as I spotted a bear on the bend of the river. He loitered for a few minutes before swimming across, getting out and disappearing into the woods never to be seen again! At least it wasn't a 'bearless' day.