Home»Alaska 2009»Kuliak Bay -- Katmai NP 2009

Kuliak Bay was packed with fish. And bears. The weather was perfect in the morning and it rained in the afternoon. Kuliak was a tiny, picture perfect bay with crystal clear water packed with several varieties of salmon -- silver, chums and pinks -- and Dolly Varden Trout, which follow the salmon and eat their roe. The skiff parted hundreds of darting fish as it glided through the shallow water. We saw three sows with cubs. One sow had a pair of gangly yearling cubs nearly as tall as her that were still nursing and snatching fish from her. When there are plenty of fish like at Kuliak many adult bears are picky and eat only the brains and skin of the salmon which have the highest concentration of fat. Not this mom who bolted down every bit of fish that her wailing cubs did not grab from her.