Hallo Bay Bear Camp, Katmai National Park, Alaska
2 weeks ago I was sitting in the office and my boss told me I was going on the next flight out to camp. I had a couple of days off, so what better way to take a vacation than at camp?!
An hour later, I landed on the beach at camp in Katmai National Park.
After getting settled in and picking up my camp radio, Captain Bruce and I shoved a 16ft aluminum skiff out into the Shelikof Strait. We were headed to Hallo Bay to the remote camp. The Shelikof Strait is known for it's treacherous waters. This should be fun...
It took us 2 hours to go 10 miles from camp to Hallo Bay. We met up with the Roving Camp film crew who were set up in South Hallo. They hopped in the boat and I hopped out. Bruce took them out to the island in the bay which was rumored to have a sow and spring cubs there.
I walked back to the roving camp and sat in a chair and napped in the wilderness for a couple of hours.
The winds had picked up so on the way back to camp we had much larger sea swells. We were riding the waves. Good thing I had a lifejacket to sit on because we kept slamming down over the wave's crest just like riding a bucking Bronco. (We named the boat Bronco)
Check out the video from the ride! Boat Video
Back at camp we had a full house including some state geologists stationed there while they were researching through the park. They had a helicopter parked right in front of the galley. It was neat to watch the helicopter take off and land in a tight space between the tomahawk target and galley.
Check out the video of the helicopter taking off from camp...Helicopter Video
The next day I went out into the field and found some bear paw prints. Looks like a small, young bear's prints.
Then I saw 2 wolves by the creek! I had never seen wolves that close before. They were beautiful.
I had a great time at camp and can't wait to go back out there!
An hour later, I landed on the beach at camp in Katmai National Park.
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| Katmai National Park from the plane |
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| Captain Bruce and "Bronco" |
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| 1st Mate, Sara |
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| Bronco, the skiff in Shelikof Strait |
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| Made it to Hallo Bay |
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| Film Crew pushing the skiff into the deeper waters |
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| Roving Camp |
Check out the video from the ride! Boat Video
Back at camp we had a full house including some state geologists stationed there while they were researching through the park. They had a helicopter parked right in front of the galley. It was neat to watch the helicopter take off and land in a tight space between the tomahawk target and galley.
Check out the video of the helicopter taking off from camp...Helicopter Video
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| Helicopter in camp |
The next day I went out into the field and found some bear paw prints. Looks like a small, young bear's prints.