Undeniably the one thing that
everyone wants to see is a polar bear; however, we’re not at a zoo where we can
reliably produce one.
The staff is going to great lengths to lower our
expectations of seeing, as Luccho says, some “fluffy wildlife.” But the search
is on.
We are heading north to find
the pack ice, the habitat of the bears, above 80 degree latitude. It’s just
before dinner and the captain spots a bear swimming in the water. We would be dead from hypothermia in a few
minutes…the bear is having fun. The ship
slowing approaches and the bear keeps its distance…we will not force an
encounter.
After dinner another bear is
spotted on the ice and it seems unbothered as we slowly approach. I would
conservatively estimate that $400,000 of lenses are pointed at this lone bear
and thousands of images made!
 |
| Bear |
 |
| Bear watching us |
 |
| Sane bear reverse pose |
 |
| Same bear |
 |
| Bear taking off |
The bear is now walking along
and the ship is matching its pace…I move from the bow to the stern to get a
different perspective. I see that the
bear is going to go across the bow so I hustle towards the front and head for
the bridge.
Not paying close attention I
stumble on the top step and slam my face into the deck…in front of a crowd I
try to act nonchalant like an embarrassed cat but the warm taste of blood is in
my mouth and the ship’s doctor sees it all, corrals me and leads me to her
office. A scrape on the knee and a gash inside my lip that is borderline for a
stitch (which I decline) ... the doctor concurs.
The real bummer is that she
gives me Tylenol PM and I sleep through some amazing bear sightings (mother and
3 cubs). All I get out of this is a
swollen lip…oh well.
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