A Kermode “Spirit Bear” munches on a fresh salmon. Copyright National Geographic
It’s commonly understood that working as a freelance writer isn’t a great way to earn a living. It’s a lot of work for little pay, and with the newspaper industry in a steep decline, there are plenty of unemployed writers competing for the same jobs. But every once in a blue moon, working as a travel writer pays off in ridiculous ways.
To celebrate the beginning of our third trimester, we’ll be setting out on a babymoon to Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest (which happens to be in conjunction with an expenses-paid press trip for Journey Magazine!)
GBRF is probably best known for the kermode spirit bear. These black bears have a rare genetic trait that gives them a blonde appearance. The First Nations people living in the area considered them sacred, so they were never hunted, which explains their high concentration in GBRF.
The bears live in a lush temperate rainforest surrounded by mountains and deep fjords, which lends to area’s nickname “Yosemite of the North.” It’s a remote and wildlife-rich environment full of grizzlies, wolves, orcas, whales, and plenty of fat salmon ripe for the taking.
Copyright National Geographic
Paddleboard with Whales? Why not?
We’ll be visiting several luxury lodges that offer helicopter fly-in fishing, drift boating, kayaking and heli-skiing:
Nimmo Bay Resort
Tweedsmuir Park Lodge
But we’re the most excited about this live-aboard boat trip that journeys deep into the fjords where we’ll visit hot springs, pull fresh crab and prawns from the waters, and search for bears as they scavenge the shoreline.
Stay tuned as we learn about the logistics of visiting such a remote place, as well as tales of our kermode hunt (using cameras, of course!). We’ll also report how Amanda and baby Flipper do while romping through the wilderness!
