Two Tales From Two Top Ends
When away I always like to compare other holiday destinations with Alaska and was struck recently while in Australia’s Top End how the Crocodile Dundee lifestyle was similar to Alaska’s. It all boiled down to a mixed bag of Aussie characters who, in a heartbeat would fit right into Alaska’s backwoods society. During a boat trip on the Adelaide River, in the first 40 minutes a propeller was attacked by Michael Jackson and the helmswoman was getting driving lessons. If it doesn’t make any sense so far - read on sport! Top image (Lumix LX1 camera/ wide angle setting - shaky hand).
As lovers of independent travel know, it’s the journey that’s as much fun as the final objective. Take wildlife viewing – whether it’s grizzly bears or crocodiles - just reaching the species is an extraordinary experience through regions far from everyday routes. Always expecting the unexpected, for me it’s the craggy and colourful characters (we haven’t reached the crocodiles yet) one bumps into along the trail. Here are Two Tales - from Two Top Ends.
Crocodile pictures on an Alaska blog? Seemed impossible to me too – that was until I met Lefty, Stumpy, Elgar, Mean Bastard and Michael Jackson (light face/dark body) who all live in the muddy Adelaide River (East of Darwin, en route to Kakadu National Park) and all have names that fit! Lefty and Stumpy were fighters, losing limbs in long forgotten turf wars. Mean Bastard was just plain mean. But Michael Jackson with a penchant for propellers was the odd one out. Not attracted by tasty chunks of lamb – it was the feel of a solid Evinrude outboard propeller between his teeth that made Michael’s mouth water. Our small group of nature enthusiasts were crewed by two female characters, both out of a Thelma and Louise movie script. Two eyeballs at waterline and heading rapidly in our direction told us Michael Jackson definitely had a propeller in mind. The skipper, a real outback character whose language alone would repel the average mild mannered croc – today had the dual role of training the (first day on the job?) helmswoman while keeping us punters informed of everything that lurked beneath the hull. As croc’s closed in on all sides, she sounded like everyone’s first driving instructor “Left hand down a bit” - “Ease up on the motor” - “Try reverse”. Her final shout had our full attention. “Stop the bloody engine, Michael’s right behind you!!!”. And yup with an ominous clunk of teeth and steel the engine stalled. Gotcha! Final score Michael 1: Tourist boat 0. All of us on board would swear MJ swam a circuit of honour with a big grin and a chunk of prop to chew later in the ooze of the river bank.
With an honest display of writer’s bias I would say the Grizzly bears of our Top End are more a refined lot. A class act compared to their mates in the mud downunder, and what self-respecting bear would eat a car wheel? They come with nicer names too, like ‘Blondie’ and my favourite, ‘Diver’. Diver is a star, a clever bear that figured out how to beat the system at Brooks Falls! Like fixing the slots in Las Vegas, ensuring everyday is payday! Brooks Falls is all about salmon – and that’s why it is one of the most successful places to view bears in Alaska. During summer at key times brown bears descend from their mountain grazing grounds to feast on migrating fish and where better than at a waterfall. Driven by nature’s urge to reach distant spawning grounds – the salmon must jump. Once airborne they face a dilemma – a wall of brown bears atop the falls, mouths open, legs deep in the current, waiting for catch of the day! Sounds like a piece of cake? It is, once you officially join the hierarchy of the bear’s upper deck club. Like life in big business - to reach this status you have fought and clawed your way to the top. Reward is a stand up meal at Alaska’s finest all-you-can-eat fish restaurant.
As a young bear, Diver hadn’t got a hope of promotion, he was round and cuddly and just plain nice. He likely wasn’t a fighter, more of a scuba diver. And that’s how Diver changed the odds. Holding his breath and swimming beneath the falls – the canny young bear caught the fish before they even thought of jumping. The brigade on top was aghast! Furious and utterly helpless they stood motionless as a fat little junior scooped the big ones! Best memories? Facial expressions of the old boys on top while an upstart hit them where it hurt most, in the tummy!
As a visitor to Brooks Falls (http://www.alaskatours.com/wildlife/bear_viewing/katmai_brooks_falls.htm) you can view bears up close from special stands beside the river. Reached on foot, a short walk from Brooks Lodge, it is a chance to watch a collection of lovable characters having lunch! Being within a National Park it is safe and rangers with radios keep an eye on all the species. Your own tales from the wildlife trail start here.
Happy Trails & Take Care of All Wildlife
David
As lovers of independent travel know, it’s the journey that’s as much fun as the final objective. Take wildlife viewing – whether it’s grizzly bears or crocodiles - just reaching the species is an extraordinary experience through regions far from everyday routes. Always expecting the unexpected, for me it’s the craggy and colourful characters (we haven’t reached the crocodiles yet) one bumps into along the trail. Here are Two Tales - from Two Top Ends.
Crocodile pictures on an Alaska blog? Seemed impossible to me too – that was until I met Lefty, Stumpy, Elgar, Mean Bastard and Michael Jackson (light face/dark body) who all live in the muddy Adelaide River (East of Darwin, en route to Kakadu National Park) and all have names that fit! Lefty and Stumpy were fighters, losing limbs in long forgotten turf wars. Mean Bastard was just plain mean. But Michael Jackson with a penchant for propellers was the odd one out. Not attracted by tasty chunks of lamb – it was the feel of a solid Evinrude outboard propeller between his teeth that made Michael’s mouth water. Our small group of nature enthusiasts were crewed by two female characters, both out of a Thelma and Louise movie script. Two eyeballs at waterline and heading rapidly in our direction told us Michael Jackson definitely had a propeller in mind. The skipper, a real outback character whose language alone would repel the average mild mannered croc – today had the dual role of training the (first day on the job?) helmswoman while keeping us punters informed of everything that lurked beneath the hull. As croc’s closed in on all sides, she sounded like everyone’s first driving instructor “Left hand down a bit” - “Ease up on the motor” - “Try reverse”. Her final shout had our full attention. “Stop the bloody engine, Michael’s right behind you!!!”. And yup with an ominous clunk of teeth and steel the engine stalled. Gotcha! Final score Michael 1: Tourist boat 0. All of us on board would swear MJ swam a circuit of honour with a big grin and a chunk of prop to chew later in the ooze of the river bank.
With an honest display of writer’s bias I would say the Grizzly bears of our Top End are more a refined lot. A class act compared to their mates in the mud downunder, and what self-respecting bear would eat a car wheel? They come with nicer names too, like ‘Blondie’ and my favourite, ‘Diver’. Diver is a star, a clever bear that figured out how to beat the system at Brooks Falls! Like fixing the slots in Las Vegas, ensuring everyday is payday! Brooks Falls is all about salmon – and that’s why it is one of the most successful places to view bears in Alaska. During summer at key times brown bears descend from their mountain grazing grounds to feast on migrating fish and where better than at a waterfall. Driven by nature’s urge to reach distant spawning grounds – the salmon must jump. Once airborne they face a dilemma – a wall of brown bears atop the falls, mouths open, legs deep in the current, waiting for catch of the day! Sounds like a piece of cake? It is, once you officially join the hierarchy of the bear’s upper deck club. Like life in big business - to reach this status you have fought and clawed your way to the top. Reward is a stand up meal at Alaska’s finest all-you-can-eat fish restaurant.
As a young bear, Diver hadn’t got a hope of promotion, he was round and cuddly and just plain nice. He likely wasn’t a fighter, more of a scuba diver. And that’s how Diver changed the odds. Holding his breath and swimming beneath the falls – the canny young bear caught the fish before they even thought of jumping. The brigade on top was aghast! Furious and utterly helpless they stood motionless as a fat little junior scooped the big ones! Best memories? Facial expressions of the old boys on top while an upstart hit them where it hurt most, in the tummy!
As a visitor to Brooks Falls (http://www.alaskatours.com/wildlife/bear_viewing/katmai_brooks_falls.htm) you can view bears up close from special stands beside the river. Reached on foot, a short walk from Brooks Lodge, it is a chance to watch a collection of lovable characters having lunch! Being within a National Park it is safe and rangers with radios keep an eye on all the species. Your own tales from the wildlife trail start here.
Happy Trails & Take Care of All Wildlife
David
