Sketch of the Polar Bear trip…

Each fall polar bears from the Beaufort Sea travel to Barter Island, sometimes in great numbers. They travel off of the pack ice to shore seeking their annual food bonanza. Barter Island is home to some 400 Inupiat Eskimos who each fall continue the tradition of hunting for bowhead whales. When all of the parts of the whale fit for human consumption have been harvested, the carcass is given to the waiting bears. This situation provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to safely observe bears feeding and interacting at the edge of the Arctic Ocean. Twenty to thirty bears are regularly on the island at this time of year. We will fly to the village of Kaktovik on Barter Island and stay at the one-of-a-kind Waldo Arms Hotel.

If you are a polar bear, 35 degrees Fahrenheit and windy qualifies as too hot. During early September, bears generally lounge around or nap during the day. The best time to watch and photograph them is during the evening hours when they are likely to interact and feed. Each evening we will spend as much time as possible watching bears from the safety of our rented vehicle. When it gets truly dark we will point our gaze skyward and look for the Aurora. While observing bears you will be accompanied by a guide at all times, who can educate you about behavior, physiology and ecology. The guide is also on hand to ensure your safety and the safety of the bears. In addition to watching polar bears from shore, if the weather allows we will spend part of a day in a skiff out on the Arctic Ocean with one of the local Inupiat guides, where we can see bears and learn about modern Eskimo life on the arctic coast. This promises to be a unique and exciting vacation.