We now have "THE BEAR"

August 24, 2010
Awe and wonderment have returned to Skagway. . . . .

Not just for us, but for all the jaded seasonal workers who are READY for the season to end. Median day was six weeks ago. We have had termination dust (the first snow). The salmon run is over. The fireweed is turning to cotton. The topic of conversation is about plans for leaving, plans for the off season, plans for next year.

But now we have. . .THE BEAR.

THE BEAR EATING THE GOAT BY THE SNOWPLOW SHEDS

Tuesday morning he was spotted in the depression across the highway from the snowplow sheds. I first saw him that afternoon as I returned from Carcross. A medium sized cinnamon bear (that's a black species, that is brown in color) busily chomping on a full grown goat 30-40 feet off the road in some boulders. Since I was driving, I asked a 9 year old passenger to snap some pictures with my camera. Later, she asked me to email them to her so she could use them in a 4H vacation project. She should win a prize of some kind.

After work I loaded GaT into the jeep (it was Peggie's sick day) to go look. Other gawkers were there. By Wed morning "Have you seen the bear eating the goat?" was on everyone's lips. By now, it is simply, THE BEAR. "Have you seen the bear?" "Is the bear still there?"

Nobody can remember ever even hearing of such an event before. For four days, so far, this is a sure-fire excitement builder on a tour. Earlier we had the photos of the bear snatching the baby goat, but that event was actually seen by just one tour and the photos excited the drivers, but we didn't show them to people.

This will be a good story for years to come.