M/V Single Star

Saturday, 14 August

After traveling to Churchill, Canada to spend time with Ursus Maritimus (the polar bear) in 2008, we figured that we needed to give equal time to Ursus Arctos (the brown bear). Where to go to see the bears wasn’t the question — we knew we wanted to go to Alaska. When to go and how to do it was the dilemma.

We were privileged to see this polar bear mum nursing her two yearlings. Will we see similar brown bear behavior? We’ll have to wait and see. (for more polar bear photographs, click here)

We answered the “when” relatively quickly. Considering previous commitments — travel and otherwise — late summer 2010 was the earliest we could go. Then we turned our attention to the “how” portion of the equation.

The few people we knew who had done bear-watching trips in Alaska had gone to bear meccas like Brooks Falls and Hallo Bay. They had stayed in cabins or camps for several days, were pleased with their experiences, and had the photos to prove it. Others mentioned doing fly-in day trips. They too were pleased with their experiences and had the photos to prove it. As we were dithering over those options, a third one presented itself — bear-watching boat trips.

We were intrigued by the idea of being on a moving platform on the water instead of visiting one or two places on land. We did our research and came up with two highly-recommended options. One of them was a boat called the M/V Single Star, “a 58-foot (~17.7 m) blue water yacht designed to circumnavigate the globe.”

The sun shines briefly on the Single Star on departure day.

We made contact with Captain Lee Robbins and asked about mid-August availability for a 7-day trip focused on photographing bears. The dates were available and we had a choice between the master stateroom with private facilities, or one of the two forward staterooms with shared facilities. A few more email exchanges sealed the deal and we booked the master.

Welcome aboard the M/V Single Star. (by the way, M/V stands for motor vessel)

Left: Steep stairs lead down to the master, which is located astern. bottom of the stairs, closet on the left; the head (facilities) on the right. Right: The head with the shower on the right (not pictured here).

This is my bunk; mui has an identical one on the other side of the stateroom.

The dining table in the main cabin is also a good place to work on videos & photos.

safety is paramount; The bridge is equipped with two of everything.

So, what was it about the Single Star that made us choose it over the competition. The safety of the boat was a given, as was the experience of the captain. We especially liked that there would be only four passengers and that we would have some say in the itinerary. Then there was the fact that we would be accompanied by Eberhard Brunner, a professional photographer/guide, with extensive bear and other wildlife experience. (As a serious amateur, I knew I could use all the help that I could get to come away with vivid images of our time with the bears.)

We’ll be taking this skiff to shore to spend time with the bears on land.

We’re well satisfied with our decision to do a boat trip to view the bears. Even more so now, because it turns out that this trip will be a private charter; no other paying guests. So who are the boat mates that didn’t make it in because of the weather today? One is Eberhard. The other is Lindsay, who will be chief cook and bottle washer on our trip.

Are we disappointed that we didn’t make it out today? Of course. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about adventure travel, it’s that flexibility is key to the success of the trip. I read a quote somewhere recently that went something like “Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey.” Whoever said it, got it right.

We’ve had our share of potholes on this trip, but we’re still smiling. Here’s to celebrating the journey with the Coastal Bears of Katmai.