Alaska - a weekend getaway

Going for a walk-about (grizzly bear cub)

Grizzly bear cub 

A walk along the beach

Curious grizzly bear cubs

Grizzly bear cubs play fighting

Grizzly bear cub checking out its surroundings

Moose alongside the Haines Hwy

Breaching humpback whale

Partial eclipse of the sun (Sunday, May 20)

Flowering Praire Crocus (Putsatilla patens)

Flowering Shooting Star (Dodecatheon sp.)

At long last the unofficial kickoff to summer 2012 has begun!

Last weekend, during our Victoria Day holiday (four days), I had an opportunity to join a couple friends on a road trip to Haines, Alaska.  Throughout the weekend we were treated to endless photo opps thanks to chance encounters with wildlife, breathtaking scenery and a partial eclipse of the sun.

One of the many highlights of our excursion was photographing three two-year old grizzly cubs foraging on sedges and clams on the tidal flats near the Chilkoot River (Haines, Alaska).  With camera and tripod in hand, I spent close to two hours photographing the young bruins as they went about their business feeding, playing and scouting out their surroundings.  Soft lighting, a vibrant green background and cooperative bears made for a successful photo shoot.

On Saturday afternoon we were treated to an unexpected bonus – two humpback whales breached directly in front of us while we were eating our lunch on the rocky shores of Chilkat State Park.  Unfortunately, for me, I did not have my 300mm lens on hand.  Oh well, watching the whales enjoy themselves in the waters was a sight I won't soon forget.  Apparently, according to the locals, this is the time of year when the whales return to the Inlet to feed on krill.

The first of the flowering plants were also in full bloom as the praise crocuses, lupins and shooting stars added splashes of purple across the landscape. 

The weather did not cooperate for Sunday's partial eclipse of the sun.  Overcast skies obscured our view for most of the day.  We did, however, catch a few fleeting glimpses of the eclipse throughout the afternoon.  I guess we, here in the Yukon, will have to wait until Oct 23, 2014 to see and photograph the next eclipse (that one will also be a partial one).

Roadside encounters with moose, black bear (11 in total), porcupine, elk and mule deer were common occurrences. For some strange reason we didn't see as many swans as we did on last years road trip.

Alaska continues to impress me with its pristine wilderness, snowcapped mountains, salmon filled rivers and colourful folks who call this place home.  I'm already looking forward to my next visit come June.

Ahh, beautiful Alaska!!  We could not have wished for a better weekend.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Cheers,

Claus

Photo info:  Grizzly bear shots photographed with a Nikon D700 camera, Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 lens with 1.7x convertor, mounted on tripod, cable release.  320ISO, f/6, Aperture Priority mode.

Flower pictures:  same camera, Nikkor 105 f/2.8 Macro lens, mounted on tripod, cable release