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Our group kayaked around Prince William Sound for a month. On a particular night, I was on 'bear watch'. Basically I kept an eye out for bear scrounging around the perimeter of our camp. Anyway, with the moon full above me, and sleeping sea birds on the rocks around me - I walked over a dry stream bed, looking down it.
To my horror, I saw a bears profile in the moonlight - frozen as it watched my movement. My breath caught in my throat as I too, froze in place. The crisp night air was silent, except for my ragged frightened breath. Trying to control my bladder, I ran over in my mind what I should do....should I run screaming - possibly being overtaken by the bear? Perhaps I should start making noise, shouting and waving my hands to firghten it away? I thought about just falling down and curling up, so the bears long fangs and claws wouldn't immediately cut my neck or face. Minutes went by, and I wondered if the bear even had seen me, perhaps he was looking the other way! Very slowly I crept backwards, towards camp. As my position shifted, I noticed in the moonlight that the bear was very irregularly shaped, and didnt seem to have a head. Or even legs. Suspicion over-rode thoughts of self-presevation, as I walked towards the beast, nodding my head up and down to get a better picture of it.
Finally feet away, I walked the last steps towards it, and placed my hands on the huge 'bear' boulder.
The next morning, when asked over breakfast what, if anything, had happended during my watch, I said "No, absolutely stone silent."
To my horror, I saw a bears profile in the moonlight - frozen as it watched my movement. My breath caught in my throat as I too, froze in place. The crisp night air was silent, except for my ragged frightened breath. Trying to control my bladder, I ran over in my mind what I should do....should I run screaming - possibly being overtaken by the bear? Perhaps I should start making noise, shouting and waving my hands to firghten it away? I thought about just falling down and curling up, so the bears long fangs and claws wouldn't immediately cut my neck or face. Minutes went by, and I wondered if the bear even had seen me, perhaps he was looking the other way! Very slowly I crept backwards, towards camp. As my position shifted, I noticed in the moonlight that the bear was very irregularly shaped, and didnt seem to have a head. Or even legs. Suspicion over-rode thoughts of self-presevation, as I walked towards the beast, nodding my head up and down to get a better picture of it.
Finally feet away, I walked the last steps towards it, and placed my hands on the huge 'bear' boulder.
The next morning, when asked over breakfast what, if anything, had happended during my watch, I said "No, absolutely stone silent."
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