Anan with Island Wings

[CocoKai]

Just came back from Alaska and were lucky to book Anan early with Island Wings. One word......Amazing!!!!! Yes, the bears and salmon were spectacular but Island Wings was the right there with them. Those of you looking to book next year or even late bookers this year, I can't recommend this adventure and Island Wings high enough.

 

As we made our way to our designated meeting point, a local gentleman asked what we were off to do for the day. When we mentioned Anan, he asked who were we going with. When he heard Island Wings, his response was...."they are the best."

[Cincy Gal]

Just came back from Alaska and were lucky to book Anan early with Island Wings. One word......Amazing!!!!! Yes, the bears and salmon were spectacular but Island Wings was the right there with them. Those of you looking to book next year or even late bookers this year, I can't recommend this adventure and Island Wings high enough.

 

As we made our way to our designated meeting point, a local gentleman asked what we were off to do for the day. When we mentioned Anan, he asked who were we going with. When he heard Island Wings, his response was...."they are the best."

 

Glad to hear, can not wait for our turn :p.

 

Thanks!!

[CruisinRoxy]

Just came back from Alaska and were lucky to book Anan early with Island Wings. One word......Amazing!!!!! Yes, the bears and salmon were spectacular but Island Wings was the right there with them. Those of you looking to book next year or even late bookers this year, I can't recommend this adventure and Island Wings high enough.

 

As we made our way to our designated meeting point, a local gentleman asked what we were off to do for the day. When we mentioned Anan, he asked who were we going with. When he heard Island Wings, his response was...."they are the best."

We have booked with Island Wings for August 09, but with Michelle. Is Anan another pilot? Did you do this out of Ketchikan and how long was it?

[nydolphin]

Anan is a place: http://www.islandwings.com/wlv.html

[bottom-dragger]

good for you. anan is so much mo' bettah than margeret/traitor's cove.

[CruisinRoxy]

Anan is a place: http://www.islandwings.com/wlv.html

 

OOps - caught me blushing there - I thought Anan was a person. Thanks for the enlightenment!:o

[cleocasper]

We are booked on this tour at beg of Aug with Family Air, Island Wings was already booked, have you heard anything about this company? It is an expensive excursion and I am hoping it will be worth it, sounds like it from what i am reading. any info is appreciated.

[lrb128]

Just returned from AK on the Star Princess. We used Island Wings to go to Anan, but I had also read great reviews of Family Air, so I wouldn't be worried. Have a great time!

[Amy G]

We are going on Family Air on July 19th. I will post a review when we return!

[cleocasper]

thanks so much for the responses. amy g, i will be interested to hear about 7/19 trip, have fun.

[atv girl]

I was wondering most of the bear tours are from july thru sept,is there anywhere we can see them in june we`ll be there june 8 09. My slip up when booking did`nt realize.

[Cincy Gal]

We are going on Family Air on July 19th. I will post a review when we return!

 

Noticed you only have one day untill you leave for your cruise :p .

Have a wonderful vacation!!!!

[Amy G]

Thanks!!!

[bottom-dragger]

I was wondering most of the bear tours are from july thru sept,is there anywhere we can see them in june we`ll be there june 8 09. My slip up when booking did`nt realize.

 

typically, (that means bears are where you find them) until the salmon begin their freshwater journey, bears are not too concentrated. spring bears are mostly found on the beach where the grass greens up first. they're a little intestinally bound up after a long winter and need a little greens to get things moving again. then comes feeding on the fawns and then the berries. you'll be a little early for the salmon but with luck you'll see mom and the kids on the beach. if you see twins, you're lucky. if you see triplets, you're golden.

 

two weeks ago afriend was fishing on one of the lakes on the rock about 10 miles south of tiny town. he and his wife were out in a rowboat when a cow moose and calf came bolting out of the woods, jumped in the lake and swam past them. a couple of minutes later, a brown bear came out of the woods, sniffed, and then jumped into the lake and started swimming............. YIKES!!! they fired a shot over his head and he went back to shore. we asked him if he let his wife lead the way on the hike out from the lake. he said no, she was in his back pocket the entire time.

 

good luck. i had a crew on kuiu (an island between tiny town and sitka) in june that were averaging 30 black bear sightings a week.

[Cincy Gal]

Bottom-dragger - I have to ask what are you holding in the picture on the top left side? I can not figure it out for the life of me :rolleyes:.

[bottom-dragger]

Bottom-dragger - I have to ask what are you holding in the picture on the top left side? I can not figure it out for the life of me :rolleyes:.

 

not alot of spot prawns in cincinnati? usually found @ 300-400 feet in the rock piles and fished with shrimp traps. if they're on your alaskan menu, don't have them drowned in some sauce or butter, taste the ocean. they're measured (priced) in count of tails per pound. these are 15-20.

 

oh... a bottom-dragger is a trawler. it's not a real complimentary name (oiy, your mamma's a bottom-dragger) but i think it has just enough of a nasty sound to it. i drag/trawl for coonstripe shrimp. tiny town used to be a major shrimp supplier until the collapse of the asian market, farming, and imports of warm water shrimp from south america.

 

come to tiny town and we'll pull some traps and do a drag...........

[duffyrn]

good for you. anan is so much mo' bettah than margeret/traitor's cove.

so sorry to hear your answer about traitor's cove. my son and i were just able to book traitor's cove, last minute. we were on the princess tour to neet's creek. i haven't cancelled princess yet. between the two---island wings to traitor's cove or princess to neet's creek---your opinion since anan is not an option?

beth

[atv girl]

THANKS BOTTOM DRAGGER FOR THE INFO, ONE MORE THING WOULD YOU SPEND THE MONEY ON THE FLIGHT TO SEE THE BEARS OR JUST TRY AND SPOT THEM ON OTHER EXCURSIONS? WE HAVEN`T BOOKED ANYTHING YET.I DON`T THINK I WANT TO SEE THEM AS CLOSE AS YOUR FRIENDS I think I`d croak, oh sorry for the caps did`nt realize, till now.

[Cincy Gal]

not alot of spot prawns in cincinnati? usually found @ 300-400 feet in the rock piles and fished with shrimp traps. if they're on your alaskan menu, don't have them drowned in some sauce or butter, taste the ocean. they're measured (priced) in count of tails per pound. these are 15-20.

 

oh... a bottom-dragger is a trawler. it's not a real complimentary name (oiy, your mamma's a bottom-dragger) but i think it has just enough of a nasty sound to it. i drag/trawl for coonstripe shrimp. tiny town used to be a major shrimp supplier until the collapse of the asian market, farming, and imports of warm water shrimp from south america.

 

come to tiny town and we'll pull some traps and do a drag...........

 

That is what I would have guessed but was not sure so had to ask :).

 

That is why I love these boards - learn something new everyday.

[CocoKai]

I'll let Bottom Dragger answer the bear question. Thanks B-D for letting me know about the colon cleanse. That is one interesting bear fact that I did not know :).

 

If Neet's doesn't include the Float Plane, I would have to weigh that into my decision. The float plane was awesome. I have never been on one so it was a new experience and part of the whole journey. Getting up in the air gives you a different perspective on the size of Alaska, the topography and the beauty.

[bottom-dragger]

my incredible, inedible, opinions on bear viewing. it's as valuable as what you're paying for it...........

 

out of ktn

 

i've worked at anan and margerite creek (traitor's cove) on the design and construction of the fishpass structures there. as i needed to be there to observe fish behavior (how they attacked the waterfalls) i was also there with the bears. i know/worked with the people that run the neet's bay hatchery, and i know/work with the admin of the fish creek site at hyder.

 

anan and fish creek have forest service interpreters on site that monitor/control your interaction with the bears. no food, no flash, no harassment. the bears have found that humans are worthless and go about their bear stuff. both drainages are closed to hunting. anan has a photo blind that is down near the water for excellant views. fish creek has an aerial boardwalk that puts you above for your viewing.

 

neet's bay is run by an aquaculture society (private salmon hatchery owned by fishermen that have some first rights on returning fish) that want to run a clean operation. good people that i would have high expectaions of. i have not experienced their bear viewing opps.

 

margarite creek (traitor's cove) is an uncontroled site. there is no on site administration regulating interaction with the bears. in the past, bears have found humans to be imposing jerks and don't want to associate with you. in previous years, there have been "rumors" (i say that in quotes to avoid being sued) that some guides have attempted to go into the woods and herd bears to the viewing area. take that for what it's worth, nothing.

 

unless the salmon are in freshwater, i would not consider any of these sites better than a random siting along the beach.

 

one site out of junuea that i've never seen mentioned is pack creek on admirality

http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=refuge.pack_ck

a high quality regulated site.

 

or you can join me for morning coffee, out the kitchen window

[duffyrn]

i'll take my coffee black in a large mug;)

now i don't know what the .... to do.

i don't like the sound of traitor's cove, but i also have heard so many good things about island wings that i was "assuming" that where ever they took you would be equally as good. this is going to take some more thought..

thanks for the info---beth

[CocoKai]

Bottom Dragger: That was a nice summation.

 

Even though we paid to go to Anan, I feel like we won the lottery. In a sense we did, since they only allow so many people per day. I've seen bears in Yellowstone, Yosemite and Mt. Rainier but they have all been "humanized." At Anan, there was absolutely nothing commercial about it. It was bears doing what bears do. We were just observing their life, without being a part of it.

 

The Forest Service does a wonderful job letting the bears go about their business, yet allowing humans to be part of the experience.

[50States]

I have been researching about Bears also (as I am also trying to figure it is worth spending money to specifically see bears). I read on this forum that Traitor is usually better for seeing Bears than Anan in August because of where the Salmon tend to be. Anan is better in July. I have not heard about Fish Creek.

[inkmahm]

I have been researching about Bears also (as I am also trying to figure it is worth spending money to specifically see bears). I read on this forum that Traitor is usually better for seeing Bears than Anan in August because of where the Salmon tend to be. Anan is better in July. I have not heard about Fish Creek.

That's exactly why I am going to Traitors Cove at the end of August. With Island Wings. http://www.islandwings.com/wlv.html "The US Forest Service restricts access to Margarite Observatory by permit. As a result, only small numbers of people have the opportunity to visit this beautiful site so book early!"

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=576932 another thread on Traitor's cove