Peaceful

This is a picture of a retired pier in Gastineau Channel. Mike & I drove out to a beach on Douglas Island to check out a possible stream that might be a good place to pan for gold and this is one of the sights there. Just across the channel is where the cruise ships park. I will try to get out there and take some pictures this weekend. The official 'tourist season' started yesterday. There are changes in town too...everyone goes out of their way to make guests feel welcome. It is neat to see.

Here is my story for today...no picture to accompany unfortunately. I went to the Glacier to get a picture of a trumpeter swan since they have been flying in and swimming on the lake. I walked around on a trail at the glacier to see if some of the ponds have been melting enough for swans to gather, but they were still pretty icy. As I walked I enjoyed the smell of fresh spruce trees, new growth on bushes and leaves bursting into green. I was all alone on the trail listening to the water in the creek rushing and the birds singing. I stopped to look over a rail at the clear water and the beauty below me and then continued on the trail. I got another 15 feet or so and I heard crackling as if someone stepped on a small branch on the ground...and then...I heard something (I think maybe it might have been a bear) exhale loudly. Not far from me obviously, but there was a pretty thick wooded area I couldn't tell exactly. I froze for a moment and thought maybe I imagined it. Nope... there it was again. Another loud exhale and then a couple more steps. Still nobody around me on the trail, so I began humming loudly and slowly turned myself around and marched right off that trail!!! Nothing to take a picture of since I couldn't see it, but I don't think I would have paused to capture the moment if I did. Next time I carry some Bear-Spray with me just in case. Still looking for those swans.