[Seahawk]

I was the Head Boatman on a trip on the Kalamath River, vintage 1978. Small trip, just three rafts. Easy trip, mostly fishing, maybe two Class 3's in three days. We put in at Happy Camp, a misnomer wrapped in foreshadowing.

Since I spent a bunch of my youth in the wild following my Dad around, I asked about bears. Not to worry, follow the right food disposal ethos, etc. all will be well.

The most interesting thing about bears is their patience if they are acclimated to humans. They don't seem to as much stalk as watch, detached, almost like they are viewing a bad movie.

At camp the first night a brown bear set up an observation post maybe 50 yards from the cook site. It was unnerving, he on his haunches, me wishing I had some. No guns. He was as still as a painting, calm.

After dinner, I put all the remaining food (we had two more days) back in the ice chests, trash as well, ran a rope from a tree to a rock, attached a raft between the two in the still water and thought all was well.

I learned a lot about myself that night...

No one got hurt, luckily, but the twain between the practical and the theoretical was never more stark. The next time (and every subsequent time) I ventured into bear country, I was/have been armed.