I wanted to make my destination across 10 miles of open seawater to Monteque Island. It's a serious move in this big water with no support. My experience sways my decision and I make my move. Digging the paddle into the water I pull hard and head west across the glassy sea.

I come to a black sand beach which stretches a distance. I make my landing there and take care of the necessary shit, put the tent up, carry my yak above high-tide line, spread all my gear around, have a bite to eat, and then crawl into my tent. When I awoke it was around 11-1130 PM and the sun was just going down. I sat up and started to put my shirt on. With my arms above my head, my shirt barely over my head I notice through the fly a shape siloetted against the fading light of the skyline.

A bear!

Not just "A" bear but, a Grizzly bear!

I froze. I shortened my breaths, fought hard not to tremble, my spinchter tightened like it was in prison. The slightest sound could bring the mammoth creature into my lap. My thoughts went wild as I waited to see how this unfolded.

It stopped its gait and sniffed the air. Looking around it seemed to take stock of its surrounding. Soon, it moved on. I dared not make a sound as it disappeared from my limited sight. In slow motion I finished putting on my shirt and sat there. It came back.

It was cautious, sitting for extended periods of time just scoping out the landscape, sniffing. Time went by and finally it started approaching my gear, my food. Cursing myself for stupidly leaving my lifeline spread out on the beach I watched in awe at this mighty creature. My heart was pounding as if it would break through my ribcage, launching itself onto the sand. I didn't dare move. Still leary the bear slowly made its way to my food bags and my drybags. Ripping them to pieces and devouring all my food at will I could only sit there and watch, a helpless spectator in a bad B-rated movie.

I could hear my gear being ripped into shreds under the power of those finger length claws. Terror and indignation bounced around my skull. Finally, I thought, "Satisfied", as the last morsel was consumed. Maybe a grin appeared on my face, the nightmare was about to end.

Lifting its nose to the breeze it became interested in something else. More food, where though? I wanted to scream, I had left food in my yak!!

It approached my fragile craft. That boat was my salvation, my only means of getting off this island. If the danger of my predicament hadn't sunk into the marrow of my bones I might have screamed out in rage. Coming up to my yak my guts began to churn. One paw on my boat would splinter it into wooden slivers. With the deftness of a 500$ whore he pulled the top plate off the storage area, reached in and pulled out the food bag. A quick dessert. (Later examination would show that the lid didn't suffer one scratch mark.)

Once more a nose to the air. This behemoth moved away from my boat and started to approach the tent. Halfway there it scratched itself a hole. Lying down it made itself comfortable and slept as I sat there wondering what kind of a game this beast was playing with me. It was almost calculating. When it woke, I thought, it's next meal would be me.

The nights this far north are short. My night was turning into an eternity. Into my third hour of conscience bodily efforts I couldn't believe the situation I was in. It had to be circumstances. A tidal wave of emotions ebbed in and out of my minds eye. Each scenario brought the same ending. Being mauled to death by three inch ripping machines didn't hold much appeal.

"How could this be happening to me? How could all of my adventures, my knowledge, my experience let me be here? Why wouldn't this bastard just go away?"

"Leave me be!" I prayed. "Leave me be!"

If a crisis situation of duration occurs at some point panic and adrenaline rushes subside and other factors take over. Nearly five hours had spanned since the meeting of my offender. The sound of the water breaking on the shore had been plaguing me for hours now. My bladder was full, stressed to the point of torture. My smaller head was quivering as the sun broke. As the tide rose its motion disturbed the bear. It rose and my heart soared.

"Yes! Yes!!" I silently rejoiced.

Instead of retreating to the shade of the woods it meandered a short way upbeach, promptly planted itself, and went back to sleep.

"No, No!" I silently screamed.

Somewhere an electrical connection broke in my brain. I would take no more!

“Fuck you!!” echoed through my brain as I reached for the zipper for the tent. The distinct sound of metal on metal roared through the air. I emerged from the tent with every intention of seeing a ton of living meat charging at me. The bear never moved and I went with my initial instinct. I made water, I drained the vein, I peed like it was yesterday. The bear never moved.

Lack of sleep, having my belongings destroyed, being in danger for so long, who the hell knows what it was? I had to know. For the first time since sleep overcame me I spoke.

"Hey, Bear!" I uttered.

Its head lifted, eyes snapping open. With incredible speed it rose and speed off. Watching it speed down the beach I was filled with anger. I began screaming, spewing as many off colored phrases as I could think of. Mothers, Saints, human anatomy scarred the air.

As the air cleared and I could think again a fear of the bears return urged me to pack, in haste. Minutes later the boat was loaded, a haphazard job but I didn't care. I just wanted out, away. I grabbed the rope handle and dragged my laden boat down the rocks and sand,the hull dinging and scratching down to the water. Built from the bottom up with my own two hands it didn't matter. The water was all that I counted on, putting distance between me and that furry mass waiting for me. I paddled hard.

The Blood Red Sea

Smooth.

Glass.

Red.

The sun....

...rising into the new day. My day of freedom. Fatigue was setting in. Ahead lay 10 miles of open water. The water was so smooth that the rays, the colors of the new day reflected off them making them appear blood red. Surrealistic to my wasted mind. With nowhere else to go I paddled on.

My destination was a cabin I knew of. I wanted, needed four walls around me when night fell. Hours later I paddled into the lagoon. The terror of the previous night was miles behind me. So I thought. On the northern shore was a grizzly.

"Could it be the same?", my pickled brain thought?

Later another bear showed it snout. And, as if to add insult to injury a Mama Griz and her cub made an appearance late in the day. My entry into the cabin log that night was, "I think I need to be in a town!"