Bear Eats Sea Kayak!

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Hi Everyone!

You have probably seen the viral video of the bear eating the woman's sea kayak. I wasn't able to find a thread that talks about it so I thought I'd start one.

In a strange way the encounter is highly amusing. Both she and the bear emerge unharmed, which is terrific. But I have to admit that I was unable to watch the video through the first time. Her choice of bear deterrent is so grating that many people on the internet were openly rooting for the bear. :)
But she has some very funny comments toward the end.

We can always learn from these encounters and I want to share with you both the video and a scientific analysis of the incident by bear researchers.

Bear Eats Sea Kayak!


What would you have done in her situation?

- Woodsorrel
 
Last edited:

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
Wow, had to mute it after five seconds, go bear :)

At least it was only the seat, easily replaced I suppose
 

Chiseller

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 5, 2011
6,176
3
West Riding
i wonder if she was or due post menstrual and thats why the bear was attacking the seat ?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
 
i wonder if she was or due post menstrual and thats why the bear was attacking the seat ?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Chiseller, the scientists in their analysis have a different reason. She had been sitting in the seat for days paddling. So oils and sweat from her body made the seat pungent, and attractive to bears. Having done some week-long sea kayak trips myself, it doesn't surprise me.

- Woodsorrel
 

Fraxinus

Settler
Oct 26, 2008
935
31
Canterbury
I think she did pretty well, a woman alone in a high stress situation. Not sure I'd have the wherewithal to try and film it too.

Rob.
 
I think she did pretty well, a woman alone in a high stress situation. Not sure I'd have the wherewithal to try and film it too.

Rob.

I tend to agree, Fraxinus. The bear researchers say she did a number of things right. That's why I chuckle, but am still sympathetic.

I would like to think that I would respond more aggressively to chase the bear from the kayak. But who knows? Confronting a large animal alone and far from help takes a great deal of courage. Truth to tell, I would not have started a 100+ mile solo sea kayak in Alaska.

- Woodsorrel
 

dewi

Full Member
May 26, 2015
2,647
12
Cheshire
Sorry... can't help but find that a little bit amusing... especially when she says "Why are you eating that? Its not even food... its plastic!"

As if the bear understands! lol

She was lucky the bear left her be... and frankly I'd have been letting the canoe do the distracting while I got myself out of there! Blimey!
 
Sorry... can't help but find that a little bit amusing... especially when she says "Why are you eating that? Its not even food... its plastic!"

As if the bear understands! lol

She was lucky the bear left her be... and frankly I'd have been letting the canoe do the distracting while I got myself out of there! Blimey!

Dewi, I found it highly amusing! My favorite line is, "It's the end of September! Why are you here? You're supposed to be asleep!" :)

My second is when she thanks the bear for not eating her kayak, sprays it in the face, and then it turns around and eats her kayak!

I think it is perfectly fine to laugh! After all, both ended up fine.


- Woodsorrel
 

Gaudette

Full Member
Aug 24, 2012
872
17
Cambs
Words fail me. How the Bear stood that awful ear bashing is beyond me. It's clearly a case of cruelty to an animal. Someone should start legal proceedings.
 

mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
44
North Yorkshire, UK
Ok, she has an annoying voice. Can we put that aside, please?

Lets look at it again. She's somewhere really remote. She's set off on a 107mile *solo* kayak journey . . . That's pretty big time stuff. It is september and pretty far north - the kayak was her transport out of there (and she swam out to a yacht? How freaking cold was it?).

how many people here have seen off a bear (it was heading for her, she didn't turn and run, she stood her ground).

I'm feeling kinda ****** at all the people cheering on the bear. She did pretty well to get out to a yacht and call for pickup.

Let those who have managed something equivalent be the only ones to critisise.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
Can't watch vid on my phone but I get the feeling MrCharlie that as no-one got hurt that folks were just being lighthearted about it. I think we all know that to do a solo trip on your own up there takes guts, I don't know if I'd have the frame of mind to turn on my camera when a bear was coming for me. Maybe so that there would be a record of how I became bear poo but turning it on would be down my list of things to do.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
 

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