5. Two bear encounters, real tough day, finally across the river mouth...

"Kamchatka Peninsula" by Bike and Kayak
Tue 21 Aug 2012 05:27
51:55.78N 156:29.387E

Well around 1am I was awoken by the largish 'mass', clumsily, pushing the base of my tent, fortunately, at my feet end... Sort of a sniffing prodding, testing motion. I was suddenly wide awake, half up in my sleeping bag, instinctively shouting "Hey bear", in a calm but assertive voice. I remember thinking it best to be a talking tent than try and get outside and be an obvious human.. The instinctive reasoning being that if I was a bear, I'd feel less threatened by the mystery of a stationary talking tent, versus a half asleep grappling human with uncontrolled arms and legs posing threats in all directions. Well it seemed to work: The bear moved off my tent straight away, but for a minute or so I still sensed it was around, not having taken fright and run away. More "Hey bears", louder and more assertive for the next 10 minutes, and I soon felt the threat had gone away, but then the reality of what had happened dawned on me and set my heart racing, with me unable to go back to sleep for a good hour. Why hadn't the electric fence done it's job? Waas it still in tact? Was this a dream, a good experience, a lucky, 'close encounter', or hey, maybe it wasn't a bear it was a nosy, inquisitive seal that came ashore with high tide sniffing around? I have spotted quite a number of very large, light grey seals, swimming up and down the coast, and one of them could have easily slipped under the single cord of the electric fence. It all seemed so surreal, but I did satisfy myself that this wasn't an illusionary dream or nightmare that I'd experienced. I decided to wait till daylight before starting the investigation, as I'd probably destroy valuable evidence grappling in the dark, even with a headlight.

The wind had changed direction, now coming through strongly from the North, so in one way, from a biking perspective, that was good news, but for now it meant I had a wobbling, shaking tent that was noisy and now also a bit eerie, but somehow my sleeping bag got cozier, and I was soon back in dreamland!

On waking at first light, the wind was the same, and I couldn't wait to get outside and solve the mystery! Well it wasn't that easy..The electric fence was all still in tact, but yes there were new, medium size, bear footprints leading down from the road and grass area, past my tent, and the only way I could explain it all was that the bear had sensed the fence and managed to sneak under it. The fence was still working, as I had to reluctantly test it myself for the second time in one setup. Usually only have to put myself through the shock once! There was a section near the foot prints where clearance was almost a metre.... There was no evidence of a seal, or other track. Oh well, need to pay more attention to the height in future. Anyway, it all confirmed it was a bear, but I concluded that it was probably a smallish one, and being on its own, it must be freshly separated from its mom. I also concluded that I was grateful that I'd had the experience and come through it the way I had... In my view, I couldn't have managed it better, so that was all good confidence building stuff, and I felt alive and invigorated..
The change of wind direction had brought clear skies, and I enjoyed an early breakfast of a cup of coffee, followed by oats, dried fruit, and nutella, a real high octane, full gas tank for the unknown, but no doubt challenging day ahead! I gotta find the river mouth crossing early today, and I really was worried I'd missed the turn off in one of my grass path excursions.

I'm soon on the bike dealing with the mud, and changing surface, but having now accepted that this was just how it was, well so I thought, I felt pretty content with the cycling, just this ferry stop worried me.... Soon, I hear a lone truck approaching, and it turns out to be the familiar Kamag, six wheeler 'people carrier'. I flag the driver down, he is quite happy to stop and find out more about this real life, apparition he has come across! Well all great he does confirm the ferry stop is still ahead, but he seems to indicate that it's quite far still, more than 16 kilometres.... Hmm, this doesn't make sense, but he definitely knows the route. He was a full load of people, maybe 18 or 20, who take the opportunity for a pee and smoke break, and have me as an exotic bit of entertainment. It becomes apparent that these people were working at a 'fish factory', in Ozernovsky, the end point of this horrendous coast road. I get to understand from the driver, that he will be dropping them off at the amphibian crossing, and he will be returning and will 'show me the way' to the ferry! He looked very concerned for me, and clearly thought what I was doing was ridiculous.

With no worries now, I'm focused on enjoying the ride, and making as much progress south as possible. This involves looking for alternative tracks away from the mostly horrendous main path that is churned up by the big trucks that I came across now and again that I realise are all linked to the fishing operations, taking the catch south to Ozernovsky. This is the export gateway to Japan and beyond.

Cycling along, ever alert to the changing scenery, I come across a fully grown adult grizzly 80 metres off. I stop, and obviously smelling me, it gets up on its hindquarters for a better sniff, tracks me down and we momentarily, stare at each other. I shout my "Hey bear", lift my arms above my head, it seeks to understand more, and then decides, best to leave, and runs off into the thick grass. Hey, another well handled encounter, I felt like I'd had a positive encounter with that bear, where we both decided we didn't want to get closer to each other, and politely parted ways. It did reinforce the need to be seen, to be proactively assertive, and not be panicky nor aggressive.

I needed water replenishment, so I decided to take a lunch break at this 'crossroad' that led into the tundra towards the river, which was about 1km away. The coastline is very unprotected from the wind, but this crossroad provided at least some shelter from the cool wind. I leave the bike there and decide to enjoy an exploring walk through the tundra and down to the river bank. It's a pleasant change being free of dragging the bike, and I stop to pick the ripe blueberries, and with clear bear paths leading down to the river, I'm thinking this is perfect bear country, and I need to be alert. The river bank is a wonderful spot to just sit and take in the whole environment, and I constantly scan the river, it's many islands, hoping to spot bears, but nothing comes up. I get back to the bike just as my 'friend' in the people carrier returning as promised. Empty of his passengers, and on his own, he excitedly stops, but I'd misunderstood his intent. Clearly, his plan was to take me out of my misery, by giving me and my bike a lift back to the ferry! I was adamant that this was to be an unsupported trip, so taking a ride at this stage wasn't an option for me. Clearly he knew what lay ahead and couldn't believe I didn't want to take up his, 'no brainer', offer. He went on protesting quite emotionally, and with the hindsight of what lay ahead, I now realise how he thought he was really trying to help me!

We parted ways, with him saying "Good luck", but I didn't quite understand how appropriate this would turn out to be....I have my lunch, a short nap in my wind free pocket, and then it's time to get on the road again...

The end of the northern peninsula is getting closer. I can see the huge river mouth estuary off to the left. The road gets drier and more soft sand, requiring more and more dismounts and pushing, making progress slower and slower. Every now and then I come across a smallish fishing operation, set up on the river bank, but as I move further south they are getting larger, and the road in and out of them more churned up and 'un-cyclable' from the truck usage. I have to get off, walk and push, often with dogs coming out to aggressively protect their turf, while the owner just stare at me, disbelieving. With each one, as it comes into view, I'm hopeful that it is the ferry point. Many have boats, that could easily have passed as informal ferries, and not knowing what I was looking for, but also not wanting to pass the 'real ferry' by I would often walk into the premises to find out if it was the ferry stop. Often treated like an unwelcome trespasser I was told off, and pointed further down the road. At one sizeable fishing operation I was finally given access to the 'brigadier', who when I showed him my map, couldn't even point out where wee were...!

They weren't all unfriendly, I had another offer for a lift, from a guy who said he wasn't going all the way to the ferry, but could drop me off at his place some distance before the ferry.

This should have been easy, but whether it was my poor understanding of Russian, there lack of interest in my dilemma, or just their ignorance, each time I seemed to get a different story about the ferry, with one even telling me (I think!) that there is no ferry around here! All the time I'm standing talking, there was usually an unfriendly dog barking at me seemingly supporting its owners desire to get rid of me as quick as possible. By now the road was impossible, only pushing the bike, and real soft beach sand. I was quite disillusioned, and even lost trust in the distance info my 'friend' had given me, but I did think back to the, now 'crazy logic' of not accepting his offer! As what often happens when the going gets tough I did question the motive in all this, but the answer always came through No lifts, and no giving up, unsupported it was to be, and I had to soldier on regardless.

At times the bike almost felt like a 'wheel-less' plough being pulled through fertile ground, wheels not turning, leaving a deep furrow of newly exposed undersoil...

At 4 30pm, dead tired, almost broken spirit, I finally saw the ferry, and lo and behold waiting there, as the only vehicle was 'my friend' in the people carrier. As I approached he shock his head and just smiled... I'm not sure what he thought, it could have been a lot of things! The ferry was a sizeable vessel, with opening bow, capable of taking one truck at a time. The colourful captain, welcomed me with a smile and warm handshake writing in the sand for me that the ferry goes "18h00-19h00".. Perfect timing, and time to relax and reflect on this milestone. The people carrier guy invites me into his warm, wind free cab, and I eagerly accept. His English is almost non-existent, but his information and intent has been the best all day, so I explore more: It becomes clear that there is about 4km of similar soft sand the other side, and then the road is 'good' from there to Ozernovsky! Well the 4km I'd better prepare for, but after that I should rather keep an open mind, and be prepared for 'a better road, but maybe not much better. I've learnt by now that no matter how good their intent, truck / car drivers have no idea what a good, bad, or medium bicycle road is like!

I can see the gap in the peninsula , the river estuary mouth out to sea, and the sand bank spit the other side. Breaking waves across the river mouth sand bar, but at the moment, the other side is tomorrow's worry!

Around 18h30 the show begins and my bike and the 'people after a pleasant 'voyage' the ferry goes to the seaward side of the spit, comes in with the shore break and slams into thee beach, with the boatswain shouting for me to get my bike off quickly. Knowing the drill the people carrier was almost moving off before we hit the beach. With breaking waves there was no time for delays!

I was feeling very weary, in no mood to continue ploughing with thee bike, so decided to make camp right on the sand spit where we landed. There were about six vehicles , including two more full people carriers and three empty 'fish trucks', waiting for the crossing North. What followed while I set up tent, was a slick back and forth ferry, shuttling system one vehicle at a time, until it was just me and my tent, and one other camping fisherman left. Peace and quiet again... Well so I thought....

Once again, there were lots of bear footprints around. With difficulty, as there were no trees or natural fence poles around, I set up the electric fence and then had a lovely sunset dinner some distance from my tent site, but on the river bank, just above the high-water mark.

I was really knackered and after dinner I wasted no time getting into my sack, and was soon fast asleep....

Another big and interesting day done!