Perils of Caffeine in the Evening

It may be the result of a slow news day, but both of Seattle’s daily papers carried the story of a bear who swam Friday from Maury Island in southern Puget Sound to Salt Water State Park on the densely-populated mainland. (Thanks to Janet for calling my attention to it) The story piqued my interest because I’ve done the same crossing in my kayak, launching from Salt Water Park and paddling the two miles over to Maury and back. You have to deal with currents, and pay attention to traffic because it’s a major shipping lane.

Salt Water State Park is about one of the few places on the mainland where the dude could have landed with some cover, but I can’t imagine that was his intended port of call when he plunged into the water. It’s hard enough to navigate when you can see where you’re going.

Bear’s Eye View: On the left is Maury Island, with the Point Robinson lighthouse in the distance, from which the observer quoted in the article tracked the amphibian. On the right is what the far coast of the mainland looked to the bear as he departed Maury (Click either photo to enlarge).

Guess I’ll have to think about mounting bear bells fore and aft.