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Nainu":9vkdlorg said:
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Bears Becoming Harder to See in Prince William Sound?
- Thread starter C-Worthy
- Start date
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Hi Nainu,
I appreciate your commitment to keep the Sound as it is. I certainly agree that we don't need more development. Particularly, a new 300-slip small boat harbor at the head of Passage Canal. Hopefully we can work together against that. Keeping a floating gas station from opening in Herring Bay was a good step and seems to have been a turning point for activism in PWS.
This weekend, I had the good fortune to talk to Capt. Ted on his way to the dumpster with a boatload of trash from your cleanup.
I applaud you for your work. Great job, and I hope to be able to participate on your next one.
I like to clean up one beach each weekend I am out, and hope others on this site will follow suit. It's not enough for me to just be content with using less gas. I like to try to actually improve the Sound with my C-Dory.
Keep up the good work Nainu.
As for my comment about the cruise ship industry money, I didn't state that that went to wildlife conservation coffers, but that it was in part, because of the lure of watchable wildlife. Cruiseship passengers are looking for shore-based activities more frequently, and employ an army or water-taxis, fishing guides, rainforest tour leaders, kayaking guides, lodges, and even dogsleds. In Ketchikan, 33 businesses are directly nature-based. As for watcheable wildlife revenue, just Chichagof Island (Hoonah, Tenakee Sprgs, Elfin Cove, and Pelican) saw $15.5m in revenue from nature-based tourism last year from research by UAA professor Steve Colt.
These are big numbers, and I'm sure are very similar in Valdez, Whittier, and Cordova. We can complain about cruise ships all we want, but my opinion is that I'd much much rather see 3500 people in one boat, than in 3500 boats.
Now back to the bears. I was told this weekend that 500 bears had been harvested in PWS last year. That sure seems like a high number to me. One was shot this Memorial Day weekend a half mile from the rented Harrison Lagoon Cabin. I've heard of several run-ins between hikers and bear hunters already this year, and I doubt it is going to get better anytime soon.
I appreciate your commitment to keep the Sound as it is. I certainly agree that we don't need more development. Particularly, a new 300-slip small boat harbor at the head of Passage Canal. Hopefully we can work together against that. Keeping a floating gas station from opening in Herring Bay was a good step and seems to have been a turning point for activism in PWS.
This weekend, I had the good fortune to talk to Capt. Ted on his way to the dumpster with a boatload of trash from your cleanup.
I applaud you for your work. Great job, and I hope to be able to participate on your next one.
I like to clean up one beach each weekend I am out, and hope others on this site will follow suit. It's not enough for me to just be content with using less gas. I like to try to actually improve the Sound with my C-Dory.
Keep up the good work Nainu.
As for my comment about the cruise ship industry money, I didn't state that that went to wildlife conservation coffers, but that it was in part, because of the lure of watchable wildlife. Cruiseship passengers are looking for shore-based activities more frequently, and employ an army or water-taxis, fishing guides, rainforest tour leaders, kayaking guides, lodges, and even dogsleds. In Ketchikan, 33 businesses are directly nature-based. As for watcheable wildlife revenue, just Chichagof Island (Hoonah, Tenakee Sprgs, Elfin Cove, and Pelican) saw $15.5m in revenue from nature-based tourism last year from research by UAA professor Steve Colt.
These are big numbers, and I'm sure are very similar in Valdez, Whittier, and Cordova. We can complain about cruise ships all we want, but my opinion is that I'd much much rather see 3500 people in one boat, than in 3500 boats.
Now back to the bears. I was told this weekend that 500 bears had been harvested in PWS last year. That sure seems like a high number to me. One was shot this Memorial Day weekend a half mile from the rented Harrison Lagoon Cabin. I've heard of several run-ins between hikers and bear hunters already this year, and I doubt it is going to get better anytime soon.
C-worthy,
Regardless of our political stands (and my left wing ones sure bother some), I think one thing we can all agree on is the value of efforts such as yours to help clean things up. Next time I'm out in our sound, I'll try to do my part too. Thanks for the inspiration!
Regardless of our political stands (and my left wing ones sure bother some), I think one thing we can all agree on is the value of efforts such as yours to help clean things up. Next time I'm out in our sound, I'll try to do my part too. Thanks for the inspiration!
C-Worthy, Ted is a great friend of the Sound and has spent more time there than most people ever will. He and his friend Chris are the driving forces behind GoAK. They organize people to comment on projects such at the Herring Bay fuel dock. I would not know to comment if Chris did not get the word out. I believe that the public is becoming more involved as evidenced by the comment and results concerning the oyster farm and shore lease in West Twin Bay that was denied last year. In the original request for comments on the Herring Bay proposal, only a very few people commented. When Chris put out the word, there were a ton of comments made. This is one thing these guys do to help impede development a bit. This may be the only benefit of the tunnel - there are now more recreational users (voters) that want to see the western Sound stay wilderness.
I don't think many people know how much private property exists in the Sound. In about 1910 there were something on the order of a hundred active mining operations in the Sound. Together with the herring salteries, this added up to a lot of development that has gone by the wayside, but left property in private hands. It is going to take a concerted effort to dissuade development of this property as time passes. One idea that I have to credit Chris with is to add a rider to any ANWR legislation that requires part of the royalties to be used to acquire ownership or conservation easements on that land. Wish we could get someone in Congress to propose that.
You and I are going to have to agree to disagree about what the cruise industry means for wildlife versus what hunters contribute. The problem with the cruise ship money is that it results in development because the money goes to people and not habitat or other wildlife beneficial causes. Hunters contribute money that goes to help the wildlife and preserve habitat, not to the people who use wildlife to make a living. So I don't consider a dime of what the cruise indstry brings to be benficial to wildlife, it is in fact detrimental because of the tourism development it brings. Hunters are the true conservationists today, not tourists.
I don't think many people know how much private property exists in the Sound. In about 1910 there were something on the order of a hundred active mining operations in the Sound. Together with the herring salteries, this added up to a lot of development that has gone by the wayside, but left property in private hands. It is going to take a concerted effort to dissuade development of this property as time passes. One idea that I have to credit Chris with is to add a rider to any ANWR legislation that requires part of the royalties to be used to acquire ownership or conservation easements on that land. Wish we could get someone in Congress to propose that.
You and I are going to have to agree to disagree about what the cruise industry means for wildlife versus what hunters contribute. The problem with the cruise ship money is that it results in development because the money goes to people and not habitat or other wildlife beneficial causes. Hunters contribute money that goes to help the wildlife and preserve habitat, not to the people who use wildlife to make a living. So I don't consider a dime of what the cruise indstry brings to be benficial to wildlife, it is in fact detrimental because of the tourism development it brings. Hunters are the true conservationists today, not tourists.
AnchortownJim
New member
C-Worthy, I have to respectfully disagree with you about the development of the 300 slip small boat harbor planned for the head of Passage Canal. Someone like myself who has been on the waiting list for a long time to get a slip, would very much like to see the development of a new small boat harbor in Passage Canal or Shotgun Cove, away from the circus of the existing boat harbor in Whittier with the cruise ship passengers all over the place.
Having to use the ramps in Whittier is often difficult and sometimes dangerous with all the tourist wondering around and inexperienced boaters launching and landing. The ramps are in poor condition and overcrowded. With the increased population in the Anchorage area, there has been and will continue to be increased pressure on the existing facilities in Whittier and a need for increase harbor and ramp space. This need will not be alleviated by a zero development mindset.
I do concur with you about cleaning up the beaches whenever possible. I haul back trash when I find it out in Prince William Sound and will continue to do so.
Having to use the ramps in Whittier is often difficult and sometimes dangerous with all the tourist wondering around and inexperienced boaters launching and landing. The ramps are in poor condition and overcrowded. With the increased population in the Anchorage area, there has been and will continue to be increased pressure on the existing facilities in Whittier and a need for increase harbor and ramp space. This need will not be alleviated by a zero development mindset.
I do concur with you about cleaning up the beaches whenever possible. I haul back trash when I find it out in Prince William Sound and will continue to do so.
As much as I don't want to sit on the fence, but I need to see a little more information on the development in Shotgun Cove and how that is going to play with the tunnel. There is only so much capacity through the tunnel and adding 300 hundred slips and other condos in Shotgun Cove is going to have an impact.
Cleanup the sound, you betcha. I haul stuff back from everywhere I land although this weekend down in Derickson, Deep Water, and Blue Fjord, we only found one blue bucket and some rope. After kayaking about 25 miles of shoreline, I was impressed with how clean it was.
What bothered us on our trip down there, was what happened on Friday. A water taxi showed up with 14 people and one dog and dropped them all onto the same beach where 6 of us were already camped. There was an excellent beach only 1 mile away but the water taxi operator was on a mission. This is where he dropped people and that was that. Courtesy and common sense was not his strong suit.
As far as bears were concerned, we saw a couple in the evening and a lot of sign when we got out and hiked at spots during the day. I was up around Harrison Lagoon two weeks ago exploring the old Granite Mine and saw alot of bear sign both around the mine and in Bettles and Hummer Bays. We weren't hunting just exploring. I am not sure what proper distance is from a forest service cabin for hunting. From a safety perspective, anything closer than 1/4 mile if you aren't the occupant, is probably too close. Is a 1/2 mile too close? I don't know but it would seem to be far enough.
I heard about the cleanup on Knight Island after the fact. If anyone hears about another cleanup in the future let me know. I'll be there.
We'll make a clean up around Schoppe Bay part of the C-Brat get together in July.
Cleanup the sound, you betcha. I haul stuff back from everywhere I land although this weekend down in Derickson, Deep Water, and Blue Fjord, we only found one blue bucket and some rope. After kayaking about 25 miles of shoreline, I was impressed with how clean it was.
What bothered us on our trip down there, was what happened on Friday. A water taxi showed up with 14 people and one dog and dropped them all onto the same beach where 6 of us were already camped. There was an excellent beach only 1 mile away but the water taxi operator was on a mission. This is where he dropped people and that was that. Courtesy and common sense was not his strong suit.
As far as bears were concerned, we saw a couple in the evening and a lot of sign when we got out and hiked at spots during the day. I was up around Harrison Lagoon two weeks ago exploring the old Granite Mine and saw alot of bear sign both around the mine and in Bettles and Hummer Bays. We weren't hunting just exploring. I am not sure what proper distance is from a forest service cabin for hunting. From a safety perspective, anything closer than 1/4 mile if you aren't the occupant, is probably too close. Is a 1/2 mile too close? I don't know but it would seem to be far enough.
I heard about the cleanup on Knight Island after the fact. If anyone hears about another cleanup in the future let me know. I'll be there.
We'll make a clean up around Schoppe Bay part of the C-Brat get together in July.
Having worked as a kayaking guide, I realize that there are relatively few good drop-off beaches in many of the areas people want to kayak. Some may look good at higher tides, but rocks lurk unseen below. These guys know which beaches are safe to land, and due to draft and time, can't land other places. I don't know the solution, except to be nice, and help speed them along. I will mention this to the taxi operators I know and make them aware of this problem.
As for the 300 slip harbor planned at the head of the bay, I can't think of a quicker way to ruin what I love about the Sound. I have heard from a good source that the harbor is going to be pouring concrete to fix the ramps this summer. I hope so, because I do agree that they are unsafe, particularly at low tides. As far as the hassle factor, well we used to have to drive the boat on the train to get it through. That was a major hassle, but I sure didn't see all the aluminum skiffs and jet boats, either. There's something to be said for reducing access to those that want to work for it.
Am I pulling up the drawbridge after I cross. Yes, I am. Prince William Sound is a special place and can be exploited easily. We've seen this everywhere else. Why do it to ourselves again? I happily limit my consumption of it's resources, and I know of lots of others that do too. One thing I've seen that bothers me are those that don't. They get as much as they can while they can, and don't care about the implications, all the time hiding behind the excuse, that "little ol' me can't possibly be having that much of an impact".
I've come across several stashes of crab pots hidden on the beaches throughout the Sound. Crabbing is still illegal and those that are doing it are hiding their pots, so they aren't seen with them in the harbors.
We are seeing that fishing charters have to go furthur and further for halibut. Herring and crab still haven't recovered from earlier overfishing and the Exxon spill. Orcas and harbor seals are in serious decline. Let's go easy on this amazing place until we can figure out what is going on. Instead I fear that we'll just do the typical Alaskan solution, looking for yet another construction boom to solve everything.
Joe,
I've known John Smart who owns the charter service for 15 years. He's retired AF like me and runs a really good charter service out of Ninilchik (kind of a competitor to the one I own with another AF retiree). John's a good friend and has a good reputation in the charter business. I'm glad other people think so.
I've known John Smart who owns the charter service for 15 years. He's retired AF like me and runs a really good charter service out of Ninilchik (kind of a competitor to the one I own with another AF retiree). John's a good friend and has a good reputation in the charter business. I'm glad other people think so.