Great Bear Rainforest Read Online Free PDF Page A

forest and all of its inhabitants as well as anybody.”
    “That’s wonderful,” my mom said and pulled Captain Colin into the hallway to discuss the matter in private and make sure he hadn’t completely lost his mind.
    My mother needed to be totally convinced that Alu knew what she was doing and I can’t blame her. I mean, I wasn’t thrilled about a fifteen-year-old leading us into grizzly territory either. I wanted the big, burly, bearded guy I described earlier.
    As we stood around waiting for the whole thing to be sorted out, I felt like I needed to say something just to break the awkward silence.
    “Nda wila waalu?” I asked Alu.
    A beautiful smile came over her face.
    “Aam wila waalu,” she said. “Very impressive. It is not often that I can speak Gitga’tt with anyone outside my tribe. How much of our language do you know?”
    “Unfortunately, that’s about it. I learned it from a book I found on the boat last night.”
    My mom returned to the galley. Whatever Captain Colin had said completely settled her down.
    “I’m sorry,” she said and shook Alu’s hand. “I’m Patti and these are my sons Gannon and Wyatt. We’re very excited to be here and honored to have you as our guide.”
    “It is a pleasure to meet you,” Alu said. “When all is said and done, you will leave the Great Bear Rainforest having had a magical experience. This I promise.”
    Just then, my dad walked into the galley.
    “Dad,” Wyatt said with a smirk, “meet our bear guide, Alu.”
    My dad, too, laughed aloud, and we went through the whole embarrassing routine one more time.
    With her light-brown complexion, dark, piercing eyes and long, flowing, black hair, Alu kind of reminds me of a young Pocahontas. She’s a member of the First Nation people, which are the indigenous people of Canada. As for her name, Alu told me it means a clear night when the moon is full and illuminates its path with a golden light. On such nights, travelers are promised safe passage and people gathering food on the shore can see.
    Wow, I wish my name meant something cool like that!
    Anyway, I’m still amazed that my parents decided to keep Alu as our guide. I mean, the ugly, Sasquatch-looking bear guide I imagined would tie a grizzly in a knot and drop kick him into the river. He’d fight off a hungry pack of wolves with a spear he’d carved with his own hands. Alu, on the other hand, well, she’s this little petite teenager without any weapons. What’s she going to do if we’re attacked?
    I guess I just have to hope we never find out.
WYATT
    1:39 PM
    More than once I could have sworn I saw something moving in the bushes, just up from the bank. Each time I get my camera ready, hold my breath, and wait. But, if there are bears nearby, they always wander deeper into the forest, away from the stream.
    Before trekking into the forest, Alu explained to us what we should do if we encounter a bear. What I didn’t realize is that there are different strategies for black bears, which we have at home in Colorado, versus grizzly bears.
    “If we see a black bear that’s grinding its teeth or shaking its head back and forth,” she said, “that’s a sign that it’s aggravated and may become aggressive. In this case, we’ll want to stand up tall, hold our arms in the air, and make lots of noise. We want to appear as big and menacing as possible. This should discourage a black bear from attacking.
    “If we encounter a grizzly, crouch down and avoid making eye contact. Stay perfectly still and don’t make any noise. A grizzly is not likely to back down from a challenge.”
    “Most important in either case is to stay calm. Bears, especially grizzlies, can sense tension. If they feel they’re being threatened they’ll become defensive and that’s when they are likely to attack. If we appear harmless, they will know. They are very intelligent animals.”
    “What if a bear charges us?” my mom asked.
    Alu thought for a moment, as if replaying an