When the River Rings the Dinner Bell

When the River Rings the Dinner Bell

Keough River, Port Hardy, British Columbia

There are wildlife encounters you plan for, and then there are those rare moments when nature seems to quietly arrange everything for you.

At the mouth of the Keough River near Port Hardy, B.C., there is a unique little stretch of river that completely transforms with the tide. You have to arrive at just the right time as the tide is making its way out, and slowly, a small waterfall begins to appear.

And with it come the bears.

The falling water creates the perfect place for salmon to gather and push their way upstream, and somehow the bears seem to know exactly when it is going to happen. It was almost as if someone had rung a dinner bell through the forest.

During our visit, four bears appeared to take advantage of the feast.

Watching them arrive one after another was magical. Each bear seemed to know why it was there, positioning itself along the river and waiting for an opportunity to grab a salmon from the rushing water.

For a wildlife photographer, these are the moments you hope for, not simply because there are animals in front of your camera, but because you get to witness a natural behaviour unfolding exactly as it has for generations.

The tide, the salmon and the bears were all connected.

For a short window of time, everything lined up perfectly.

Four bears. A small waterfall. Salmon moving through the river.

And the feeling that we had been lucky enough to arrive just as nature rang the dinner bell.