Sunrise Silhouette

As a photographer and avid lover of the outdoors, I have come to appreciate those special mornings and evenings void of torrential downpours and heavy winds. This Kaktovik sunrise was a sweet surprise. The guide had us out early to catch this sunrise. We boated out to a perfect location as the colors illuminated in rich purples and pinks. We waited for a bear. We waited for a while, and I was almost certain I was meant only to enjoy that sunrise as an epic scenery or landscape image or memory in my mind, when the sow with twin two-and-a-half-year-old cubs got up quite a way off in the distance. I sat in the boat, just hoping they would come in the direction of the boat. To my absolute surprise, they did. The next hurdle was the small ridge ahead of me. I needed that bear not only to come towards the boat, but walk at the top part of the little ridge in the island so it could reflect. Two of the three bears walked on the far side of the edge of the small hill, but one beautiful bear showed off for me. It walked on the edge and elongated its neck. Another dream wildlife scenario I appreciate often.