The Grizzly Man Diaries
Timothy Treadwell's Unseen Journals (7 and 8)
Journals 1 and 2 | Journals 3 and 4 | Journals 5 and 6 | Journals 7 and 8
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Friday, July 27, 2001
(Highlighting Episode 7 of 8)
Later, I visited the camping area where in the previous October I had been blithered by 100 mph winds and four and a half (exactly) inches of rain in a week. I remembered being scared, exhausted, sensitive. I did a video interview with myself (today, present time) reminiscing — not so fondly the storm — and piling up a wooden barrier to protect my life. I realized again how devoted I was to the work and how also I had suffered often.
Back at camp, the fox activity had reached dizzying heights. Banjo, Iris — plus one year olds: Ghost and its sibling Spirit. Ghost and Spirit were so-so-so beautiful. Both cross foxes with sweet but hyper personalities. For the first time I shot with the macro — 100 mm 2.8 Minolta lens. Wow! How foolish of me not to have used before. Clearly for facial portraits — the absolute best lens. Where the 300 mm and 80-200 mm lens's had focus breakdowns when the subject was to close, the macro 100 mm could get entire faces at super close range. It may turn out to be the second most important lens for the entire Expedition. Next to the $4,000.00 — 300 mm 2.8 Minolta IPO.
Soon after at 6:00 p.m. I began moving back to the Raging River Wilderness. It was the easiest, smoothest move. Parked the boat — right out front from the camp... the camp about 150 yards straight back through the scrubby filed woods. I felt deep sadness leaving the foxes and was relived by my decision to return in a week. Only that camp would be in the woods with the fox den pups. Not going to chance a pup straying and dying traveling around my previous camp.
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Tuesday: July 29, 2003
(Highlighting Episode 8 of 8)
I thought a clearing weather trend even borderline heat wave was on its way. However, rain fell overnight, with periods of rain through morning until this writing — 12:00 noon. That was very welcome rain. The navigational channel needed the water to really help the fish. A short sunny streak is still on the horizon — probably later tomorrow — Wednesday, at least Thursday.
Wow! Wow! Wow! One of the most exciting days in my life at the Maze's Back Creek. Popping over the Secret Trail — from camp to the Back Creek Mt. Overlook — I could see several bears = Freckles still ruling, holding up the main area of the Back Creek, then a bear that looked like Downey, two that looked like Emmy and Baby Letterman.
Went down the Mt. Overlook trailside and suddenly Treat with her two twin female yearlings shot by. Treat had already taught the cubs to trust me. However, the Emmy and Baby Letterman bears left never to return for this day. So I'm reasonably sure they are fine but need further proof.
The other bear was 100% Downey! Arguably the closest bear for me in my entire life. Downey did not have cubs. I hoped she would, now in her seventh year, but it was not to be.
Then came the biggest shock of Expedition 2003 ... Quincy was alive! I was sure that he would have not have made it, but Q had defied the odds. Actually he looked quite well.
Quincy moved up the creek from the lake. All the while careful of Freckles. Freckles would chase any competition from the main area of the creek. I stepped to the edge to say hello to Quincy. It was beautiful. Q clearly recognized me and came to within steps of me. Then he moved a bit too close to Freckles, Freckles set out after old Quincy, Quincy chugged back to me and stood just behind me. Freckles stopped. Freckles does not ever take out his aggression on me. Quincy was safe.
All was going well —Freckles had control of the creek, but let all the other bears enjoy some fish. Treat, cubs, Downey and Quincy were all making out fine when all hell broke out ... Demon stamped in — Treat flipped out putting the cubs nearly in my lap. Downey fled, never to be seen again on the day. As I was video taping Treat's family, I heard roaring! Freckles and Demon were in full body contact.
Later a very small run of fish went up the creek about 7:00 p.m. Freckles took the lead and ate all the salmon. Freckles worked comfortably close to me. Then something approached from the lake. Something big and dangerous. Freckles without seeing the bear smelled the air and ran in full gallop, away. This was very telling. Freckles is not afraid of many bears.
The bear that came through looked like Demon — but it wasn't. Who could it have been? He was dark with the long Doberman snout. Demon had sores and a piece of ear missing on his right. This bear was without a trace of scarring. He acted tough, almost vicious, yet did not attempt to bully me directly in any way. The bear weighed upwards of 750 lbs — not as big as Freckles but still a hefty dog. The fact that Freckles was extremely fearful of this bruin was all I needed to know. The bear moved up and down the creek several times then left. I wondered if I would ever see him again.
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