Wow! It’s already early July, and I see I forgot to write a mid-winter post. I guess I’m too late for a winter or a spring post. As our summer season quickly approaches, though, I’m excited to get out on our boat to see bears and watch whales, sea otters, seals, and other wildlife. Most importantly, I can’t wait to meet new folks and hug old friends.
I know many of our guests who are preparing to visit Munsey’s Bear Camp this summer will read this post, so I’m writing this with you in mind. First of all, to answer the most-asked question by our returning guests, YES, Mary will be back again this summer! Mary is our excellent chef and so much more, and all our guests adore and admire her. I think Mike and I could take the summer off, and no one would notice as long as Mary was here. As a bonus, Mary’s sister, Abby, will also be back for her second summer with us, so I can promise the dynamic Schwarzhans sisters!
I can never promise beautiful weather on Kodiak Island, but our weather so far this summer has been incredible. We’ve had nearly two weeks of warm, sunny weather with temperatures in the 70s. If you are planning to visit us this summer, though, don’t expect warm, sunny weather. Please remember your rain gear – both a raincoat and rain pants. Also, I always wear a jacket on our boat, and fleece is light to pack, keeps you warm, and dries quickly. At the end of your stay at our lodge, I hope you say to me, “It was sunny every day, I don’t know why you told me to bring rain gear!”
On the wildlife front, we had a mild winter, so the deer look great. Bears are, of course, out and about, and we’ve seen whales in the bay the last few weeks. Mike and I have been working on the boat and the lodge, and we haven’t had time to watch wildlife or fish, but we are very optimistic it will be a good summer for both. I’ll write another post in a few weeks with more specific information about what we’ve been seeing and catching.
Mike and I both have been busy around the lodge painting, fixing, building, cleaning, and planting. With this wonderful weather, we’ve finished our planned outdoor projects and started new ones. I am ready to stop working and get out on the boat and have fun.
I just sent my latest novel, Karluk Bones, to my publisher, and it should be available later this summer. I also recently started a podcast titled Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, so click on the link to listen. To read more posts about Kodiak wildlife, visit my blog at http://robinbarefield.com/blog.
If you are planning to visit us this summer, we will see you soon! If you have any last-minute questions, don’t hesitate to e-mail us. Please e-mail us If you are on a special diet or have food allergies. We order our groceries from town, so we need to know about dietary issues in advance.
I think I say this in every post, but it bears (pun intended) repeating. Our lodge is small, and our goal is to make your stay with us the best vacation adventure or your life. I won’t speak for myself, but Mike, Mary, and Abby are amazing, and we will all go out of our way to make your stay comfortable and fun.
Have a safe trip to Kodiak Island, and if you aren’t planning to visit us this summer but hope to in the near future, you need to make your reservations soon! We book up nearly a year in advance.
Robin