SUNDAY 25 MAY, 12pm
Alaska. Land of the Midnight Sun, and at this time of year, there's only about four hours of twilight - night - meaning that Mother Nature, can play tricks with your bodily clock.
Survivorman decides to demonstrate survival by sea kayak in an ocean bay called Taroka Arm, meaning black bear. At this time of year, the salmon are active and are one of the black bear's favorite foods. Black bear and grizzlies that live in this area are among the largest in the world and gorge themselves on the silver salmon during this period.
The bay is flanked by snow-capped mountains on all sides with spectacular waterfalls and glaciers that are actively calving into the ocean, leaving chunks of ice floating around. A beautiful sight but one that can be deceivingly dangerous should you get too close. This coastline has the second highest tides in the world, second only to the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Canada. Cobblestone is the bed of choice along this stretch but Les has a shelter built of flotsam combed from the beach as first act of business.
Second is fire, for without fire, he could very easily succumb to hypothermia in the drizzle and day-long rains this time of year, not to mention helping to keep the ever-present blackfies at bay. Using a fire piston, he shortly has a roaring fire. Suddenly, it's a dash to save the shelter, for the warmth has lulled him into a false sense of security and it's on fire! Just goes to show that even the Survivorman needs to stay alert to ever present dangers.
Food is the next order of business and Les lucks out in a tidal bay full of sea lettuce, bladderwrack, goosetongue and wild celery. However, caution needs to be exercised because bear-tracks and scat are everywhere, reminding him of the ever-present bears. Encouraged by this find, he uses the primitive method of flint knapping to make a hook and untwists some round rope for a thinner line. He makes an outrigger for his kayak in preparation for catching "the big one," and sets out.
