Increasingly Desperate Woman Attempts to Reason With a Wild Alaskan Black Bear Who Won’t Leave Her Kayak Alone

While on a solo kayak trip around Alaska, adventurer Mary Maley did her very best to try to reason with a wild black bear who took an interest in her Delta 15s Seakayak. Armed with pepper spray, the Melton loudly encouraged the bear to come towards her because she didn’t want the bear to “eat her kayak” or “break her things”. The bear just ignored her and continued on with the kayak, despite Melton’s escalating desperation and panic.

I had just carried my tent, food, and all my gear into the cabin to dry while I went on a 4 mile hike that begins just behind the cabin. I heard something outside as I ate my lunch, and well, I never got to go on that hike. This video is taken 5 minutes after the attack began, he continued to gnaw on it for another 5 or 10 after the video ends. Shortly after the bear left and I drug the kayak back to the cabin door step. Then I swam to the S/V anchored in the bay. They did not have their radio on and I feared I would be stranded! The German flagged S/v Caledonia took me and my things to Wrangell where I am trying to repair my kayak now.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.