I climbed aboard a Promech Air floatplane for a bird's eye view of Ketchikan, AK and its surrounding Alaskan wilderness on my way to bear viewing in Neets Bay – one of the finest bear stands in Southeast Alaska. Neets Bay is about 40 miles north of Ketchikan. After disembarking from the floatplane, a naturalist guide, Puc, lead a few of us on a short hike down a quarter of a mile wilderness road. Along the way, Puc described details about black bear habitats, seasonal behavior of black bears and the life-cycle of the Alaska salmon, their favorite meal. We were lucky to see five (5) black bears for up-close observation, and a youngster resting in a tree, photographing all of them while surrounded by the beautiful wilderness of the Tongass National Forest. We also saw eagles, mink, and plenty of waterfowl. In spite of the rain, it was a great day for wildlife watching!