Guest Comments & References

Here are just a few of the many letters we have received:



Dear Clint & Simyra:

Larry and I are still amazed by our wonderful experiences at Hallo Bay Camp. We have returned to reality,
but are still on this vacation in our minds. As professional wildlife biologists and avid wildlife photographers
we do a great deal of traveling with a wildlife-related focus. I believe we can say without reservation that
we have never visited a place as unique and intriguing as Hallo Bay. If there is one perfect word to describe
Hallo Bay and Katmai's bears it is, simply -- Magical. It is truly a magical, moving experience to be on the
ground with such magnificent animals....to be immersed in their world, as neither friend nor foe...just as
part of their landscape....to feel not fear for these legendary animals, but an ultimate respect and a great
deal of privilege that the bears allow us this glimpse of their lives. Magical.

We spent 8 days with you...the weather cooperated spectacularly and we were able to spend the majority
of our stay viewing bears fishing. We were impressed with your camp facility and even more impressed with
the respect and admiration all of you showed for the bears. You run a truly quality operation and you should
all be so proud of what you have and what you have accomplished.

We only urge that you take the opportunity to ensure that the world has a way of knowing about this and remembering the things you have accomplished at Hallo Bay. It is a trick, we know to do this, without
sacrificing the treasure you have...without bringing too much interest and too many people and ultimately destroying what you cherish. But it is important that the world knows that such magical places can still exist
and that humans can commune with wildlife in a respectful, relatively safe way. It is important, we believe,
for the future of the coastal brown bear. So, please take the time to record the things you are doing and the
things you see in a manner that others can learn and can remember, so that Katmai's bears can continue to
be a treasured, protected resource into the future. There are so many references and reports regarding the dangers of bears....it is most important to counteract that with the success stories...people need to respect
and cherish bears, not fear them....your operation can help the public do just that.

Our warmest regards and with thanks for the memories you have given us,
Laura Romin & Larry Dalton



Dear Clint & Simyra:

"Hallo Bay" was positively extraordinary! It proved to be a singular life experience for me for the entirely unhandled, natural, and relaxed atmosphere afforded both human beings and wildlife where we coexisted
within an environment of mutual respect. It was hard to leave such a place, and it was harder still to transition once back in Connecticut. I have continued to feel detached and unable to concentrate or control my thoughts which ever linger in that sacred placed where I now know I left my heart. Footprints are the pilgrims that herald the journey, their presence forever etched in the beaches of time. Trails lead. En masse, we follow. It is one
drum beat that signals the way. It is one purpose that parts the tall green grasses that bend to the light.

All about, logs lay scattered, these the fallen crusaders, the legends of holy wars, bleached silver and white in
the sun. It is all of these things that have filled my senses with a life force that is both ageless and natural;
a life force that beckons and calls me back to the wild side of myself. And yes, unbeknownst to me, I have
travelled here to "Hallo Bay" to give myself back to nature, back to the wild, back to it all from whence I came.
I have returned to the arms of the wind, the sun, the sky, the sand, the water. I have walked, I have crouched,
I have stood open and without fear in footprionts that are ageless, my nostrils flared wide, my eyes wide open, and that enormous heart within, too full to be contained, in the presence, the majesty, the mysticism, and my indomitable reverence for the Bears.

Yours,
Janice Cashell




Dear Hallo Bay:

Things have been hectic since we returned to civilization (if that's what it is), but Anne and I want to thank
you so much for our marvelous trip to Hallo Bay. You have done a great job in building a camp that has
some amenities for those of us a little long in the tooth, and yet it still feels like an outdoor experience.
We particularly enjoyed the nice weather. I understand it changed after we left.

Some of Anne's pictures turned out really well. She is putting some on the internet. Please feel free to
use our names as references. Thanks for the bears and conservation.

Cordially,
Bill Avery



Dear Simyra, Clint and Hallo Bay Staff,

On the morning of Sept. 4th we were to leave for our Katmai Bear Viewing Tour which we had previously
booked but due to inclement weather we were unable to fly out at the scheduled time.  Fortunately for
us the weather had improved and we were able to fly out that afternoon. First we would like to start off
by thanking our pilot "Jimmy" from Homer Air for being so very personable as well as professional and
making the flight to Katmai and back to Homer as comfortable and safe as possible.

Our thanks go out to you Simyra and Hallo Bay for providing us with the opportunity to view and photograph
these bears up close for three hours in their natural environment. This was an experience of a lifetime, one
that many people never have the chance to do and we will never forget it!

Thanks again,
Ms. Dyle Warren and MaryJane Adams
Sachse, Tx

Dear Hallo Bay:

I agreed wholeheartedly with your "too many people, all in too big a hurry" about life in the lower 48. I envy
the lifestyle you have chosen. "Hallo Bay Wilderness Camp rewarded my wife and me the Alaskan Adventure
I'd always dreamed of: Incredible Natural Beauty everywhere we looked, Magnificent Sunrises, wonderful opportunities to observe the Bears, Eagles, Foxes & Harbor Seals who share their world with HBWC every summer... A knowledgeable, safety conscious & extremely hospitable Host & Staff... Comfortable quarters, clean/safe drinking water, and all the hot shower water one could ever want... No Crowds, No Noise, no one
to be seen except our camp mates, No Telephones or TVs... Incredible Peace & Quiet... Periods of complete Relaxation and the most Restful Sleep I've experienced in years... The absolute best salmon dinner I've ever
locked a lip on... And to top it all off, 6 New Friends with whom we shared our Alaskan Adventure! WE'LL GO
BACK TO HBWC!!!

Tommy Aishman
Houston, TX




Dear Clint and the Hallo Bay staff,

Our trip to Hallo Bay was part of our honeymoon in Alaska, and I can't count the number of times we've
looked back over our dozens of wonderful photos of bears and scenery and thought about what a fabulous experience it was. I've traveled to Alaska many times and can say that the experience at Hallo Bay is truly
unique. Alaska is dotted with lodges offering a look at the outdoors for people who want to see some wildlife under carefully chaperoned conditions, preferably without getting their feet muddy or being late for dinner.
Hallo Bay is a completely different class. Hallo Bay is a place where independent travelers will see brown
bears and other Alaskan wildlife in their natural habitat, not from viewing platforms or vehicles, but by living
in the midst of their habitat with knowledgeable guides. Accommodations at Hallo Bay are clean, comfortable,
and pleasant but prospective visitors should note that the name is Hallo Bay Camp, not Hallo Bay Cruise Ship
or Hallo Bay Hotel. It is an outdoor experience and perhaps of the best of its kind available in Alaska. We're
looking forward to a return.

Bill Dummitt and Bev Frazier
St. Louis, MO




Dear Hallo Bay:

A little boys dream. Wanting to see bears. Participate in the Mc Neil lottery (I've been told and it's all over
National Geographic Channel: The place to be). I know my math, with a slim chance to win. Looking for an alternative. I hate camping. End up at the Hallo Bay Camp. Never heard of, never seen, 8000 miles from
home. This is where the true adventure starts. I try to orchestrate things through the Internet, (it's there,
so why not use it) but I'm still a bit unsure about how those Americans go about their business. After all,
there's a lot of money involved (hey, we're Dutch). Finally we arrive in Homer, near dead and jet lagged,
and my planning pays off. We're a few days early, the weather is fine, so there is plenty of time to relax.
Then the moment comes, away to Hallo Bay. After a stunningly scenic flight we arrive at the beach near
the camp. A warm welcome from everyone there and then the camp staff shows us around the camp.
From the moment we arrived I never had the feeling we were on a holiday. It felt like home immediately.
After settling in the camp it's off to the bears. Now this is, for the average Dutchman, never seen. The only
way we can see bears is in the zoo. This is something completely different. The scenery, clean rivers, eagles,
otters, bears, mountains, it's all there. In a short period of time you forget your daily rhythm, start living with
the tide and never want to leave again. Looking back, I think Hallo Bay is probably a better deal than the
Mc Neil River Camp. It is more versatile and definitely more luxurious especially for someone who doesn't like camping. I never had the idea I slept in a tent anyway.

Jan van Rijsewijk and Hennie Meydam
Gorinchem, The Netherlands




Dear Hallo Bay:

My husband and I have been to bear camp twice. We are from the Washington, DC metro area where few
have any idea of what a bear camp could be. We must explain that it is a very comfortable camp on the coast
of southwest Alaska that happens to be home to some of the largest brown bears in the world. Inevitably,
I am asked what is between us and the bears. Sedge grass I say. You are crazy they say.

We aren't crazy. The craziest thing about our lives is the excess crowding and consumerism of modern, urban
life. Bear camp is the sane getaway. Each trip we saw about 18 individual bears, some many times. Saw is
too passive a word, we spent hours watching them. We also watched numerous eagles, moose, an elusive
wolf, fox, sea otters, and lots of small shore birds. The most famous bear is Nancy. She allowed us to watch
her nap with her cubs, dig clams with her cubs, and stroll the beach with them. The second year we were
there, her two cubs, now four years old, were on their own. They put on a nice display for us, the female
cub, Lucille, just can't get in enough trouble.

Our times in Alaska are among the happiest in our lives. Clint, the proprietor, welcomes people there that will respect and enjoy the fabulous natural experience this setting provides. One thing we know for sure--we'll be back.

Larry and Enid Wood

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