Re: [Paddlewise] Bears' Swimming Speed

From: Doug Lloyd <dalloyd_at_telus.net>
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 23:53:18 -0700
Jochen said:
>Slow? I never read on their swimming speed, but all films I saw where Polar
Bears swim around, the seem to be quite slow. Much slower than 6mph. I donīt
think 6mph could be truth. What I know, Polar Bears are or could be extreme
durable swimmers, up to or over 300 nm in open sea are reported.<

No, no. Roto-molded Polar Bears are durable. :-)

Anyway, I think in was Victoria Jason's account in Kabloona in a Yellow
Kayak that gave a rather animated account of Polar Bear swimming speeds (as
in they were chased as fast as they could paddle if I remember correctly,
until currents or something helped fend them off from the Ursus maritimus).
That would be considerened a definite anecdotal account.

As for the grizzly on Vancouver Island, if you added say 4 knots to the
possible 14 knots out of one of the tidal rapids from the mainland inlets,
that's 18 knots. Or was that 18kph, or? Okay, let's get a GPS on that
wayward Ursus! :-)

Doug Lloyd
Victoria BC



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Received on Tue Aug 12 2003 - 23:53:39 PDT

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