T&T: Bears

[David H Sorenson]

 Once upon a time, several years ago at Stockton, Island, which is a part
of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (i.e. National Park), a momma
bear and cub in tow wandered onto the park dock during the night looking
for a midnight snack. About ten boats were tied up there for the night.
Junior bear smelled something to his liking and crawled onto a docked
cruiser and managed to climb through the open deck hatch above the bow
berth below.

Instant mahem broke out as the sleeping boaters were suddenly wakened
with a furry creature on/in bed with them. (I think Junior said something
like, "Someone has been sleeping in my bed and here they are!" or words
to that effect). Hearing the commotion, mamma bear, unable to fit through
the hatch, tried to come aboard through the aft end of the boat to check
things out. Meanwhile the boaters were trying to exit the aft end of the
boat. Interesting situation. Not sure exactly how things worked
themselves out, but no one got hurt and junior bear managed to get shore
leave. He and mamma wandered back into the woods whence they came.

The National Park Service of course thereupon issued a warning to not
have anything worth eating on boats tied up at their dock. Of course a
basically different group of boats ties up there everynight so that
solved the problem because all the boaters on Lake Superior headed for
Stockton Island immediately got rid of all their groceries.  And, every
one lived happily ever after.