Traveling to Churchill evokes images of pristine white polar bears. This “white” fur blends in with snow and ice to camouflage the animal, not from predators, though more so from prey, such as seals. The black also acts as a receptor for heat absorption from sunlight.
Polar bear with blackish tongue. Natural Habitat Adventures photo.
Each polar bear hair is hollow in core, pigment-free and transparent that scatters and reflects sun-light. The same principle happens with ice and snow.
Just after the molting season in spring and early summer, polar bears appear most white since they are cleanest then. During the seal hunting season out on the Hudson Bay, polar bears absorb oils from the seals and appear yellow in color.
Underneath this thick “white” fur is a black skin layer with four and a half inches of fat below that.
Polar bear skin is black underneath the transparent guard hairs. Brad Josephs photo.
When a polar bear is on land or on the sea ice surface the thick fur coat is what insulates the bear from the cold. However, when polar bears are swimming in water, the thick fat layer is what protects them from the frigid cold. Wet fur is not a good insulator and for this reason mother polar bears tend to keep their cubs out of the water as much as possible. The young bears have not built up the protective fat layer yet. Their fur however is enough to survive the cool spring temperatures.
Mother polar bears avoid having their cubs swim in the ocean until they have the fat reserves to protect them. Jonathan Hayward photo.
Another unique characteristic that allows polar bears to keep warm and exude a whitish glow is luminescence. The insides of these transparent guard hairs have tiny bumps that scatter light and create a greater surface for the light across the animals body. The outside of the hairs also collect salt particles from the ocean and act in the same way to refract or scatter the light. Both of these processes cause an overall glow of white in appearance.
The Hudson Bay Quest’s mushing roster has been trimmed down to 14 as the race draws nearer. Al Hardman has withdrawn his entry and Elizabeth Graves, after just qualifying in the John Beargrease Marathon in Two Harbors, MN, also had a change in plans and cannot attend. The Hudson Bay Quest starts in Gillam, MB this year on March 13th. Churchill, shrouded in snow with aurora borealis overhead ,will welcome mushers over the ensuing few days.
Churchill musher Charlie Lundie and his dog team. Steve Selden photo.
Al ran in the 2000 Iditarod and finished 37th. He then placed 21st in the 2002 Iditarod. In 2004 a virus struck his dog team on the first half of the race though he was able to nurse them to the finish in 59th place. Al is a retired CEO of his own company Hardman Construction in Michigan.
Elizabeth, a musher from Ely, MN, competed in the mid-distance leg of the Beargrease which is the longest sled dog marathon in the lower 48 states at nearly 400 miles. She was able to qualify for the Hudson Bay Quest through her efforts in the Beargrease.
Start of the 2014 Hudson Bay Quest in Churchill, Manitoba. Brad Josephs photo.
Hudson Bay Quest entrant Ryan Anderson won the Beargrease race edging out three time champion Nathan Schroeder by 28 minutes. Anderson also beat Schroeder to the finish line in 2011 by just 20 seconds.
Snowfall in Churchill piling up. Hudson Bay Quest photo.
The OFFICIAL 2015 HBQ race roster is as follows:
1.) Martin Massicotte
2.) Dan DiMuzio
3.) Dave Daley
4.) Justin Allen
5.) Tom Terry
6.) Peter McClelland
7.) Jesse Terry
8.) Jennifer Freking
9.) Charlie Lundie
10.) Blake Freking
11.) Denis Tremblay
12.) Ryan Anderson
13.) Shawn McCarty
14.) Leonard McPherson
Churchill’s summer is just around the corner….well, not really but it’s nice to think about on these frigid days and nights. With the temperatures averaging around -30 C for the next 10 days according to Environment Canada, thoughts of an Arctic summer in Churchill are almost like daydreaming of the Caribbean. Almost. Here are five good reasons to dream of summer in Churchill:
Beluga looking curiously up from the Churchill River. Steve Selden photo.
1.- Beluga Whales- Whether arriving by plane, train or ship, most summer travelers to Churchill come for the beluga whales. A few days out on the water, in and out of whale pods, can release any kind of stress from daily life. Add in the coarse summer fog and cool breezes blowing in across the Hudson Bay, and you have a unique wonderland evoking a feeling of transcendence from the modern technologically saturated world.
2.- Polar Bear Dip- Not talking about something you might find at Gypsy’s Deli in town…although it might be more enjoyable do jump into a vat of your favorite chip-dip then immersing yourself in the Hudson Bay in July. Canada Day falls on July 1st and the weekend closest to the date is filled with fun activities around the town of Churchill. One of the looniest, angst-packed endeavors is the annual Polar Bear Dip behind the town complex in the Hudson Bay. “Fun” might be an odd description for jumping and running into water around 40F or lower. Most legs turn to wood before ten seconds elapse and then the real fun begins. Watching people struggle to get back on shore after running out to a flag-line and back is great entertainment. This is a must try event if you happen to travel to Churchill in summertime.
3.- Ghost Town- Summer in Churchill gives you a chance to really feel the frontier lifestyle with considerably less fellow travelers. The majority of people see Churchill in October and November, which in its own right is amazing….though different. However, the weather during this time limits one’s ability to grasp the full feeling of living on the edge of the Earth. Getting out on the land and water to experience the full circle of life fills in gaps left from seeing mainly polar bears.
Churchill wildflowers on the tundra. Steve Selden Photo.
4.- Wildflowers- The diversity of flora in Churchill is the main reason I loved guiding the Arctic Summer groups. Hiking along tundra trails flooded with wildflowers, berry plants and orchids was a never ending adventure and classroom of biodiversity. Getting down and viewing the plants up close unveils a magical world that exists only a few short months. Each plant has a unique story of survival and propensity to propagate in opportunistic ways.
Dene elder Caroline Bjorklund giving a cultural talk. Steve Selden photo.
5.- Meeting Churchillians- When less travelers are in Churchill, businesses and the people in town have more time on their hands. This is the “normal” lifestyle locals are accustomed to and are more apt to take time to share stories about their lives in the north. After all, this is what “tundra time” is all about!
The Hudson Bay Quest starts in Gillam, MB on March 13, 2015 and finishes in Churchill, MB. As we move closer, the race roster has seen another adjustment. Musher Normand Casavant has needed to withdraw. Keep watching for more updates as we draw closer.
Start of the 2014 Hudson Bay Quest. Joseph Lin photo.
The updated OFFICIAL 2015 HBQ race roster is as follows:
1.) Martin Massicotte
2.) Dan DiMuzio
3.) Dave Daley
4.) Justin Allen
5.) Tom Terry
6.) Peter McClelland
7.) Jesse Terry
8.) Jennifer Freking
9.) Charlie Lundie
10.) Blake Freking
11.) Denis Tremblay
12.) Ryan Anderson
13.) Shawn McCarty
14.) Leonard McPherson
15.) Al Hardman
This official list has been reviewed by the Race Marshall and the racer’s qualifications have been evaluated. This list reflects the order of registration, and will be used for the bib draw. Welcome to the 2015 HBQ!
Originally from Quebec and now based in Whitehorse, YT, Normand Casavant was a fan favorite on the Yukon Quest in 2009. He feels his mantra of remaining calm and optimistic transfers positive waves between him and his dogs. This transcendence brings him closer to achieving his goals. We wish him the best and hope to see him back in Churchill next year!
It’s hard to believe that Canada’s newest territory is almost 16 years old. April 1, 1999 was the official date Nunavut separated from the Northwest Territories. Comprising a major portion of Northern Canada as well as most of the islands in the Arctic region, Nunavut is the fifth – largest country sub division in the world. Nunavut borders with Manitoba and the waters of the Hudson Bay are included in its borders.
The capital is Iqaluit, formerly Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island. Other major communities include the regional centers of Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay. In the far north, Nunavut also includes Ellesmere Island as well as the eastern and southern portions of Victoria Island in the west as well as Akimiski Island in James Bay in the far south. It is the only region of Canada that is not connected to the rest of North America by highway.
The youngest territory is the least populous though largest in overall area of all the provinces and territories of Canada. With a mostly Inuit population of nearly 32,000, Nunavut is a sparsely settled region about the size of Western Europe. Alert, the northernmost inhabited place in the world, is also a part of Nunavut.
The territory of Nunavut. Vabmanagement.com. image.
The territory includes all of the islands in Hudson Bay, James Bay and Ungava Bay. If Nunavut were a country, it would rank 15th in area. The population density is 0.015 persons per square kilometer, one of the lowest in the world. Greenland has approximately the same area and nearly twice the population. Nunavut’s highest point is Barbeau Peak (2,616 m (8,583 ft)) on Ellesmere Island.
Nunavut’s coat of arms. Image courtesy of assembly.nu.ca
Since the 1976 initial proposal by the 82 % Inuit population of Nunavut, the long journey to the current territorial status was delayed by disputes over land claims. So, after 23 years, the territory was born. It seems slightly odd that a native territory took that long to emerge as such. The name “Nunavut” is derived from the Inuit word for “our land”.
Port of Churchill in the siege of winter. Steve Selden photo.
With the Port of Churchill processing over 600,000 tonnes of grain last year, the stability of the industry in Churchill has stabilized.
This has alleviated the need to a degree for Omnitrax Canada, owner of the port and Hudson Bay rail line, to continue to press for crude oil shipment by rail to Churchill and subsequent shipping through the port and Hudson Bay.
Environmental activists and farmers have praised Omnitrax for the decision to shelve shipping the oil at this time.
Eric Reder, The Wilderness Committee’s Manitoba campaign director, organized a year-long campaign including town hall meetings in Winnipeg, Thompson and Churchill and solicited over 4,000 protest letters mailed to the provincial and federal governments. The campaign was aimed at raising awareness thus facilitating pressure for the authorities to intervene and prevent Omnitrax from continuing the venture into transporting and shipping oil.
From the start, anyone familiar with the rail-line north from The Pas, knows of the calamity of grain – car derailments over the past decade. It seems irresponsible for any company failing to address those issues first then research and evaluate an emergency recovery plan for derailment of oil cars as well as shipping such a commodity on the pristine Hudson Bay.
“What we were asking of Omnitrax was to find any other product to ship other than crude oil, because every other product than this specific one is easier to clean up,” Reder said. “People from around the world voiced their objection… we are all relieved.”
Churchill Democratic Member of Parliment (MP) Niki Ashton had a fervent opinion on the issue. “Omnitrax has a lead role to play and I hope they continue to do that and support and respect the livelihoods of northerners”, stated Ashton.
“People didn’t feel safe, not only for the environmental conditions but because the emergency measures aren’t in place at all. Northerners and First Nations leaders spoke out loud and clear… although Omnitrax may not acknowledge that overtly.”
The Wilderness Committee also presented strong anti-shipping points to engaged people and the government. For some of the remote communities along the rail line, this single railway is their only access to the outside world – and to each other. How can oil spill response equipment be transported into these communities, when the only rail line has an accident on it? How do you evacuate people when there is no road into these communities? How do we safeguard the population, the wildlife, and the lands and waters that provide for them, when the only access – the rail line – is blocked by a train derailment?
Port of Churchill with grain ships dockside. Port of Churchill photo.
Suspending crude-oil shipments to Churchill indefinitely was a logical business decision considering the record-breaking success of grain shipments in recent years.
“Having reviewed all of our opportunities and the things we’d like to do, we decided it wasn’t necessary or in our best interests to pursue shipping oil any further,” Stated Omnitrax Canada President Merv Tweed. “I’m convinced that within the next couple of years we’ll hit the million-tonne mark.
Grain vessel awaits docking at the Port of Churchill. Steve Selden photo.
However, the grain market has fluctuated this last decade leading to the break-up of the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly with the Port of Churchill. With this history there’s no telling whether soaring grain shipment tonnage will permanently quell Omnitrax’s long term aspirations to ship crude oil through the Port of Churchill. News releases from the company have framed the current status as “suspended”.
