by Steve Selden | Jul 18, 2017 | Churchill Photography
Four pretty cool photos from Nunavut. These northern pics capture the incredible light of the northern region. The stark vastness of the landscape and the solitude evoked from the photographs is striking and soothing for those in a hectic environment. There’s no place like the far north to escape the frenetic pace of the modern technological world. Churchill is the frontier town and gateway to the awesome north country!
Arviat sunrise over the water. Frank Eeyeekee photo.
Magnificent Pond Inlet vista. Reepa Tagak photo.
Kimmirut, located on the shore of Hudson Strait on Baffin Island’s Meta Incognita Peninsula. Michael Shoaty photo.
Snowy Owl chicks in Iqualuit. Fred Lemire photo.
by Steve Selden | Jul 17, 2017 | Churchill News
Sea North Tours operates fantastic beluga whale watching trips on the Churchill River and Hudson Bay for groups like Natural Habitat Adventures. Their small group format allows travelers to get up close and personal with the belugas and other wildlife. The Sea North 2 carries 30 or so passengers and gives photographers a different vantage point from above the water while the Italian – made zodiacs can approach the whales within touching distance. Belugas enjoy following the slipstream from the zodiac’s outboard motor and sometimes three or four at a time troll behind in the bubbly wake. Every day on the water in Churchill is a different experience. Stay tuned for more unique wildlife photos from Sea North Tours!
Beluga underwater in the Churchill River. Sea North Tours photo.
Beluga whales at the bow in Churchill on the water. Sea North Tours photo.
The Sea North 2 watching a pod of beluga whales on the Hudson Bay. Sea North Tours photo.
Sea North Tours zodiac on the Churchill River by the Port of Churchill. Sea North Tours photo.
by Steve Selden | Jul 16, 2017 | Churchill Photography
People have moved to certain regions just to get a license plate from that place. Would you move to Nunavut to get one of these? Let us know? Gasoline prices might be a factor in that decision! Churchill prices have been near $10/gallon at times.
by Steve Selden | Jul 14, 2017 | Churchill News
Polar bear season in officially begins in October though recent Churchill summers have seen increased numbers in polar bear activity…or “inactivity” as polar bears at this time of year are pretty lethargic in nature. This family of three polar bears was spotted by Churchill local photographer and guide Alex De Vries – Magnifico yesterday while fighting off some pesky bulldog flies. These insects last for about two weeks and then are gone. Sometimes they are chased away inexplicably by a thunder storm.
Unofficially these are the first photos of polar bears in the area since last polar bear season in Churchill this past November. These bears are looking very healthy and ready to withstand the summer and early fall prior to the pack ice forming on the Hudson Bay. This is a good sign for the polar bears of the region!
by Steve Selden | Jul 13, 2017 | Churchill News
We hope you all enjoy our first guest blog report from Churchill and Natural Habitat Adventures guide Moira Le Patourel. Her group of travelers experienced a classic and exciting week in Churchill and the photos and report below give a feel of the adventure experienced!
“The first trip of the
summer is always an exciting one in Churchill. Vast Ice floes are visible out in the bay, seemingly close to shore, but just slightly too far away to use the spotting scope to search for polar bears still out on the ice. Bears had already been spotted close to town and our first group of the summer was lucky enough to spot a resting polar bear on the beach, while out on the tundra on their first evening in Churchill.
Things were in full bloom on the tundra in a spectacular array of colours; snow-white from the White Mountain Avens, with their buttercup-yellow center, a carpet of brilliant green from the Sea Purslane, and a vibrant mat of magenta from the Purple Hedysarum. It was certainly a feast for the eyes!
Sea pursalane inhabits the beach areas in Churchill. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Beluga sightings were excellent throughout the trip, with several young calves spotted swimming with their mothers. During our final morning on the zodiacs, the river was all a-splash with beluga activity – pods of feeding-frenzied belugas, young and old, cavorted around the boats in pursuit of their fast-moving prey – capelin. Arctic terns plummeted into the water from the surface, with the white whales pushing the capelin up from below. Quite the sight to behold!
Beluga whales in the Churchill River with excited Nat Hab travelers. Moira Le Patourel photo.
A visit with local sled dogs and their owner was an interesting way for our visitors to learn about what life is like for a musher and his team in the remote sub-
Arctic town of Churchill. With the train to Churchill not running at the moment, the logistics have become more complicated over the past month, and the cost of living has significantly gone up for the residents of Churchill. Our group learned about what those changes meant for mushers and dog teams in the area.
Churchill sled dogs are alaways a popular attraction. Moira Le Patourel photo.
Walks in both tundra and taiga habitat allowed us to spot many different bird species; some of the favourites were nesting/dive-bombing Arctic terns, red-necked phalaropes, lesser yellowlegs, Pacific loons and tundra swans with young.
Churchill certainly is the place to be in the summer, especially for those visitors in search of feathered friends. Many guests on this trip were able to add several species to their life lists.
Many laughs, smiles, hugs and songs (you can’t leave without singing Baby Beluga at least once!) were shared by all for our first adventure in Churchill this summer. Looking forward to what the coming days will bring!”
by Steve Selden | Jul 12, 2017 | Videos
Enjoy this awesome short video from National Geographic with interesting facts about majestic Beluga Whales and their environment. Churchill Summer travelers are currently experiencing these magnificent animals right now in the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. We will be posting updates, photos and videos from Churchill periodically as the summer progresses. Stay tuned for all the exciting news from the “beluga capital of the world”!
