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!
Natural Habitat guide Stephanie Fernandez has had a busy Arctic summer in Churchill. These recent photos portray an amazing July and August full of wildlife, wildflowers and tundra life. The next couple of weeks will show a subtle transition toward fall as the land begins to paint itself in more earthen colors signaling the onset of the wild winter ahead. Nothing matches the liveliness of Churchill in summertime….a naturalists and explorers dreamworld!
Sow and cub resting peacefully on the precambrian shield. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Natural Habitat travelers on the beach facing the Hudson Bay. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Churchill River weir observation tower. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Cross fox on glacial till along the beach. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
A Natural Habitat traveler tries her hand at driving the polar rover. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Sunset over the Hudson Bay. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Rare photo of a polar bear swimming. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
A beluga attracted to the bubbles and vibration of the zodiac motor. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Belugas at the back of the zodiac. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Arctic wildflowers with precambrian shield lying beyond. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
The beluga’s melon is used for echolocation. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
Natural Habitat’s first Churchill Arctic Summer group enjoyed an amazing week of flora, whales, birds and even five polar bears! An incredible feast of wildlife and wildflowers to start the summer.
Here’s the bird list..Bonnie Chartier would be proud…
White-crowned sparrow with lunch. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
The five polar bears for July is quite a bounty. Here’s what Natural Habitat guide Stephanie Fernandez came across with her travelers. An adult male, A sow with two yearlings out at Eskimo Point and a snow white sow and cub out near halfway point while the group was on their polar rover excursion.
Sow and yearlings (coy’s) in the rocks off Eskimo Point. Stephanie Fernandez photo.
The colors of summer in Churchill are not in the sky but on the ground in the form of wildflowers. A continuous cycle of color explodes throughout the short growth season and then morphs into the earthen colors preceding fall. Life of the earth.
Kelsey Boulevard in Churchill. Katie DeMeulles photo.
A spring snowstorm cancelled flights into Churchill today and that coupled with suspended train service due to a recent grain train derailment has isolated Churchill. For many up north, that’s the way they like it. Birding season is here though it will have to wait a bit. Natural Habitat’s first Arctic summer trip is only a month away….crazy Canadian weather!
Churchill is warming up these days and soon the Arctic summer will be in full regalia. It is such a hopeful and vibrant time in the north as living things emerge from the bitter cold and snow cocoon. Sure, there will be days where the fierce north winds return with a vengeance of icy cold on its’ heals…but soon the summer will give all the locals the much needed peace of walking outside without ten pounds of extra coverings.
Here are some summer pics to get everyone in the spirit of the Arctic summer. Although it’s short, the days are cherished and deeply appreciated by Churchillians and travelers alike.
Beluga whale on the surface. Steve Selden photo.
Swans on a thermakarst in the Churchill Wildlife Management area. Ed Bouvier photo.
Trolling for beluga whales in the Churchill River.
Hudsonian godwit near the Churchill shore. Rhonda Reid photo.
Ed Bouvier photo.
Wild flowers and precambrian shield. Steve Selden photo.
