Traveling from Winnipeg to Churchill to experience the incredible natural wonders found in the frontier town has limited options. You can, of course, fly via the small airlines and hope the weather provides a window in and out of Churchill. You cannot drive, unless you have ample time and are on a four wheeler or a dogsled…closest you can get is Thompson or a bit farther on gravel road. In fact, my favorite mode of travel is by train.
When I guided Churchill Summer beluga whale adventures for about 10 years, I would take the train one -way, as Natural Habitat does now in summer and winter both, with small groups of 12-15 travelers. The memory that stays with me the most from those days is without a doubt the interactions with thousands of beluga whales in the chilly waters of the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. I still feel the pull to return each summer as if I were the one migrating to warmer waters as the whales do from the Hudson Straits in the north.
However, the other thrill that clearly stands above many of my most treasured memories is the train journey from Churchill to Winnipeg. The anticipation for each trip would build until we boarded, in Union Station in Winnipeg at around 9:00pm at night. Traveling northwest through some prairie – land into Saskatchewan and back into Manitoba was better done at night. Once morning arrived and the group was waking in their sleeper births the landscape changed to more deciduous trees and slowly transition into boreal forest then taiga and tundra. Lakes and rivers were all over the land as we slowly rocked north and slowed even more as permafrost rested below the tracks.
All in all the trip was scheduled for 36 hours though quite often an additional four or five would put us in Churchill around noon or later. This allowed for guests to sleep in and enjoy a nice breakfast on board while Churchill slowly appeared on the horizon. What a way to ease everyone into “tundra time” as Churchillians call the calming pace of life in town. By the time we reached Churchill everyone was more able to search patiently for wildlife on land as well as enjoy the surreal interactions of beluga whales on the water.
This video filmed and produced by Natural Habitat Adventures guide Brad Josephs during a northern lights trip this season gives an inside and outside view of one of the most exciting and relaxing trips on rails you can experience! Whether the landscape or wildlife or even northern lights are your passion, chances arise throughout the journey to experience all or some of these.
The exciting news from Churchill is polar bears have been spotted out at the Tundra Lodge in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) and they are becoming more active as the season begins here. The first Natural Habitat Adventures group at the lodge guided by Colby and Eric came quite close to a big male bear out by first tower as their group explored away from the base lodge on a rover. A few others lounged around the lodge moving about the willows.
Majestic polar bear resting in Churchill. Katie DeMeulles photo.
More exciting news from polar bear season Churchill is there are still at least 30 – 40 beluga whales still lingering around the mouth of the Churchill River and along the coast in the Hudson Bay. Some travelers took a helicopter journey and spotted the beluga pods below..what a sight for this late in the fall! I imagine there will be some more time for beluga’s here though soon they will depart for the Hudson Straits up north.
Moose on the tundra in Churchill. Madison Stevens/PBI photo.
Other sightings by our friends at Polar Bears International (PBI) included numerous black foxes- a color morph of the red fox – as well as traditional colored red foxes. A couple of Arctic fox have been spotted as well. Ptarmigan, Arctic hares and numerous bird species have also filled out the wildlife sightings for travelers over the past week. PBI travelers also were surprised by a large moose galloping along the tundra between ponds out in the CWMA!
Northern lights made an appearance on a couple of nights and were some of the best since last aurora season in February. Greens and pinks shimmered across the tundra in the darkened sky of the CWMA.
Intense northern lights in Churchill. Drew Hamilton photo.
Perhaps the most incredible sighting was also by the PBI group. They witnessed a Peregrine falcon feeding on a gull on the fringe of the willows. They observed the web of nature and the life-cycles of these hearty creatures firsthand!
Peregrine falcon feasting on prey of a gull. Madison Stevens/PBI photo.
This amazing shot by Sandra Zolondek of kayaking on Prosperous Lake in Yellowknife shows the incredible beauty of the wide open sky and pristine lake. If this was Churchill, there would be thousands of curious beluga whales circling the boat. Enjoy!
Beautiful kayaking day on Prosperous Lake. Sandra Zolondek photo.
A short video clip by National Geographic documenting springtime for beluga whales in the north. Belugas migrate south in the spring from the Hudson Straits to the estuaries of the Hudson Bay. Thousands of belugas make the trip to the warmer waters and shallow, gravelly rivers to give birth, nurture young and gorge on capelin and other plentiful marine organisms. There’s no other time like spring and summer in the Churchill region. Life is bursting from the tundra and the sea and rivers. What an amazing time to experience the northern web of life…Arctic style!
Beluga whales would be adversely affected by oil spills in the Arctic. Alex De Vries – Magnifico photo.
The Province of Manitoba provided the final piece of the funding puzzle this week with a $9 million dollar pledge toward the projected $32 million Marine Observatory in Churchill. The main focus of the research carried out at the center will be on oil spills in the north and subsequent mitigation as well as prevention. Fragile Arctic and sub – Arctic wildlife and ecosystems will depend upon protection provided through this research station.
Lead scientist David Barber, a professor at University of Manitoba and Canada Research Chair in Arctic systems science, summarized the process leading up to this important announcement; “Everybody’s provided their funding, the project’s moving forward,” he stated. “We just need to finalize who’s going to build the thing. In the next 12 months we hope to get the building put together, functional and operating so it can be used for science .”
The funding will funnel through the University of Manitoba, the lead entity in this venture. A number of western Canadian universities and groups are involved in the massive coordination of budget and vision of the observatory. Manitoba’s commitment brings them all in line now.
With the recent closure of the Port of Churchill by US based Omnitrax, this announcement is a move in the right direction for the town of Churchill and prospective work – force. “This project is an important part of our vision for a strong, diversified northern economy,” stated Ian Wishart, the province’s Education and Training Minister.
Conceptual drawing of the Churchill Marine Observatory. Juliana Kusyk image.
“The Churchill Marine Observatory will create up to 21 permanent jobs, boost tourism and transportation in the region and enhance Manitoba and Canada’s reputation as a world leader in Arctic research,” added Wishart.
The project’s fundraising began in 2014 with three universities led by U of M applying to the Canadian Foundation for Innovation for almost 40 per cent of the needed $31.7 million. Manitoba, Aberta and British Columbia have contributed nearly $12 million with Manitoba being the stalwart at $9 million.
About 20 scientists will be based at the center in Churchill studying potential effects of oil and industry in the Arctic. Upon completion the Churchill Marine Observatory will provide a year – round base for new technology development and scientific research in the north. Universities from north America and Europe will utilize the center for student and faculty training and research as well.
