by Steve Selden | Jan 16, 2015 | Churchill News
Those that travel to Churchill, Manitoba, one of the increasingly rare places on Earth, you can “leave it all behind”, as they say, should literally really consider leaving a few things behind. Not just the routine stresses or habits of daily life.
A sun dog casting its’ rays on an inukshuk. Brad Josephs photo.
1. Cell Phone-Although Churchill just upgraded cell service to 4G – high speed, this is a place travelers might refrain from using or even bringing a cell phone. I clearly remember the awful feeling I had after working in Churchill for about 10 years upon hearing cell service was coming to town. The “disconnected” experience, especially in such a pristine and wild frontier town is a dying phenomena. When traveling to a place that you might only visit once in your lifetime, let the mind and soul get the full experience. In such a tight knit community people tend to interact face to face as they often see each other almost every day.
2. Running Shoes- Even the most avid runners might consider taking some time off from this form of exercise in Churchill. Unless you plan to run around the nine or so blocks of town, and get plenty of strange looks, any long distance out-of-town jaunts are discouraged most seasons of the year. Unless you have a friend driving along in a car with you or you can run faster than 35 mph for an extended time. Now you could run in the dead of winter though it’s a bit difficult in eight layers of clothing and sorels.
3. Cats- Believe it or not a Natural Habitat traveler insisted on bringing their cat from California on a trip to Churchill. We made accommodations for the pet but that’s really not the point. Given the number of sled dogs in Churchill and north in general it really can’t be considered “cat country” by any stretch of the imagination.
My excellent room mate Buddy the cat.
4. Too Much Camera Equipment- While Churchill is one of the most diverse and inspiring places in North America to photograph or video wildlife and landscapes, someone who travels to Churchill seeking a fully immersed experience might consider scaling back, taking in the live experience and letting the mind store lifetime memory images. Now, serious or professional photographers will have a slightly different opinion but they tend to have mastered the ability to enjoy both aspects of the craft..enjoying the moment while getting their shots or footage. I have guided many summer beluga whale trips where some folks spent too much time and energy trying to get the one-in-a-million poster-shot and miss the amazing full immersion of the adventure. This theory translates to polar bear season as well. There’s definitely an aura that exists in these far reaching places that one cannot translate through a lens.
Natural Habitat travelers swimming in the Churchill River. Steve Selden photo.
5. Bathing Suit- The town complex does have an indoor pool thought the hours of operation are a little spotty. Unless you’re planning on taking a polar bear plunge in the 40 C Hudson Bay, which on certain summer “hotspot of Manitoba” days could be an option. You might also want to jump in the Churchill River ( more like 50-55 C down – river a bit), which I have done numerous times. So, actually want to bring a bathing suit and which retrospectively makes this post Four Things You Don’t Need In Churchill. We will leave this last one up to you. Skinny dipping is always an option.
by Steve Selden | Jan 14, 2015 | Churchill News
The first winter I spent on Cape Cod the Cumberland Farms convenience store ran out of milk in the middle of a two day snowstorm. I was in awe that a store in a developed, though somewhat remote, area could run out of such a basic life staple. Churchill, a very remote location by most standards, had a slightly bigger problem …no gasoline for three days.
A look outside the Churchill Northern Studies Center. Donna Kelber photo.
Details of the “shortage” are somewhat sketchy. At what was first construed as a gas shortage was later confirmed by Mayor Mike Spence as a “interruption in service” between town and the 50 million liter tank farm which is only seven kilometers outside of town adjacent to the Port of Churchill. Both facilities are owned by Omnitrax company out of Denver, CO.
Taxi’s were forced to shut down and town vehicles were being garaged and saved for only emergency usage. The town’s only gas station remained closed for the three days.
Petrol service has since been restored and Mayor Spence has vowed that the issue won’t arise again. He and the town are working with Omnitrax to insure service workers will be available to transport fuel from the storage tanks to the gas station.
Port of Churchill with four fuel tanks in the background.
In a location where weather conditions are extreme on a fairly regular basis, the inability to travel across town to the grocery store, work or hospital becomes vital. Even though Churchill is tiny compared to other towns in the world, the winter conditions make a short 10 minute walk across town feel like traveling cross-country.
Keeping out of the political side of this mishap, it serves as an example of how precious fuel resources in the world are and how we all should treat them as such. Most of us do not think twice about being able to drive five minutes and fill our car’s gas tank. If we all had to experience life without fuel for three days it might serve as an excellent reminder of how valuable these resources are. Maybe reassessing trips we all make in our automobiles should be a goal for this year ahead.
by Steve Selden | Jan 12, 2015 | Churchill Photography
Polar bears get all the press in Churchill, Manitoba. They are why most travelers head north to the Hudson Bay shoreline… hoping to see the “king of the Arctic”. Another animal is quite prevalent in the area and they inhabit the town year-round.
Sled dogs of different breeds are scattered all across the tundra on the outskirts of town. Mushers locate them in groups of 10-50 in designated areas on crown land leased for that purpose. With the increasing popularity of dog-sledding from a tourism standpoint as well as the increase in passion for professional endurance races such as the Hudson Bay Quest, the iconic “husky” sled dog has become an animal attraction for those wanting to get the full flavor of the Arctic.
Enjoy these fantastic photographs from Churchill…the new “sled dog” capitol of the north!
Hudson Bay Quest race start 2014 in Churchill, MB. Brad Josephs photo.
Canadian Eskimo sled dog outside Arctic Trading Company in Churchill. Karen Walker photo.
Sled dog team waiting for the signal in Churchill.
Sled dog taking a quick rest between runs in Churchill.
Churchill musher Charlie Lundie and his dog team. Steve Selden photo.
Churchill sled dogs going for the gold. Brad Josephs photo.
Come to Churchill for a sled dog excursion with Natural Habitat Adventures! visit nathab.com for more information on these incredible experiences.
by Steve Selden | Jan 10, 2015 | Churchill Photography
This is one of my favorite polar bear photos from Churchill, Manitoba. Hopefully, most polar bears are enjoying a bountiful hunting season out on the Hudson Bay pack ice.
Polar bear cubs with mother by the coast of Hudson Bay. Kurt Johnson photo.
by Steve Selden | Jan 9, 2015 | Churchill News
Eskimo kissing as we know it in western culture never really happens the way it’s depicted in movies or media. The myth of Inuit or Eskimo’s kissing by touching nose to nose as a romantic gesture is only myth. The gesture is based loosely on a traditional Inuit greeting called a kunik. The Hudson Bay coast north of Churchill is predominately Inuit.
A kunik is a way of expressing affection, usually between loved ones and family members, involving pressing the nose and upper lip against the loved ones’ skin (often the forehead or cheeks ) and breathing in, causing the loved one’s skin or hair to be suctioned close to the nose and upper lip.
This practice morphed into the myth that Inuit “kissed” this way to prevent their mouths from freezing together. Nanook of the North, the infamous 1922 documentary of Inuit life in the northern regions may have spurred the myth by depicting such behavior in the film. The gesture, in actuality, is a non-erotic greeting between Inuit that often have only noses and eyes exposed due to the severity of the cold weather in the northern region.
Would you give a polar bear an Eskimo kiss? Brad Josephs photo.
Yes Inuits kiss on the lips just like most other people in the world. With all the flu viruses circulating around the west, especially in wintertime, maybe we all should adopt the kunik during those contagious times.
Hope you enjoy this northern culture video from Blick Van Glory. Eskimo Love Song is their second music video that was produced in 2008.
