Travelmanitoba just released this trailer to get people excited about traveling to Churchill in the summer. I wish the trailer was longer..really well done. After spending a decade guiding summer adventures up north in Churchill there will always be a longing to return for the belugas as well as all the other sights and sounds of this special season. Natural Habitat runs amazing trips from Winnipeg north to Churchill. Many travel by train on the Hudson Bay Railroad...an adventure all its’ own. Come aboard this Arctic summer and see for yourself!
Polar bear season is over for travelers to Churchill yet the real polar bear season is ongoing out on the Hudson Bay ice. Polar bears are hunting seals, mostly ringed seals, as the birthing season is building. While this goes on, Churchill is recouping and slowly settling in to the long winter. Seasonal workers have headed south for the winter with the exception of those brave few who will try to make it through to spring. Most restaurants and some hotels have closed for the season. Even many locals head out of town for some much needed relaxation and warmth before returning back home. Another amazing array of healthy polar bears and the return of good numbers of Arctic fox provided thrills for everyone involved in this year’s polar bear season. Here are some more photographs from this past fall…enjoy!
Red fox along the coast in Churchill,MB. Brad Josephs photo.
Inukshuk group photo with aurora over the bay. Colby Brokvist photo.
Two large polar bears waltz across the tundra in a sparring session. Eric Rock photo.
Snow covered Fort Prince of Wales. Karen Walker photo.
Polar bears sparring in the willows. Colby Brokvist photo.
I saw my first polar bear through a window. No, not at a zoo exhibit or aquarium or anywhere in captivity. My very first visit to Churchill, MB I saw the bear through the rear observation window in the town complex that looks down over the “beach”, a word used loosely in the north, and out across the Hudson Bay. With all the polar bears meandering wildly throughout the area you wouldn’t think seeing a bear from the comfort and warmth of the building would be too thrilling. It was.
Sow and cubs along the Hudson Bay. Brad Josephs photo.
I was reading a report from Natural Habitat guide Karen Walker recently and she was explaining what her group was up to in the throes of some snow squalls, again words used loosely in the north, when they finally ended up at that same window viewing point in the complex. Here’s that account:
“Cape Merry was open, so we headed out there. Ranger Marcandre gave us some background on the fur trade then most of the guests ventured up to the “view point”. We could barely make out the icy river and definitely couldn’t see the Fort Prince of Wales. My intrepid guests headed out to the cannon battery for a brief visit and really got to experience the weather. It’s hard to imagine that the early explorers were able to survive in weather like this. Then we warmed up in the Town Complex. While we were up by the big window, by the Pioneer Gallery, a guest spotted a bear walking out on the ice, in the blowing snow. Then another bear appeared. They were heading toward each other. They veered away from each other and went their separate ways. Then one decided to head toward town, right toward the Enterprise (the wooden ship up in the beach-grass. The blowing snow cleared for a moment and we were able to see Bear Patrol parked by the inukshuk. The bear came closer, then they moved over by the Enterprise and fire- crackered it. It took off running, south along the shore. The other bear stayed out on the ice and headed south as well. It was really interesting to see it walking on the ice, but rolling up and down with the wind-driven swells. We never saw the bear close to shore again, but not too much later a bear was spotted in town, or near the castle. It might have been our bear.”
My experience wasn’t as dramatic though it was an incredible moment etched in my memory forever. As I gazed out across the ice -strewn bay, I saw the tell-tale yellow spot shifting over chunks of ice. Polar bears do not appear white when observed from such a distance and this one was quite small as I peered through the telescope mounted on the small ledge by the window. After some time, I was able to focus in quite nicely on the tiny bear maneuvering over the floes. Periodically the animal would step from solid ice to slushy leads and have to swim to the next floe. Watching this scene unfold touched the most primal instincts inside of me. In many ways it was more exhilarating then many of the hundreds of polar bear sightings I have witnessed since. Other than this being my first sighting, it was special because it was mine and only mine. From my mind to the polar bear across the expanse of ice I connected through my eyes only to a biological existence so unexplainable, how an animal could survive in this climate, that I felt this once in a lifetime experience deeper than most others.
Polar bear out on the isolation of the Hudson Bay ice enjoying a seal feast. Colby Brokvist photo.
I’ve since seen bears all over the tundra, boreal forest, in nets high above, in the compound, and in town. Yes they were exciting but in comparison up-close is not always better. The isolation of that lone bear surviving on the ice and in the frigid water will be frozen in my mind forever. It was and still is “my bear”.
Natural Habitat polar bear guide Brad Josephs filmed some footage of a mid-November blizzard in Churchill,MB. Blowing snow and drifting are the most dangerous factors with most of these storms. Enjoy some polar bear footage as well as a couple of frisky bears get energy from the cold and snow. Many more of these to come throughout the winter.
A magnificent silver fox by the navy building on the way to the launch “wowed” the group led by Natural Habitat guide Elise Lockton. “such a beautiful color phase of the red fox”, explained Elise. While the arctic foxes are dominating the scene this year the cross and silver fox are adding splashes of color to the tundra’s ever increasing whiteness.
“Heading out to Gordon Point this morning…we came across Sparring bears just past first- tower followed by curious young bears near Ptramigan Alley…standing up on vehicles, under the grate…all around.” reported Elise just this past week. The bear quota for the CWMA is certainly filling up now.
Arctic fox combing the tundra. Brad Josephs photo.
Other sightings included a red breasted merganser in an open creek past the tundra lodge…a little late to be hanging around the north country. As it flew away the group noticed the duck had only one leg. Maybe a sign of it’s delayed migration to the south. Another thrill was spotted by a traveler as the group rumbled over the tundra trail in their rover. A mink running across a frozen pond surprised everyone, even the local Churchillian driving the machine. A rare sighting for sure!
Sow and cub polar bear walk along a frozen tundra pond. Brad Josephs photo.
All in all the season has been extremely full of amazing sightings…both polar bears and all the other amazing species that reside in the region in the winter.
Natural Habitat guide Sean Beckett returned to Winnipeg from a great week in Churchill with his group of hearty travelers! The action started just moments after landing in Churchill, when they came across conservation officers airlifting a 400-lb bear from the polar bear compound. What an amazing start..even though the group as there to see polar bears not watch them being flown away.
Polar bear airlift from compound. Sean Beckett photo.
Closer to town, various red foxes were strolling along the road as they made their way to the hotel. All this before even getting their keys to their rooms! “We kept the great momentum up with a great bout of sparring by two younger males near the lodge during our first rover day, and a handful of bears walking the coast between town and the launch site.”, reported Sean. Not bad for his first year in Churchill. “Our second rover day was complete with a wonderful encounter with a sow and her cub relaxing on a coastal pond.”, he added.
Big polar bear along the Hudson Bay coast. Sean Beckett photo.
After a long day on the tundra, the northern lights provided a spectacular show, so the group rallied to photograph the aurora at the edge of town by the inukshuk. An arctic fox scampered by tripods to add the cherry on top of a busy day.
Northern lights over the Hudson Bay behind the Inukshuk in Churchill. Sean Beckett photo.
On the last morning traveling to the airport, just when Sean and his entourage had thought they had seen their last bear of the trip, they discovered a huge male sleeping in the junk yard next to the naval base. Polar Bear Alert was quick on the scene to “cracker-shell” him over to the coast and away from town. Hopefully he’ll stayed out of trouble…and out of jail. “The bear forecast looks favorable next week, and I’m looking forward to getting back up north with another group tomorrow!” extolled Sean.
