Churchill Reflections

     As I sit in the Winnipeg airport waiting for the last leg of my journey home, I reflect upon another guiding season adventure. To get this far I rode the red-eye Via passenger rails 16 hours from Churchill to Thompson, Manitoba across frozen and snow covered muskeg and boreal forest. I then drove a company vehicle eight hours, 750 kilometers to Winnipeg arriving late last evening.

     I came to Churchill to work as a guide with Lazy Bear Lodge in June 2015. My goal was to spend time with Beluga whales, learn some of the history and culture of the region, study the landscape and most importantly spend time with polar bears. All of these goals have been accomplished to a certain degree. One can spend a lifetime in a place with its critters and still be amazed by what occurs at times. I feel for our guests who may have only a few hours to spend trying to absorb as much of this region as they can. They cannot have enough time but if they are lucky, as some were, they experienced magnificence.

   I first of all have to thank the owners of Lazy Bear Lodge, Wally and Dawn Daudrich, for allowing me the opportunity to enjoy this unique place in Canada. There is no other place like it.

     I next have to thank some of my co-workers who worked very hard to make our guests experiences top-notch and memorable. My two geezer amigos who worked diligently and often times beyond what we should have to complete some major projects and maintenance issues over the course of the season. Marcel Wellman, a wannabe Newfie from eastern Quebec kept us on track and on task with good humour, stories and ditties. Norm Jackson, the elder, had many great ideas pulled from the cobwebs of his life-experience memory bank. Only Mother Nature will tell us in the spring if our docking system will hold up after a winter of ice and storm battering.

     My senior guides, Jud Jones, Gerald Azure and Aaron Nagler proved to be great advisors and mentors with good humour and great guiding skills. Between them, they were able to teach an old dog some new tricks that helped to make our guiding season adventurous and fun for myself and our guests. I also enjoyed meeting an Inuit elder, Thomas Kutluk, who did his culture talks to our guests over the season. We all enjoy learning about new cultures when everyone is open-minded.

     We could not be successful in the field with our guests without the support of our lodge staff, from the front desk reception area to the cleaning, waiting and cooking staff. I am grateful to all of them, even though I may not have spent much more time than a fleeting “good morning” or “where’s our lunches?” Most of the staff came from many different destinations such as Ireland, Australia and across Canada. All have different life experiences and backgrounds as well as motivation to be here. Our common bond was the desire to experience the place and see the wildlife.

Churchill Polar Bear Marathon 2015 Sunrise

     One of the most amazing things I experienced was two of our waiting staff, an Englishman, Adam Mills, and a francophone lady, Tania Massicotte, from Whistler, both in their thirties, ran the full 4^th annual, Churchill Polar Bear marathon. They had never run a marathon before, not even half marathons. It was minus 15 degrees Celsius with another 10 degrees of wind-chill and the road was solid ice. They could have worn skates rather than the crampons they strapped to their runners. They ran with and past polar bears. 

Real and Not so Real Polar Bears along the 42 Km.Route

 

 They were fourth and fifth in a field of 24 crazy, frost-bitten runners. I think this was an amazing accomplishment. I was proud to have taken photos and been part of the cheering section in their support van.

Tania Massicotte and Adam Mills, Proud Marathon Finishers

     These work-mates will be missed but I will watch and monitor their further adventures on Facebook. Others will be more personal contacts and hope to work with again one day.

     I always have to thank our guests who travel so far to visit this unique land. Their openness and sense of wonderment at experiencing the land and the wildlife that live here is refreshing and positive. With their help and understanding, awareness and support for the land is spread far and wide.

     I enjoyed seeing the countryside and its varied moods which often change very quickly. Mirrored water changed to standing whitecaps within minutes, brought on by sudden winds. Ice on the bay disappeared overnight by wind direction change and just as rapidly, the bay filled with ice, once again overnight by a wind direction change. How the power of the wind can change the landscape so quickly is amazing.

Anglican Church in Churchill, Manitoba

     I saw the sun emerge from behind dark storm clouds in time to produce spectacular sunsets. The sunset has moved about 90 degrees from where it set in June to where it is now setting at the end of November. Its sky arc has also changed dramatically since June. The colour and clarity of the sky and the light has been fabulous during this autumn season. I have never seen such dramatic skies or landscape lighting as I have here in the Churchill area. I watched northern lights flash on and off, then back on over a few minutes. They are amazing spectacles of colourful drama flashing across brilliantly star-studded night skies.

     I think of the dedication of the Churchill Bear Patrollers who monitor bear activity in the area around the town. They will chase the bears out of town if they will go and trap or tranquilize I they don't leave peaceably. This dedicated group of conservation officers have saved the lives of hundreds of bears over the past 30 years. Delinquent bears are held at the holding facility for up to a month before being flown out of town.

Delinquent Bear Being Incarcerated

      The landscape itself is as variable as the dramatic skies that cover it. The ruggedly shallow, bay coast is lined by the Pre-Cambrian shield rocky ridge, ground to deceptive smoothness by ancient glaciers. The landscape immediately stretches out into thousands of square kilometers of sub-arctic tundra, taiga, muskeg and boreal forest wilderness that has been utilized by Inuit and Cree for thousands of years before the Europeans arrived about 400 years ago. Colourful but tiny little orchids to emblazoned fireweed combine with tough clumps of hundred year old white-spruce and dwarf birch huddle together for protection from bitterly cold and harsh north-east winds paint the land with brilliant swatches like an abstract artist run amok.

Bee Working hard to Gather Nectar While Pollinating Flowers

       Hundreds of species of birds live or migrate along the western shore of Hudson Bay. They live and rear their families in tiny ponds, on rocky shorelines or out on the open tundra. I enjoyed watching the progress from eggs to tiny, cute-ugly fur-balls of helpless fluff, to the gangly, demanding fledglings growing into their gorgeous adult feathers ready to fly away on the world’s longest migrations. One morning, as if someone turned on a switch, every Arctic Tern had left including the youngsters. Gulls, geese, terns and ducks of many species all raised youngsters and got them off before the ponds froze over.

Arctic Tern Feeding Young

     In the Churchill River estuary, we all marvelled at the huge population of Beluga whales feeding and rearing their families. Everywhere we looked, we could see groups of white whales gliding up to breathe and then diving back down to feed. Graceful elegance could be enticed into playful charmers by the flick of a paddle or wake of a boat.

Polar Bear Mother Watches Carefully as Her Cub Swims Nearby

     The main object of all visitors to Churchill is to catch a glimpse of a polar bear. They do not disappoint. The polar bear is the supreme commander of its land. Just the possibility of their presence makes all of us aware of our own short comings. Watch a bear slip into the chilly water with no hesitation, no toe dip to test the water and no worry about the distance to paddle. Watch as the bear strolls along the beach following an invisible-to-us scent on his powerful nose. He can travel miles in a hurry with his deceptive ground covering gait. We witnessed the patience that the bear has. We watched one bear lay on the ice from daylight to dark; it never moved more than 50 meters all day. It was conserving valuable and dwindling fat reserves while waiting for the ice to form on the bay. It does not take long for antsy guests to want to move along in search for more active ursine.

Polar Bear Mom With Cubs Hiding in Rocky Seclusion

     I saw the desperate and sad side of polar bear life as a large hungry male killed a cub and ate it. The sad mother, helpless to save her cub, watched the hungry male consume her baby. Jud watched a polar bear hunt and capture geese in one of the small ponds. The bear snorkeled and dove, then, one by one, pulled three geese under and carried them to land to feed on. This action may help the polar bear survive as ice seasons become shorter.

     The Churchill region is a marvellous place, harsh and unforgiving at times, but refreshing and rejuvenating for the tough and aware. Long, hot summer days are alive with hordes of humming mosquitoes, feeding gulls and terns pursued by Parasitic Jaegers to bees busily pollinating short blooming flowers as whales feed and rear youngsters in the river. Cooler autumn days paint the land with colourfully lichens, leaves and spectacular sunsets. Wind sets thousands of tiny Mountain Aven skeletons to shaking as if the land is shivering. Storms blow in, the wind changes direction, clouds ramble as if a new destination has suddenly come to mind. Surf pounds the rocky beach and sea foam floats effortlessly up, filling rocky crevasses like snowdrifts. Smell the sea scents, the salt in the air and the rain.

Sea Foam Covers the Beach

Watch snowflakes glom onto everything as if hanging on, not wanting to leave, but the wind is insistent. As the season progresses into winter, snow and chill wind freezes exposed flesh quickly and snow drifts build up protecting everything they cover until warm spring sun releases winters powerful grip.

     Through the seasons the wildlife adapts and waits and works for survival. Only the strong and patient will survive. It is not a land for the unaware or careless.

     I do not know yet if I will be back. I will gauge the draw and temptations over the coming comfortable winter at home.

 

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Memorable Tour

     There are many events that make wildlife touring fun, exciting and memorable. As a tour leader I am often found searching for inspiration when little wildlife is to be found, after all, it is the wildlife that our guests have paid to see. As a guide, it is my job to entertain our guests during times that wildlife is laying low for whatever reason. My knowledge of our region and environment helps for some time but at other times I have a riddle or two that entertains us while allowing us to monitor the area for any wildlife.

Crawler off Ithica Point

     My favorite riddle goes as such: "Why, when geese fly in a V-formation, is one side of the V often longer than the other? This may be a question of mathematics, science and practicality that has a very scientific explanation."
     At other times I ask our guests to introduce themselves and tell us where they come from. On day- long trips such as Lazy Bear Lodge's Tundra tours, up to 25 guests may be riding around on the Arctic Crawler all day. This introduction helps to know and find common interests to help break the ice and promote conversation between strangers.

Frozen Bear Tracks

     "The geese may be flying south or north, it doesn't seem to matter."
     At other times, I pass out advice. Many guests from warm climates may require advice that any of us raised in the cold of winter know from early in life. "For those of you from Hawaii, Australia or Florida, who may not know, do not stick your tongue onto any frozen metal. Your tongue will stick solidly to the metal until you bravely tear it off leaving it stretched out of shape and a large patch of tongue-skin left on the metal. The only way to get it unstuck is to pour warm saline water onto the metal until it releases your tongue. We do not carry saline water. The second best option is for me to pee on your tongue which will hopefully have enough volume and be warm enough to warm the metal.

Don't Touch That Post

     "The geese are probably honking as they are flying."
     Another thing to help break the ice and build teamwork and camaraderie is to make up some poetry or limericks about what they are seeing. I have some amazing examples written by some of my guests:

I am a polar bear

I like ice and snow

I never, ever shiver

I never feel cold

 

I swim in the water

I hunt on the ice

I think fat seals

Are especially nice

 

You might see me eating

A chunk of caribou

If you get too close

I might come after you

© Aum Nicol Gr. 3 teacher St. Clements School, Grande Prairie, Alberta

 

 

     "The geese may be white, grey and black or any other colour combination."

 

 

There once was a polar bear named Aurora

Who hoped that nobody saw her

She hid in her den

Until winters end

And when she came out

There was two more of her

Jennie Fawcett

 

The polar bear is white

The polar bear is bright

He will give you an almighty fright

If you meet him in the night

Jennie Fawcett

There was a young chap called Bob

Who worked at Lazy Bear Lodge

He took us out everyday

To see bears play

And dam was he good at his job

Janet Edginton

 

We came to a town called Churchill

It was very cold with a windchill

We’re named Arctic Hares

We came to see bears

And if we don’t spot them

Then Bob will

 

Hidden Polar Bears

 

 

     I try to make a game out of spotting wildlife. I have a knack for spotting wildlife and have helped many people enjoy their tours by finally spotting the critter.  Some times they can be very challenging to see, especially when the bear and Ptarmigan are white as is the snow. I make sure that everyone can see the critter or I try to get close enough so they do. It is a great help when other guests chime in to help too. This is a great game and is very rewarding once someone finally sees the critter. 

Hidden Polar Bear Family Revealed

 

     "Young geese may be taught this formation by their parents."

 

     Wildlife, especially large carnivores, is what people from around the world pay to see. These people also enjoy discussion and education about the environment, the history and some of the culture of the region. Guests are looking for great photographs, memories and hope to be entertained as well. As I drop them off at the airport, I am often as sad to see them go as they are. I am well satisfied when my departing guests shake my hand or give me a hug to say thanks for the best trip ever.

 

 

     "There are more geese in the long line!"

 

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