NAVC Polar Bear Expedition: Day 2

Question : Aside from the snow, ice and bitter cold, what one odd fact links Antarctica, our first adventure location with the NAVC Expeditions group, with Churchill, Canada?

Answer : You can't drive to either place.

That's right. There are no roads to Churchill. You can only get the 1,100 miles from Winnipeg to Churchill one of three ways: Via the Hudson Bay Railway, a 40-hour train ride, by plane, or in the summer, by ship.

The town of Churchill, with its population of less than 1,000 permanent residents, is located on the western shores of Hudson Bay, in Manitoba, Canada. Churchill originally played a large role in the fur trade, dating back to the early 1700s, but now is known by its more eco-friendly moniker, the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.”

The Hudson Bay Company established the first settlement, bastioned by the aforementioned fur trade, in 1717. Over the years with the decline of the fur trade and the subsequent growth of agriculture in Western Canada, Churchill faded into and then eventually out of obsolescence. Thanks to the railroad, the port of Churchill is now the export link for Canadian grain to the European markets. The first railway arrived in Churchill back in 1929. Later, in the 1950s, Churchill was the location for the Churchill Rocket Research Range, a launching pad for research and commercial satellites. This missile site closed in the mid '80s.

Today, the eco-geography of Churchill provides a very unique setting for Arctic research and exploration. The town is located in the middle of three ecoregions: the Boreal forest to the south, the Arctic tundra to the northwest, and Hudson Bay to the north. Each region boasts its unique fauna and flora.

Far removed from the early days of the fur trade, Churchill now caters to ecotourism. Beluga whales inhabit the relatively warm waters of the Churchill River estuary to calf in July and August. Also in August, the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) are readily seen in the night skies. This atmospheric phenomena can again be seen during the winter months, starting in December and lasting to late April.

The polar bears congregate on the shores of Hudson Bay in late October/early November, waiting for the ice to form on the Bay so that they can end their several month long fast and return to their primary food source, the ringed seal. If there is a cold winter and an early freeze, many tourists miss this short window of opportunity to witness these magnificent animals.

(NAVC members brave the winds and sideways snow flurries to snap a photo of an Arctic hare...the white blob in the photo...on the shores of Hudson Bay.)

Our wayward travelers straggled in around midnight last night. Tired but happy, they grabbed a late dinner and turned in for a short night's sleep.

Our day started at 5:45 am with a quick breakfast and a planned bus ride to the airport, and flight to Churchill. But, in the Arctic, things don't always go as planned. An unexpected blizzard blanked Churchill and the flight was cancelled. Rather than moan and whine, we gathered the troops and pounded out three lectures - The History of Churchill, Biology of the Polar Bear, and Polar Bear Medicine.

We finally took off just before noon, landing at the tiny airstrip in Churchill early-midafternoon. On landing we were met with 1C temps and 35-45K winds blowing off the tundra.

(Arrival in frigid Churchill, from left to right: Drs. Joe Chiosi, Howie Mintzner, Rick and Moira LeCouter and Mark Crootof.)

The intrepid explorers took in a warm lunch then boarded out state of the art Tundra bus, complete with rifle toting bus driver. A quick tour of the town (so small that you can walk the perimeter in 30 minutes) by our fancy bus, then a trip to the local Eskimo Museum (yes, that is the politically correct term) and eventually the motel, the Bear Country Inn, our base camp for the next five days.

(Dr. Jocelynn Jacobs outside of the Eskimo Museum.)

NAVC explorers enjoyed an excellent repast at the Tundra Inn restaurant, featuring local favorites such as Arctic char, pickerel, and caribou. After dinner - time for one more lecture - Polar Bears in Captivity.

The mantra of the NAVC Expedition group's “Never end the day with a lecture” was started in Antarctica and continues to live in Churchill. Beer, wine, laughs, music, and good times were the perfect nightcap.

See ya tomorrow on the frigid tundra...

(Unidentified Expedition participants sneaking in the World Series on their laptop during the first lectures.)