Polar Bear Photo
Couldn’t resist posting this photograph of polar bears swimming in the Arctic…enjoy the frosty face of Ursus maritimus.
Polar bears swimming in Arctic waters. Steven Kazlowski/ Barcroft Media photo.
Five Things You Don’t Need In Churchill
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.
Churchill Video- Fort Prince of Wales
In the late 1720’s peace between England and France was on edge, and in 1730 the Hudson Bay Company initiated construction on Fort Prince of Wales at the mouth of the Churchill River (650 meters across at that point) at Eskimo Point. The strategic location – the peninsula at the mouth of the Churchill River and Button Bay to the west – affords an ideal location for defense and spotting ships on the horizon. The availability of raw material, quartzite and limestone for building, and a natural harbor just upriver at Sloops Cove added to the prime location. Severe weather conditions slowed construction considerably to say the least.
Looking for polar bears from inside fort Prince of Wales. Steve Selden photo.
Twenty-four tradesmen and laborers were sent from England in 1731 and the first large, shaped stone was laid on June 3, 1732. It was estimated that construction would take six or seven years to complete using four team of oxen and 84 men. Forty years later in 1771, the fort was completed. In 1782 Jean Francois de la Perouse and his three French warships sailed into Hudson Bay and captured the fort and the 39 non – military men inside without a single shot fired from either side. The men “maintaining” the fort were untrained in cannon operation. The forged steel cannons needed six to eight men to fire them efficiently and accurately.
Fort Governor at the time, Samuel Hearne, realized the mismatch in military strength and surrendered peacefully. In 1783, Fort Prince of Wales was returned to the Hudson Bay Company in a partially destroyed state. With the decline of the fur trade the importance of the fort waned and a downsized post was reestablished farther inland on the Churchill River.
Summer in Churchill is the optimal time to get a walking tour of Fort Prince of Wales. Visit nathab.com for travel options to Churchill!
Churchill Gasoline Shortage Resolved
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.
Why Narwhals Are Awesome
Narwhals are one of the rarest and most unique whales on the planet Earth. They are also vastly mysterious and tend to capture the imaginations of many people, especially those fascinated with the Arctic. The distinct spiraled tusk or tooth that protrudes from the whales upper jaw lends to their enduring mythology. The tusk can grow up to 10 feet and some Narwhals will even sprout two tusks. These animals can weigh up to 4,200 pounds and grow to 17 feet in length. The photo below by Paul Nicklen for National Geographic and World Wildlife Fund provides a great look at the Narwhal’s tooth.
Narwhal with spiral tooth rising from the Arctic water. Paul Nicklen photo for National Geographic and World Wildlife Fund.
The Narwhal population is currently at more than 80,000 worldwide. The majority are found in Atlantic and Russian Arctic sea waters. Smaller populations dwell in Greenland and Norwegian waters. In summer they migrate in pods of 10-100 whales closer to shorelines and in winter they swim farther out to sea and live under sea ice, surfacing in open leads of water. Their preference is to stay at the surface but Narwhals can dive up to 5,000 feet. They feed wherever they can find krill, fish or squid in the cold northern waters.
Narwhals communicate through various trills, clicks and squeals. Males will often cross tusks in behavior known as “tusking“. Scientists are researching this behavior trying to distinguish whether it’s another form of communication, sexual display or friendly contact. Females become pregnant between March and May and have a gestation period of up to 16 months giving birth to a single calf. Calving every three years, females will nurse for a year or more.
The environmental conditions in which narwhals exist are truly awesome in that they require uncanny survival traits. Existing in the extreme cold and icy regions takes a unique genetic make-up. Narwhals are also being threatened by increasing oil and gas exploration in their native waters. All this exploration leads to more ocean shipping traffic as well. These factors cause noise pollution in the dark ocean waters where narwhals and other marine mammals rely on quietness to communicate with each other and locate food sources. This relatively new and growing threat could lead to dire consequences for many species. For more information check out this World Wildlife Fund site. This WWF initiative helps raise awareness of the noise pollution affects and address the threats to Narwhals and other whales and marine mammals.
