Awaiting the Ice in Churchill, Manitoba

By Lesley Frederikson

The sound of 32 adults holding their collective breaths in the frigid air of the Arctic tundra can be thick with anticipation, and that is how our first polar bear encounter began. A curious adult had spotted us from its resting spot on an icy pond and after sniffing the air carefully decided to meander our way to investigate further. Admonished not to make a sound, we watched its approach with ever-widening eyes until the giant bear was close enough to sniff our boots through a mesh floor before it stretched up alongside us to get a better look.

This is what we had come for. Having visited Churchill, Manitoba, decades ago, my husband had surprised me by arranging for us to visit the polar bears in their natural habitat. This is where the largest bears on earth gather to wait for ice to form on Hudson Bay that will allow them to hunt and eat again after months of summer fasting.

For just a few weeks toward the end of autumn, they prowl the tundra and carefully test newly formed ice with paws as big as dinner plates. Once it is safe, the bears will wander out to find breathing holes, where they will patiently await ringed seals in a style of pursuit called still-hunting. The bears can smell these seals under the ice up to a mile away and are willing to wait many hours for their unwary meal to pop up.

This special gathering of polar bears happens annually in Churchill as a result of how the ice forms. Fresh water from the Churchill River freezes sooner than the saltwater in Hudson Bay and is pushed out around Cape Merry, where it collects along the shore. As the ice builds up, it triggers more freezing, and eventually an ice sheet covers the entire Hudson Bay. Polar bears rely on ringed seals for their primary food source and can only hunt them during the months the bay is frozen, so they are eager to see that solid ice and able to share space as they wait.

Arctic hares, ptarmigan and snow buntings also share the tundra, and we glimpsed them from the warmth of our Arctic Crawler. Some of these animals change their coat color in the winter to blend in with surroundings, based on the amount of light in each day, but in recent years days have grown shorter long before snow has fallen, making camouflage difficult. We were fortunate to be in Churchill for the first snow as the ice was just beginning to form.

With as many as 1,000 bears descending on Churchill during late October and early November, it is inevitable that they will find their way into town. Fortunately, everyone keeps buildings and cars unlocked for quick escapes from these dangerous marine mammals. While we were there, we heard warning flares shot to scare off curious creatures, and everywhere we went were armed bear patrols prepared to protect the town.

Bears who refuse to return to the tundra are trapped and put into a holding facility, where they are kept safe but uncomfortable enough to discourage a return visit. After their incarceration, they are airlifted below a helicopter to a location 17 miles away. Repeat customers are marked with a blue dot that warns of their naughty behavior if they are seen in town again.

We learned most of these facts from our, Deacon Daudrich, whose family built and owns the cozy lodge in which we stayed. Since 1995, his father, Wally, has been progressively building the family's Lazy Bear Lodge, often with Deacon's help. Together they harvested burned forest wood, transported it behind snow machines and then prepared it for use in the continued development of their property. Eight years ago they created the Arctic Crawler, too, and they do all of the service and maintenance on the machines. They make all of the tundra vehicles for each bear tour.

But bears are not the only thing on offer in Churchill. Daudrich also took us to visit the Itsanitaq Museum, where we saw extremely detailed carvings of stone and whale bones. Then, at the Parks Canada Visitor Center, we learned about the Hudson Bay Co., Prince of Wales Fort, York Factory and the several Indigenous cultures that have made Churchill home.

Dave Daley and his son, Wyatt, have a dog-sledding business that reflects their own Metis traditions. We visited them on our last day in Churchill and joined a mushing group after gaining an education about -- and hearty respect for -- the activity. The Daleys take their business seriously and lovingly care for 43 sled dogs, most of which are rescues. It was exhilarating to rush along snowy trails with dogs whose enthusiasm for pulling sleds had them yipping, leaping and bouncing in their harnesses before we even began.

The adventures here go on even when winter is over. Daudrich's sister, Paige, told us about the joys of warmer months, when bears still linger about in "walking hibernation" between snoozes in cool dens. This is when wildflowers, kayaking and her favorite activity, Aqua Gliding, are on offer. The idea of lounging on a floating mat with a mask and snorkel while thousands of beluga whales swim alongside has me hooked and ready for my next trip to Churchill -- next time in the summer.

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WHEN YOU GO

Where to stay: Lazy Bear Lodge/Expeditions, lazybearexpeditions.com

Get it arranged: Tauck Tours, tauck.com/tours/manitoba-polar-bear-tours

Getting there by Rail Canada: viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/regional-trains/winnipeg-churchill

Getting there by Calm Air: calmair.com

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Lesley Frederikson is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.