By Keith Edwards
Does elk ragout smell anything like seal? Less than a dozen feet of air separated me from a huge, hungry polar bear, as this thought crossed my mind. Thankfully, the scent of my gamey lunch didn’t appeal, and with a few twitches of his nose and a couple of obliging photo-worthy poses, the great animal ambled off.
It’s early November and I’m way up north in Churchill, Manitoba, the polar bear capital of Canada, comfortably ensconced in a tundra-worthy Arctic CrawlerTM that’s been specially built for Lazy Bear Lodge.
Right before our eyes
So far, we’re up to eight bears, three of which are young cubs. On our second full day out on the tundra inside the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, we come upon them virtually everywhere. One mother and two cubs actually even held us up by flopping down on the trail practically under our wheels. I guess when you are that powerful not even something the size of a mobile construction trailer will faze you.
Our guides tell us that the legendary spring ice breakup now occurs about three weeks earlier than it used to. This limits the ability of the bears to spend time eating and building up fat supplies for the off-ice time. Consequently the bears appear a little leaner and it’s explained to us that it’s now unusual to see more than one cub with its mother. In fact, we’re told that population counts vary and experts are concerned with the overall health of the species because of the retreating ice.
Home for the season
Lazy Bear Lodge is essentially a 15,000-square-foot, 33-room traditional log cabin. Owners Wally Daudrich and his wife Dawn, shortly celebrating 20 years in the hospitality business, have the simple goal of sharing ‘the spirit of the north’. They succeed.
Their dining room, with its towering stone fireplace and hanging animal skins, is the perfect spot to hibernate post tour to share photos and scoff down some locally caught Arctic char or a hearty bowl of chili. Although not licensed, there’s a liquor store with a good selection of wine, beer and spirits a short walk away. Most nights, an erudite local Métis Elder Thomas Kutluk, son of a French father and Cree mother who lived the first six years of his life in an igloo, gives insightful talks that provide context on life here, both in the past and present.
The lodge’s programs, apart from the two days of tundra bear viewing, include an exhilarating dog sled ride under the stars with a chance to see the aurora borealis, if Lady Luck is on your side. Optional helicopter tours give high flyers willing to shell out extra fees the chance to see not only bears, but also the vast empty tundra. Although, most thin-blooded bear viewers have managed to bring suitable clothing for the sub-Arctic temperatures, Lazy Bear can arrange rental of parkas and cold weather gear when necessary.
If you go: Homefront recommends at least a day or two in Winnipeg as a starting point. Stay at the Inn at the Forks boutique hotel, ideally situated a short walk from downtown. The Assiniboine Zoo’s newly opened “Journey to Churchill” exhibit provides a fine introduction to the animals and the environment, including a spectacular walk under the polar bear pool. Also recently opened is the Museum for Human Rights. The uninspiring name belies a spectacular building and a deeply engrossing experience brought out with story-themed interactive exhibits.
lazybearlodge.com
innforks.com
assiniboineparkzoo.ca
museumforhumanrights.ca
