Last Days at Hudson Bay (Adventure Concludes Day 8-9)

It's our last full day at the Seal River Heritage Lodge. I think we all sense how special this trip has been. There are lots of bears around and we continue to photograph them.

Polar Bear - click for larger

It's difficult to work like I normally do. I see amazing things like the way the light hits the landscape. But I can’t just pick up my gear and react to it like I usually would. To head out of the compound, I need guys with shotguns and must go as part of a big group. It's a difficult way to work but very necessary!

Hudson Bay - click for larger

A bear has been lying down just outside the compound. It's so close! We all take turns photographing it through the fence. I start with a 16-35mm wide angle lens and then switch to a 24-105mm. I have never imagined being this close to a wild Polar Bear. Andy warns me that they can move very fast. So I show him the back of my camera. He smiles. I'm sure he gets it. We can't help but shoot!

Polar Bear - click for larger

Everyone was very accommodating of each other. It was so nice to see people working so well together.

Photographers - click for larger

Photographing Bears - click for larger

Polar Bear - click for larger

Polar Bear - click for larger

I can't tell you how it feels to take these images. It feels privileged. Privileged to be in a place like this and to be so close to such a wonderful species. We spend the rest of the day much the same way we have since we got here - shooting. In the evening, Dennis puts together a selection of our favourite images for a slide show. Later we have dinner and head outside to enjoy a bonfire.

The next morning, I go outside and just kind of soak the place up. There are bears around and I shoot a few frames but the ship is pointed towards home. It's over. Or is it? I'm scheduled to fly out on the first plane. But currently, Churchill is fogged in and the plane can't take off. I hear the cook's father died 2 days ago and she is anxious to get home. I give up my seat to her so she can be on the first plane out if it comes. We sit and wait. I email home and let Lori know that I may not make it out today. I have a flight booked home tomorrow around noon from Winnipeg. It will be complicated if I don't make it out but what a place to be stuck!

The Lodge - click for larger

The plane finally makes it out of Churchill. The first group heads out to the airstrip to meet it. We watch as two polar bears stalk them. Terry and Andy drive the bears off with snowballs and rocks. But the plane just sits there. We head into the dining room for lunch and hear that Churchill is fogged in again. That's why they didn't take off. They come back in for lunch. Riley has to stay and guard the plane with a shotgun because the bears are so curious they could damage it. Everyone wonders if we will make it out today. After lunch, a call comes in that the fog has cleared so off they go. After a quick trip the plane comes back for the next group. We walk out and are on our way. The plane flies low out over Hudson Bay. It's the most direct route and we make it to there without any trouble. We meet up with the rest of the gang, and have dinner in Churchill. Then we get on a plane back to Winnipeg. In Winnipeg John rents a car while I sit and listen to Scott and Robert banter like they've been married for 40 years. I'm laughing so hard I'm crying listening to them. Man we had fun!

The Gang - click for larger

Till next trip…

The Seal River Heritage Lodge (Adventure Continues Day 4)

I walked up to the Calm Air departure desk in Winnipeg blurry eyed and half asleep. The man said, "Pick a bag."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Pick a priority bag. The flight is full and we will probably have to bump one bag."

Hmmm, camera bag, or clothes and tripod? I picked the camera bag. I would rather freeze than go without my cameras! I asked if there was Valet service for my camera bag. No was the answer. That meant I had to check my camera bag with my 500mm lens among other very expensive things. This was a bit nerve racking. I was relieved to find out that Scott and John got the same story. Robert however walked up with his camera bag with a Valet tag attached. "How did you get that?" I asked.

He smiled and said, "You have to be charming and good looking to get this kind of service." I mumbled that all the mirrors in his house must be broken…

We got to the departure lounge without too much trouble, had a bite to eat and waited to board the plane. It was still dark when we walked out onto the tarmac to board the very small twin prop plane to Churchill. We all had our huge parkas on. It was a little uncomfortable being stuffed into our seats with so much camera equipment in our pockets (this was to reduce the weight of our camera bags so we did not go over the limit). It was a short flight with a gas stop in Thompson and then on to Churchill.

The plane landed and we walked into the Airport. Rose from Churchill Wild met us there to help guide us onto the plane to the Seal River Heritage Lodge. She gave us the bad news about our bags. Several of us would be without extra clothes and tripods. Some people started to get upset. I just smiled and said, "Hey it's just part of the adventure. We will figure out some way of getting some images." They assured us that our bags would be at the lodge by sunrise tomorrow.

Rose asked who wanted to go first. Nobody said anything so I said "Pick Me!" We walked out to a Turbo Beaver.

Turbo Beaver - click for larger

They loaded our bags and Rose asked if I would like to ride up front with the pilot. "You bet!" I already had my camera out with a 16 – 35mm lens on. I made the climb up into the front and did up the seat belt. Matt, our young bush pilot jumped in grinning ear to ear. It was a bit chilly and our breath coated the window. He quickly fired up the Beaver and pulled out onto the runway.

Pilot - click for larger

The plane was in the air in a very short distance. We flew low heading north.

Ron Erwin riding shotgun - click for larger

We saw lots of moose along the way. Then the trees thinned out.

From the plane - click for larger

Matt guided the plane down to the gravel/snow-covered runway. We bounced and slid a bit sideways and then nicely pulled up to the far end of the runway. We were met by two men with 12 gauge shotguns and an ATV with a trailer. Terry and Andy would be our constant companions whenever we ventured outside the compound for the duration of our stay here.

Plane at Seal River runway - click for larger

I had stuffed my 70-200 into my pocket before we got into the plane so I switched lenses before we walked to the lodge.

It was just a 5-minute walk from the runway. We almost made it to the lodge when we found 2 bears lurking behind the generator shed. I was photographing bears even before we got to the lodge. A very good omen indeed!

Polar Bear - click for larger

After we shot images of polar bears for about 20 minutes, we walked into the compound and then made our way into the lodge. We were greeted by Mike and Jeanne, the owners of the lodge and Churchill Wild. Mike asked how the trip in was. I explained my dilemma of having no tripod to work with. He said, "I have a couple of tripods here, let me get one for you." I had my ball head in my camera bag so I was ecstatic! I quickly set up and went out to the compound. There were a couple of bears within range. The rest of the group soon joined me and we spent the rest of the afternoon photographing bears up close and personal.

Polar Bear - click for larger

Once the light was gone, we went inside to do backups. We enjoy a glass of wine and hors d'oeuvres. This is a wonderful place! We each introduce ourselves and have an orientation session. They talk about safety for the bears and us and then we head off to dinner. The food and the company are wonderful! After a long day, we head to bed early.

At around 11p.m. I'm awakened by a knock at my door, "Northern Lights!" I crawl out of bed and get dressed. We head out and Scott and I share a tripod and shoot the lights for about an hour.

Northern Lights - click for larger

It was a nice show and a great end to a great day!

More to come…

An Adventure

A few years ago, I was sitting around with a group of nature photographers after a great photo session at Point Pelee National Park. Dennis Fast was filling our heads with visions of "The North". Dennis is a fabulous photographer, very knowledgeable birder, and one of the nicest people I have ever met. His specialty is polar bears (see http://www.dennisfast.com). Earlier that day Dennis had been standing shoulder to shoulder with several photographers when he looked over at me and waved me to his spot. He stepped aside and let me have the best view of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher sitting on a nest. Not many people would do that.

Blue-gray Gnatchacher - click for larger

Later as we listened to his stories about Northern Manitoba with its Polar Bears, Arctic Fox and Northern lights, we all wanted to go. I think it was Scott who suggested it first. "Hey, why not get a bunch of us fellow photographers together and we head to Churchill and beyond?" This was a few years ago but it has always stayed in the back of our minds - even Dennis continued to think about it. Last January I received an email from him about an opportunity to travel to the mouth of the Seal River in mid-November. Unfortunately this landed right smack in the middle of my teaching schedule. But thanks to a very understanding boss, I was allowed to find someone to cover my classes and go. (Thanks Jed!)

Once we were committed to this, I started to gather all the stuff I would need for such an adventure. Here is my list of the gear I will be packing:

Canon 1Ds Mark III camera
Canon 5D Mark II camera
Four: Extreme III 16 Gig CF Cards
Canon 500mm f4 lens
Canon 16-35mm f2.8 L lens
Canon 24-105mm f4 IS L lens
Canon 70-200mm f4 L lens
Extension tubes
1.4X Multiplier
Various Lee Filters
Gitzo GT3541Tripod with Really Right Stuff Ball Head
Spare batteries
Chargers for both cameras
MacBook Pro
500 Gig Lacie Rugged Hard Drive with Firewire cable and power cord
250 Gig Hyper Drive with power cord, Mini USB cable and charger
Nikon binoculars
Kiboko Backpack by Gura Gear
Snow Goose Down Parka
Ski Pants
Columbia Winter boots rated for -55C
Long Underwear
Gore-Tex Mitts
Fingerless Gloves with liners
All of this needs to be stuffed into one camera bag, a laptop backpack and a duffel bag along with my clothes and toiletries. Stuffed it shall be! I fly out on Saturday to Winnipeg. A few of us plan to work in Riding Mountain National Park for a couple of days before heading to Churchill and the Seal River on Tuesday. I can't wait!

More to come…