The Most Northern Post

As Dr. Seuss would say…”Oh, the places you can go!” And this week we definitely went to one of those! Last week we left you in Flin Flon. We then drove, (yes, you guessed it) north yet again. The drive was longer than our usual trip and visually quite boring. We were happy to arrive in Thompson, “The Hub of the North.” We haven’t seen much of Thompson yet because we were immediately involved with packing and preparing for the trip to our ultimate goal, Churchill. Daisy was delivered that evening to a pet hotel with all the other caravan pets (7 dogs and 2 cats). We locked up our Airstreams and took a one hour charter flight the next morning, landing in a true arctic community. You must get out a map to see where we spent the last five days. Churchill is located on the 59th parallel on the south east coast of Hudson Bay at the mouth of the Churchill River. There are NO roads to Churchill which, by the way, is pronounced “Church-il” by the citizens. We stayed in the “Tundra Inn,” similar to an average US hotel and, of course, had to eat all our meals at the few restaurants available. We were scheduled and toured by two different tourist services and did just about everything one could possibly do there. We toured the town and area in two buses driven by two local characters including a lecture in the oldest prefab church in North America on the 350 year history of the area. We also explored the surrounding tundra in huge wheeled vehicles built on a fire truck chassis called Tundra Buggies…observing the polar bears, caribou, and Tundra Swans. We rode a jet boat and a Zodiac craft to view the Beluga whales and visit a 17th century French fort. In between we enjoyed the hospitality of the community in their museum, shops, and restaurants. We returned 4 days later by train (our first southern trip)…an overnight “experience” through the isolated tundra and forests from which we are still recovering.
Now the caravan trip is drawing down. We are spending a few days recovering in Thompson and then will head SOUTH to Winnipeg for the last few nights…a different kind of adventure. Then it will be back to the USA.
I must warn that the Roving Reporter uses a bit of exaggeration in his report this week…
I was off to the visit a Canadian doctor. My view of the world had turned green and I could not shake it. I tried all the normal remedies, aspirin, ibuprofen and the like, but nothing seemed to help. One’s world should not appear green and for that matter a bit fuzzy all the time. Just in the nick of time, Ms Daisy pointed out my affliction: my bug net hat. Up North you MUST always wear such a device or suffer clouds of mosquitoes. Some are tiny, about fly fishing size 24, and move at the speed of heat. They are 95% tooth and 5% body. The injection produces a yelp from the victim. At the other extreme, there are the slow movers about the size of an eagle. One bite and you need a transfusion. Neither, however, is in the class of the Canadian Black Fly. One chomp and you receive a welt the size of a Canadian loonie {$1.00 coin}. They swell up and itch and hurt and itch and hurt. So one wears their green mesh hat…always. Yes, one even wears the bonnet as a night cap. Yes, in the shower. Don’t go without it…ever! The eating thing is a bit of a challenge, but in another day of so practice… After a while your world is simply green and you forget about the hat. You believe you are Kermit. Next is the buzzzzz.
Churchill. I spent 15 hours on a swaying train traveling up to 16 MPH thinking about how to explain Churchill, Manitoba. First let me explain there are no roads to Churchill. Thompson is the last civilized stop and only a gravel one lane extends another 100 miles north to a collection of “homes” for workers who are building a power dam. No trails, not even for trappers, go beyond. So one flies or goes by train to Churchill. We experienced both. The town is the only such community on earth. Really! The area is a polar bear refuge in which the humans are the guests. It’s a living zoo where the humans live as a guest; no formal iron cages but you realize quickly to pay attention. The town and the provincial government hire guards to encourage the bears to avoid town. We were briefed on the four point program instituted to those who live in the zoo. Wise folks do not ever wander the country side on foot. In town, we were told, there are no locked doors, and if you are worried about bears, you are free to enter at any time. The town siren sounds when a bear strays into Churchill and daily there is an evening curfew. A 10 pm sharp siren warns that you must get off the streets till 0600. There is even a bear prison for bears who are slow learners. In the winter, they catch those who approach the city, incarcerate them in a black box [no food only water] and then give them a free chopper ride to the hinterlands. I know this living as the exhibit in bear country is a bit stark, but the rewards are special. By good fortune we happened to arrive as the ice cap on Hudson Bay was breaking up, and so the bears were swimming ashore. [] Moms and cubs head inland. Papa bears migrate down the shore line. In short all are hanging around till the ice forms again. This unique timing allowed us to see perhaps a dozen of these magnificent creatures. Our special treat was a Zodiak ride to a fort. While there, the bear guard spotted a mom with her cub resting. So on the return trip, we motored by and she allowed us to approach within 10 yards! Never would happen on land. I did note one black beady eye follow us as we slowly moved past. Next time I am at the zoo I am going to talk with the polar bear in the cage and share our experiences. I wonder what he thinks of us humans as he looks out of his protected environment. Our look out of the cage at him was sure memorable.

I asked one of the locals about the weather. Does it get cold here – in Churchill? I wanted a description. I knew it was routinely 40 degrees below but no feeling is attached to that number. How cold is cold? That request solicited several comments. First, I was told after it gets 25 below, it does not make any difference, cold is cold. One dons your parka in October and removes it when the first mosquito is spotted. The top response to “How cold does it get?” occurred last Christmas: Temp dropped to 45 below with 145 winds gusting to 165. Nothing moved. They heat with propane because of the cold but you must have electricity to ignite the gas. The town’s only electrician received an SOS. Citizens got a D-9 cat to pick him up and drive him to town so he could keep the electricity working house by house. The province of Manitoba declared him THE HERO who saved the village. City fathers know cold and plan for the harsh winters. Their facilities – hospital, school, playground/park, ice and curling rinks, cafeteria, movie theater, library, and shops are all located inside one enclosed facility. We visited it and it was quiet and empty, but we could imagine how it would buzz with activity during the winter. What a smart idea.

Sign of the week. Parking for sled dog’s only. Violators will be peed on.