Summer was here and now it is gone

Only 14 days left to experience the Churchillian summer!

Fireweed, Yarrow and Alpine Golden rod

Just two days ago my final Frontiers North guests departed Churchill, along with two of the Seanorth Tour guides. The following day brought winds gusting up to 60 knots causing zodiac excursions to be cancelled. The rain fell in heavy down pours and chilly weather came directly from the north. The summer has suddenly ended.

I’m relieved to have my schedule slow down a bit, to simply catch my breath and experience some of the summer through some long awaited leisure time. 

Dean and I finally had an afternoon together and at the same time we were kindly offered an ATV to go gallivanting on. We headed in all directions one corner at a time exploring along the edge of the Churchill River, taking the coastal road out towards the land of Boreal forests and lakes. Although we wanted to stop and linger in some of the gorgeous places we discovered, we had to remain completely on guard for Polar Bear. We looked hard for the big creamy (often sleeping) blobs that can be seen unexpectedly in the areas we cruised, but not a single bear was to be seen, by our eyes anyway.

The Castle - a half finished hotel lwith gorgeous masonry, left unfinished but still noticed 

We took turns driving and I could not help but grin as the open air breeze ran through my hair as we zipped here and curised there.

I’ve just recently worked two full weeks cooking with Dean in the Tundra Inn kitchen, preparing meals for up to 50+ people in only an hour and a half sitting. Our ‘Wings’ nights are popular with the locals especially when a live band is playing, and Friday night pizzas have become a great success. I added a Mexican pizza to the choices and when served with a guacamole dipping sauce with Tortilla chips, they were a hit.

Mexican Pizza - Pizza Fridays!

The famous and delicious Tundra Salad with prawns

As the summer winds down those that came to work in Churchill only for the summer are already preparing for their next adventure elsewhere. A camp fire down at 'the Flats' is one of the best ways to gather a group of friends together to celebrate and to say farewell to those unfortunate ones who are leaving. Dean and I felt right at home sitting on a log and stoking the fire which blazed late into the night.

As September approaches the Belugas will be making their way North towards Hudson Strait, most birds will be flying in a Southerly direction and the streets of Churchill will be claimed by the locals once again. The month of September is the calm before the storm. The busiest season is about to approach - Polar bear season. For 6 weeks the town is buzzing with people working around the clock and tourists up to 7,000 will visit the small sub-arctic town of Churchill in hope to see the Polar Bear. Throughout September, the Tundra Inn will have fewer guests and the pub will be mainly visited by locals and Dean will be going it alone in the kitchen.

I will spend September naturalizing and guiding aboard the 92 foot schooner, the Maple Leaf sailing in the Great Bear Rainforest waterways hoping to encounter Grizzly bear, the Kermode (Spirit bear) and witness Humpback Whales. I have 3 presentations booked at the end of September, one of them is at the William Head Penitentiary in Victoria and when that is all said and done, I will venture back to Churchill at the end of the month and prepare myself for a busy and delightful bear season. Bring on the snow and ice.

Speaking of snow - Breaking News!! For the first time in many years, it snowed in the Hutt Valley and Wellington regions of New Zealand. Seldom does it slow at sea level. My dad sent photos, yikes it looks chilly. Wow have we had a gloriously warm summer here in Churchill which I am so grateful for.

More to come as the Churchill summer draws to an end and I venture out west to reunite with the Pacific Northwest.