James Shearer - » Tales from the Tundra - Part 1

Tales from the Tundra - Part 1 - Arrival in Churchill

Posted by jamesshearer
November 6, 2009

Thirty-five hours after boarding VIA Rail’s Hudson Bay train in Winnipeg and 1710km of track covered, the small town of Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay by the Manitoba-Nunavut border is finally in sight.

By all accounts two days and two nights on a train is a long time to be cooped up in a metal tube. Fresh air is only accessible for just ten to twenty minutes each day making it feel a bit like a long-haul flight to the moon and back but train travel is quite something different, and far my relaxed and enjoyable than flying or taking the bus. In the case of Churchill there are only a two ways in and out anyway and those are train or the more expensive but a lot quicker plane option. The nearest road is over 300km due south and with the waters of the Hudson Bay remaining frozen for over nine months of the year access to Canada’s most northern seaport is unreliable at best, not that taking a grain freighter ship in the arctic would be a particularly pleasant experience.

The train journey very nearly didn’t happen. Checking out of the hotel at midday on Sunday I anticipated a lazy afternoon exploring The Forks market area in Winnipeg and then boarding the train for a 7.30pm departure. To be on the safe side I decided to call the train station just to make sure we could drop our bags there to avoid carrying them all afternoon. My phone call was answered by baggage services – I thought that was a bit of luck getting through to the right person immediately, however that wasn’t where my luck lay.

The call went a bit like this:

“Hi, I am travelling on the train to Churchill later today and wanted to know if I can leave my bags at the station for the afternoon”.
“Sure” responded the baggage handler, “Which train did you say you were to be on?”
“Churchill”
“Today?”
“Yes”
“Well the train leaves at 12:05” he said.
I looked over at the hotel alarm clock – 12:06pm. I could feel all the blood run from my face at this point.
“When? My ticket says 7.30pm tonight” I responded with, getting a bit alarmed.
“Well, it leaves at 12:05 and I am about to go put the bags on the train. It is running a bit late so you better get here soon if you plan to be on it”.

I’ve never checked out of a hotel so fast in my life. By 12:20 we were at the station and the train was just about to be boarded for a delayed 12:25 departure. With what could only be described as the luckiest break I have ever had we were on our way to Churchill. VIA Rail had changed the schedule and moved the train more than 7 hours ahead of the schedule printed on our tickets.

For a town with less than a thousand residents, Churchill is surprisingly well equipped. The annual arrival of over 4,000 beluga whales each summer and the world-famous polar bears who pass through the town and surrounding tundra each October/November bring a steady flow of eco-tourists, myself included. This extra demand in services has resulted in many more places to eat and stay than most comparable towns in Canada’s north. There also exists a modern multiplex centre housing a hospital, library, day-care, swimming pool, bowling ice rinks, indoor sports areas and cinema.

On arriving I was advised that the best place to go for a hot drink and cake was the hospital cafeteria. Given this is the only coffee-shop in town (I’m not forgetting the delicious Gypsy Bakery because it is more than a coffee-shop) and the bizarre nature of the place I was compelled. On arriving in what could possibly be the warmest place in Churchill, perhaps too warm, I discovered that it, like every establishment, had plenty of souvenirs to buy. Like every Canadian destination which benefits from an influx of tourists, Churchill has no shortage of Canadiana ‘stuff’.

The Town Centre Complex and hospital are on located between the town and the shore of the Hudson Bay. The cafeteria has fantastic and, importantly, sheltered views of the bay. This proximity to the coast has also resulted in the occasional polar bear following the scent of freshly baked goods into the medical centre. Fortunately no one has been hurt in these instances and the greedy bears have been scared off by the brave members of staff.

Not far from the Town Centre Complex, along the coast are the modern day stone ruins of a partially constructed hotel. Unfortunately a shortfall in funding resulted in the project not being completed but the structure does provide elevated views of both Hudson Bay and the town, however you can’t venture very far due to the signs warning of polar bear activity in the area.

These ruins are also home to my first arctic wildlife experience of the trip – a very large and definitely not very shy Arctic Hare. Despite the wind having blown most of the snow away the previous day and the stark contrast of the white fur on the dark rocks I nearly missed spotting the hare. He just sat in a corner watching as I walked by. From the corner of my eye I just assumed it was some of the leftover building material, a bucket or something similar. But on double take I saw the hare sitting there happy to have his photo taken. When he had enough he bounded away revealing the true size of the animal. This hare was closer to a large cat or small Labrador dog in size than most rabbits and hares I have seen.

I also had a close encounter one evening when investigating a strange noise coming from the roof of the place we were staying. Upon peering out the window I was greeted with a pair of eyes staring back. A very rarely seen Pine Marten was on the windowsill attempting to get into the birdhouse mounted next to the window.

As the trip progressed the wild nature of the place quickly became apparent. I will post additional tales from the tundra shortly including details on the various animals seen which include: