Polar bear friends. Seal River Heritage Lodge. Bobbie Baird photo.
by Bobby Baird
Bobbie Baird at Seal River.
59.1528° N, 94.7820° W: Seal River Heritage Lodge sits on the western shore of Canada’s Hudson Bay, 400 miles south of the Arctic Circle and 600 miles north of the USA/Canada border. It’s the farthest north and coldest place I’ve ever been, accessible only by small plane.
I went to experience the majesty and wonder of polar bears and to confront my fear of extreme cold conditions. In recent years, my wanderlust has shifted toward remote wilderness areas and experiencing wildlife interactions.
It takes me back to my childhood when I would religiously tune in to “Wild Kingdom” with Marlin Perkins every Sunday night at 6 p.m. Churchill Wild and Seal River Heritage Lodge offers a unique ground-level experience with professional, experienced guides who protect both the small group of humans from the bears and the bears from the humans. Each day, we suited up twice in lodge-provided winter parkas, snow pants, and boots, then wandered on foot for about three hours looking for wildlife.
It was one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had. With only a few people staying in the lodge – no vehicles, no roads – we experienced only the sights and sounds of subarctic nature and wildlife. Although the primary purpose was to see polar bears, learning about and observing the other creatures was equally fascinating and exotic.
Red fox chasing Arctic fox. (And he got away!) Seal River Heritage Lodge. Bobbie Baird photo.
Seeing Arctic foxes, ptarmigans, Arctic hares, snowy owls, and wolves in their full winter white was amazing. All these creatures are brown in summer but change to white in winter. And it was my first time experiencing an aurora borealis!
The polar bears had migrated to the Hudson Bay shore, waiting for the ice to freeze so they could hunt for seals. They hadn’t eaten much all summer while waiting for this ice-freezing feast, when they would fatten up and prepare for the next spring/summer. The mama bears go into snow dens in December/January, where they give birth to their cubs and stay until March or April, nursing them and living on stored fat.
On the lookout. Seal River Heritage Lodge. Bobbie Baird photo.
The cubs grow and learn from mama while staying with her until they’re 2.5-3 years old. They become bolder, braver, and VERY curious! After Yellowstone last January and now this trip, I’m starting to “warm up” to winter conditions. The magical beauty makes being brave and facing the fear worthwhile!
I hope everyone enjoys my photos. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for indulging my stream-of-consciousness rambling about the wonders of the winter wilderness.
Northern lights at Seal River Heritage Lodge. Bobbie Baird photo.
Thanks to Charles Glatzer of Shoot The Light Inc., Churchill Wild Polar Bear Tours, and all the wonderful folks at Seal River Heritage Lodge for making it all possible. The experience was magnificent and magical in every way imaginable – the comfort, safety, food, service, congeniality, ambiance, and, OF COURSE, those amazing winter creatures!
The sleuth. Seal River Heritage Lodge. Bobbie Baird photo.
Bobbie Baird Seal River Heritage Lodge Photo Gallery
See more of Bobbie Baird’s polar bear photos on Facebook here and her additional polar bear photo safari photos here. Follow Bobbie on Instagram here.
Polar Bear Photo Safari – Seal River Heritage Lodge
