Sun sets on a polar bear at Seal River Heritage Lodge. Jody Steeves photo.
Jody Steeves’ favourite part of being a polar bear guide at Churchill Wild is observing a guest’s face the moment “the wild takes them.” That moment of surrender where regular life falls away and responsibilities are forgotten, if even just for a few days.
This was one of those moments.
“A male bear came in at sunset,” said Steeves. “A real polar bear sundowner. He had been laying on a rocky shoal which was covered by the rising tide, and he needed to find a new place to nap. Of course the lodge is an interesting place to a polar bear, so as he walked by he had to stop and check us out, and guests were able to observe him from the viewing platform.
“Bears tend to stand up to gather more information and he did just that, peeking from behind the willows trying to decide what we were. It looked as though he was going to lay down in the grass on a beach and guests began heading back inside, as the light was fading the bugs were coming out.
“He did not lay down however, he came back for a second lap and gave a private show to the guests who stayed to watch…”
As the sun set over a polar bear. At Seal River Heritage Lodge.
