by Nolan Booth, Director of Lodge Operations, Churchill Wild
Small girls. Big history. Mooswa. Nanuk. Dennis Fast photo.
We have the honor of doing a major construction project at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge this year with a big anniversary at hand.
Almost 100 years ago this summer, during the limited months that Hudson Bay was not frozen, a small vessel took on water and sunk near the shore about eight miles from what is now Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Reportedly, the boat was never seaworthy enough for the shallow water of the bay. In 1916, strong winds and high waves resulted in the boat taking on water, the engine room filled and the ship broached.
To this day we still enjoy short trips out west to see the Mooswa and explore the area. Quite often there are polar bear or wolf tracks surrounding the vessel. And if nothing else, it is just a nice place to sit up off the ground and think about our past and the incredible things people have accomplished on or near this unforgiving landscape.
We have done a fair bit of research and have even had scholars investigate the wreckage with little success. The only clues we have is a notation in the typed History of Nanuk booklet at the Lodge, which I would assume was started by the original owner and has been carried on over the years.
Not too many years ago Mike and Jeanne Reimer took over the Nanuk location and added it to the lodges in the Churchill Wild family. We are now creating new memories and writing our own history.
What will people discover about us 100 years from now?
