Polar Bear Photos
 

I know, polar bears are not indigenous to Africa, but I thought information on an easily accessible wildlife encounter to those of us in North America may have some appeal; if not, you needn't review the photos nor comment.

http://kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos...p;sort_order=0

On Friday, October 21, I flew from JFK to Winnipeg (via Minneapolis) and caught the 2:00 Calm Air flight from Winnipeg to Churchill, Manitoba, the Canadian port on Hudson Bay. As the Bay melts in the Spring, the polar bears come ashore and hibernate, mate, etc. until the Bay re-freezes, usually in November. Many bears congregate at Cape Churchill, which just into the Bay, to await the freeze, and its the area around Cape Churchill that is visited in October and November.

I arrived in Churchill on Friday night, the day before my group arrived, mostly because I wanted to spend the night in Churchill instead of Winnipeg. On Saturday morning, I met my group at the airport, and we departed by bus to the Tundra Buggy launch site, about 10 miles or so from the airport. We spend the day driving around the area and encountered many polar bears, a few arctic hare, ptarmigan (beautiful white bird) and a couple of caribou. We arrived at the launch site around 10:30 on Saturday morning and spent around six hours watching the bears. We returned to Churchill for dinner (I had musk ox).

Sunday, we departed early and left the launch site around 8:30, spent around eight hours watching the bears, and returned to a gift shop in town for a brief visit before catching our 7:00 charter flight from Churchill to Winnipeg.

The bears are easy to find -- in fact, my guide told me they have a 100% success rate during the October/November season.

My only disappointment with the visit was the weather, which was too warm for there to be much snow and ice and the bears looked a bit out of place wandering naked tundra.

I would like to return and have requested the 2006 trip schedule from Frontiers Adventures, which operate the Tundra Buggy.

Michael

Better link for photos

http://kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.js...p;conn_speed=1

This is a trip my husband and I plan on doing in the next couple of years. Would love to see the photos - but the second link does not seem to be working either. If you could try again, that would be great.

Thanks.

Michael - I can't access the links, either! Hope it gets worked out. Thanks!

The second link should work, but you'll first need to join or log into kodakgallery.com, which is free (its the old ofoto.com)

Michael, I tried the link last night and this morning. It did take me to the login page (which I did) and then it took me to a page that said "The page you're looking for is not available." This morning (different computer) it didn't even stop at a login, it just went straight to that message.

Neither of the links work for me. I've been a member of the gallery since it started (actually I was an Ofoto member and my account details were simply shunted across when it became KodakGallery).

Can you provide another link?

What other link can I provide?

I sent it to my assistant, and after he joined kodakgallery he was able to log in and see photos. Maybe you need to first log into kodakgallery and then copy the link and paste it in your browser -- that's how he opened it.

If not, give me a hint where to get the link from.

Thanks

Kavey, I e-mailed you my log in info for kodakgallery, so maybe I can impose upon you to see if you can find the correct link. I'm all linked out. Thanks

Sure, let me go check.

No email yet, as soon as it comes through I'll have a go.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-vn2xcn


TRY THIS ONE!

I've set it so that viewers have to sign in first to see it. If you'd like me to post a link that allows them to see it without signing in, let me know.

Thanks Kavey! It worked. Nice shots, Michael - love those polar bears.

GREAT photos. What beautiful animals. Thanks for posting (Michael and Kavey!).

Thanks for sharing your pics!

Thank you Kavey and Michael! They are great. This is a trip that we have on our radar so loved seeing the pictures. What camera and lenses do you use?
Thanks again.
J

Great job, Michael! You have some wonderful photos. It seems you saw quite a bit for 3 days and it looks like you were able to get pretty close, too. Too bad about the weather. Thanks for posting this here.

BTW you should cross post this on the Canada board. I'm sure there are those who would be interested in your trip details and pics but wouldn't think to look on the Africa board ;)

A bit more info:

Camera -- Nikon F100, with 200-400mm lens and 28-210mm lens. For some shots, like the owl, the arctic hare, ptarmigan and caribou, which were quite a distance away, I used the longer lens, but the shorter lens was fine for the bears.

One problem with the longer lens, though, is that with people walking around the bus, there is some vibration and its not always easy to hold the camera still using the longest lens (a tripod really wouldn't be useful due to the vibration).

The distance between the buggy and the bears ranges from 100 yards or so, to a few feet. In fact, one bear stood upright against our buggy, and he was less than 5 feet from me.

PS -- I'll also post on Canada board.

thit_cho: my husband and I are planning on doing the Frontiers trip to Churchill next November; waiting to hear back on pricing for their "specialist" group, which includes staying at the Tundra Buggy Lodge and goes out to Cape Churchill.

Would you mind posting a bit about your experience with Frontiers? Or, if you would rather, please drop me a message at "eerkun at yahoo dot com".

Thank you.

eenusa, I had a great experience with Frontiers, and, in any event, I think they are the "only game in town." I don't think there is an Option No. 2 if you want to visit Cape Churchill, where I did not visit. I recently received their new catalog, which contained pricing, and I believe that information is likewise available on their website. I'm not sure if I have any experiential observations beyond this thread, but I would be happy to entertain more specific inquiries.

Michael

eenusa, I also topped a parallel thread in the Canada forum, and that may more specifically answer your questions

Thank you. I did find the link on the Canada board as well. Just wanted to make sure you were generally happy with Frontiers' handling of your arrangements. Appreciate the prompt response.

This looks pretty interesting... and Winnipeg is only a couple hours flight for me... maybe an in between Africa visits trip...

Richard

eenusa,

Here is what I learned about Cape Churchill when I spent a week with the polar bears in Churchill in late Oct of 2003. My questions on Cape Churchill were because I was investigating a return trip.

Cape Churchill bear viewing is riskier; it can be highly rewarding or a bust. The buggy goes to Cape Churchill late in the season just before the ice freezes. At least that's how they plan it. If the ice freezes a bit earlier, the bears are gone. They don't just slowly migrate away from the Cape they depart en masse. I was told there have been times when photographers spent the week at Cape Churchill without seeing a bear when there was a slightly early freeze.

I'd certainly do the earliest week of those offered if you are doing Cape Churchill. I thought if I included Cape Churchill on another trip, that I'd also do some regular bear viewing earlier.

My Cape Churchill comments do not pertain to the other tundra buggy or tundra lodge trips that occur earlier in the season. They were obtained from a couple of guides but I did not do a major fact finding to double check their accuracy.

Great White Bear Tours is another operator. I was happy with their vehicles. Natural Habitat and International Wildlife Adventures arrange various itineraries that included hotels, tundra buggy, White Whale Lodge (referred to as the mothers and cubs lodge-originally White Whale Lodge burned down just days after I was there). I used Nat Hab's 9-day itinerary but saw IWA a lot.

For Cape Churchill, I think Frontiers is your one option, plus they do other trips, if you wished to combine.

been to churchill four times. frontiers north is the one to go with.the first time we went with great white bear.the next year we decided to go back.we made our plane rev room rev.i call great white bear a year in advance they told me that they wearnt taking rev yet.i called every week they told me the same thing not taking rev yet .finally they tould me to call march 1 10.00 called march 1 10.00 they told me the told me they were filled up .pretty sorry

Just wanted to let those interested know that I have posted a trip report for our Nov '08 adventure - Tundra Buggy Lodge at Polar Bear Point. Photos will be a while, but if you want to read my report: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=3&start=0.

It was a terrific trip, and well worth the extra $$$s to stay at the lodge.

Hi Michael

Great photos! I especially enjoy the less seen creatures. Don't the bears look out of place not being surrounded by white? When they are not on snow it just doesn't look right.

Kind regards

Kaye

Kaye, yes, the polar bears looked somewhat strange with the background of dried foliage -- when I visited in October 2005 there was very little snow. This is definitely a trip that I'd like to repeat.

eenusa, I need to visit the Canada branch to check out your trip report and photos.

I had forgotten about this thread -- I think it was my initial attempt to post a link to kodakgallery and it looks like I failed a few times, before being rescued by Kavey. This was just before I had the pleasure of meeting Kavey for a cocktail in London (the first of three Fodorites that I have met from the Africa forum).

I'm off to Andorra tomorrow.

Checked out your comprehensive report. Thanks!

We're all packed and off today...
Let me know if you're passing through London again, would be nice to meet again for cocktail or perhaps dim sum lunch in China Town or the like...

Michael, you have single-handedly given my mom a very good day! I am going to call her tonight and tell her that we will be coming home next Oct/Nov to see the bears! (she lives in a small town north of Winnipeg)

Wonderful photos - I missed them the first time around!

Linda, also make sure to read eenusa's report, which is much more detailed and offers a lot more practical information than mine. She also went on a more ambitious, and interesting, trip than I did, staying several days in the Tundra Lodge on the ice, while I stayed in a hotel in Churchill and traveled out onto the ice each day.

I went with Frontier North Adventures (if I recall the name after three years) and they were excellent.

Finally - I have my Polar Bear photos posted ... if you are interested in taking a peek -

http://tinyurl.com/dzweym

eenusa,
Some of the best PB shots I have seen. You really nailed the exposure andshow great skill with your crops. Do you mind sharing what camera and lens you used. I am considering a future trip similar to yours.
Chuck

safarichuck - thanks for the compliment. Most of the PB photos were taken with a Canon 40D and the Canon 100-400L lens (often not at full zoom because the bears were so close). The scenics were usually taken with a 20D and a Sigma 18-200 stabilized lens (occasionally had problems focusing in auto mode). The Churchill photos were all taken with a Canon PowerShot SD870IS.

Leave the tripod/monopod at home and make sure you have a good bean bag to steady the lens against the edge of the window.

eenusa,
Thank you for the information. I hoped to see thit_cho gallery but it seems unavailable. Perhaps Michael can hook it up again? Looks like a great destination to place into the Africa mix. Guess I'll not be needing my zip-off pants.
Regards-Chuck

Chuck - you most definitely can leave the zip-offs home when you go to Churchill ;)

Try this link for Michael's photos

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-vn2xcn

eenusa, your photos are terrific (also, thanks for restoring the link to my photos -- this was my first attempt at posting a link to Kodakgallery, with several false starts, until I was finally rescued by Kavey).