Tonya is our Name our Bear Contest Winner.
My trip with The Great Canadian Travel Group. My first contact was with Margot and Amelia Bearheart who met us at the airport with a plethora of flyers for many adventures in Winnipeg. My niece Stephanie and I really enjoyed our day at the Zoo where the elk and polar bears were very actively frolicking in the falling snow.
On Saturday I went on a trip of a lifetime when I boarded the plane to Churchill. The flight was quite comfortable and we were provided with a hearty breakfast and snacks. Upon arrival in Churchill there was a bit of fog and we were worried that we might not see any polar bears. But by the time we reached our snow buggy the fog had lifted. We rode on the only road into the tundra, our eyes and cameras searching the frozen horizons. Suddenly someone saw a bear meandering nearby. The oos and ahs began and the clicking of camera shutters filled the buggy. We watched that bear until the guide, Mark, convinced us that there could be something better ahead. We were so exhilarated by this sighting that we didn’t care if that was all we would see. But luckily it wasn’t. Next we saw another, then a mama bear and her 3 year old baby. They were hunting for kelp along the Hudson Bay Shoreline where the tide had receded. Then they laid together and nuzzled. So precious. We saw a couple of sleeping bears and another walking further out. But the most active bears were at the end. Four guys chilling out on the beach, just waiting for the bay to freeze over. As we watched the larger one, our guide said over 1000 lbs, became aggressive to a smaller bear. The rumble ensued. Soon all that I could hear was the clicking of shutters and the whisper of how rare this is to witness. This was our fortune to be here on this day. We were blessed with good weather and spotted 14 polar bears in their natural habitat. I am so thankful to Great Canadian Travel for this wonderful opportunity. I highly recommend this fantastic adventure to anyone who loves polar bears and seeing how beautiful our planet is!