Polar Bear Newborn Cubs - Travelling to the Lodge

Wat'chee lodge on the edges of the Wapusk National Park in northern Canada isn't the easiest place to get to. After staying up till 11:30pm packing to meet the strict weight and size restrictions for the flight north, and lying awake till 1am day dreaming of polar bears, we rose at 5:30am.

Airport check-in was a stressful experience. Firstly, there was some doubt that all our bags would make it to Churchill on our flight as the plane was fully booked. Secondly, extreme wind warnings for Churchill threw into doubt whether we would be able to land at all. Thankfully the stress was unfounded. Within the hour we were on our way with all our bags and after a short refuelling stop in Thompson, to make sure we could be diverted from Churchill if necessary, we landed safely in Churchill.

Arriving in Churchill in late morning and catching the evening train meant we had several hours to kill. Cafe, bank, post office, liquor store, museum and cafe again passed the time in short order and kept us out of the harsh winds and -40'C (with wind chill) for most of the day.

The train, eventually bound for Winnipeg, runs south east from Churchill along the edge of the Wapusk National Park. The train rambles along at a snails pace over the tundra, frozen marshes and frost heaves and is wobbly but comfortable. A treat, for the tourists aboard at least, was a spectacular display of northern lights that crossed the sky above the train to both horizons. We can only imagine how vibrant they must have been from the tundra when they were so bright even when viewed from within a lit railway car.

After two hours, but only 40 miles, the train stops in the middle of the seemingly empty tundra with not even a signpost let alone a station to mark the location. Our guides from Wat'chee lodge are there to meet us in their tank track modified vans and after a quick transfer of passengers and luggage we are rumbling even more slowly across the snow drifts toward the former navy communications base that will be our home for the next week.

We arrive at the lodge around 10:30 pm and are welcomed by the clan and quickly assigned our beds. No rest for the wicked though. In the hopes of catching another display of northern lights we pack on the winter layers and head out into the elements with wide angle lenses and camera and tripods. Unfortunately the lights were only a shadow of their former glory though and it didn't take long before one by one we headed back to the lodge and collapsed into bed after midnight.

Tomorrow - we try and find bear cubs!