Down by the Bay, Where the Night Sky Glows

Carly Gray, Environmental Education Manager

For many of us, a vacation often means heading to a tropical beach. But truthfully, the beaches of Hudson Bay didn’t disappoint. The raw beauty of this place is something special.

This past week, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Churchill with my family. It was a dream come true for all eight of us, we got to explore the tundra, cruise through the Churchill River estuary, and soar above Wapusk National Park in a helicopter.  We took a flight from Winnipeg, but you can also arrive by train. Many people suggest driving to Thompson first and taking the rest of the way up by train—a beautiful 17-hour trip through the tundra. 

The experience blew us away. What felt like a once-in-a-lifetime adventure was right here in our own backyard. Locals we met mentioned how common it is to see visitors from all over the world but rarely fellow Manitobans.

The land masses there are growing faster than anywhere else. Glaciers weighed down the rocky tundra thousands of years ago. Without that weight, the rocks are popping up above the land at a rate of a metre a century. The Prince of Wales Fort has raised roughly 3 metres since the site was first built as a log shelter in 1717, and finished in stone in 1771.

While we were there, we had the good fortune of seeing the trifecta of Churchill—polar bears, beluga whales, and aurora borealis. These beautiful sights have peak times throughout the year, but mid-August is the best time to see all three!

Polar Bears

Seeing a polar bear in the polar bear capital of the world sounds easy, but seeing one is a gift from nature. At this time of year, polar bears lounge around the tundra waiting for the sea ice to form. They wait at the mouth of the Churchill River, which works like an ice cube factory, and catch a ride on the ice as it forms and moves into the bay. 

Polar bears are an important part of the plant life in the tundra as they move and graze the landscape. They reseed some of the incredible plant life that you see. I was shocked by the variety of plants I found in the tundra. As my family had their eyes peeled for bears, my nose was to the ground checking out the beautiful plants that grow in this magical landscape.

We spotted a mother and cub from the water, nestled between the rocks taking a nap. It is important to view the bears from a safe distance and not impact their behaviour by your presence. We were lucky enough to see bears from above as we took a ride in a helicopter through Wapusk National Park, where we spotted many bear families around the tundra — one was even lying on its belly with its legs spread out like a dog. The pilot advised us that they often do this to keep cool, as the fur under their belly is less dense than the rest of its body. Their sense of smell is incredible —they can smell a seal from up to 20 kilometres away. Sometimes you’ll see them close their eyes to heighten their sense of smell.

Seeing them in their natural habitat, free and wild, was breathtaking. It solidified the importance of protecting their homes and reducing climate change impacts. 

Beluga Whales

On the Churchill River, the world was completely—except for the sound of belugas surfacing to breathe. Beneath the backdrop of a beautiful sunset, the sound of their soft, rhythmic puffs of air every few seconds was one of the most breathtaking moments of the entire trip. If you’re lucky, you could see a little grey calf swimming alongside its mother. We saw one so little it must have been born that season!

Beluga whales are often called the “canaries of the sea” for good reason—they’re among the most vocal whales in the world. Guides on each tour were equipped with hydrophones, so we were able to hear their underwater chirps and squawks. Belugas have non-fused vertebrae, meaning they can move their heads in all directions. While I knew this, nothing prepared me for how cute it is to see a beluga swim past and look up to you. 

The whales were incredibly curious and engaged with you as you paddled through the bay. We went kayaking as a group, some in double kayaks with others in singles. My mom was the first one to have one swim right beside her – letting out an unexpected squeal of excitement. 

My auntie, uncle, and I chose to get up the following morning and experience paddle boarding. Many people said it is a must-do Churchill experience and we wondered what all the fuss was about! One big difference is the vantage point from above the water, it gave a different perspective to being able to watch the whales glide beneath the surface. We were also guided on how to interact with the whales to see if they would follow the movement of the board. My auntie had three of them following her wake as she paddled across the river!

The other difference was the care and guidance of Erin from SUP North, our paddle boarding guide. She’s spent years on the river, learning from the belugas and understanding their behaviour. She sings to them and you can see them move toward her vocalizations. Her knowledge and deep respect for these animals made the experience even more meaningful. She taught us how to interact responsibly—giving space, moving calmly, speaking melodically and not making loud noises, and letting the whales decide how close they wanted to come.

Whether you’re in a zodiac, kayak, or paddleboard – being on the water with the belugas is nothing short of magical. Getting the opportunity to connect with these beautiful creatures in their habitat is an experience I will never forget.

Aurora Borealis 

In Winnipeg, we’re lucky to catch glimpses of the aurora on clear summer nights—but it’s nothing like seeing it in Churchill, where you’re directly beneath the auroral oval, the part of the Earth’s magnetic field that funnels solar particles to create this incredible phenomenon. The lights started even before the sun set, creating a spectacular display of green around 11 pm. The lights don’t just shine, they dance in vibrant waves roughly 20-60 kilometres above. We joined an aurora tour with Discover Churchill, where they guided us to lean into our night vision and encouraged us to not look at our phones too much. They took photos, so we could relax and enjoy the lights.

Luckily, my Aunties are experienced aurora viewers and know that the best way to view them is lying on a blanket under the stars. As we lay there, we saw the sky change – lighting up and shimmering right above our heads in the corona. 

Cultures around the world have their own beautiful stories to explain the lights. Drew, our guide from Alaska, shared stories about his community’s relationship with the aurora. Without any prompts, my dad looked up at the sky and shared that he felt it was the spirit of those we have lost putting on a show for us. 

At the end of the tour, our guide mentioned that he believes aurora experiences are karma-based, and that we all must have been in karma’s good books as we got an incredible show. 

Recommended experiences

• Alex de Vries and the entire Discover Churchill team were incredible. We booked the Wildlife and Sightseeing Tour and the Northern Lights Tour. Both tours were exceptional and surpassed our expectations. We learnt a lot about the landscape and history from knowledgeable guides and, most importantly, respected the space of the wildlife that called Churchill home. The sightseeing tour included some of Alex’s favourite murals, and he shared stories about the artists who have enriched the town and surrounding areas with beautiful artwork.
• Highly recommend using Sea North Tours for a zodiac tour – our guide was knowledgeable and loved being out on the water. We were able to spot pods of belugas in the bay by checking where the Arctic Terns were. They eat the same thing as belugas, capelin! We also rented kayaks through Sea North Tours and had an incredible evening paddle in the estuary during sunset.
• My favourite part of the trip was paddleboarding with belugas. Erin Greene from SUP North was incredible. Not only did she tell us about how to respect the belugas and engage with them respectfully, but she also sang to them while we paddled. You could see how the whales loved her voice and presence. For the water lovers, this was the perfect time to jump in the Churchill River for a dip, as we had wetsuits on! A must-do experience in Churchill!
• Even though our scheduled Ecology Tour was cancelled (due to a bear on-site!), we were still able to visit the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. We took a Sustainable Building Tour of the LEED-certified facilities — from the building design to the Rocket Greens program, this facility is nestled in the perfect spot. It is located right beside the old rocket range, and at the intersection of boreal, tundra, and arctic coastline. It’s no wonder this incredible facility has people coming from all over the world to conduct research!

Protecting Hudson Bay

Polar bears, beluga whales, and the aurora borealis are part of who we are as Manitobans. Everything I knew before I went to Churchill was learnt from a book, and after this experience, I can teach from a new perspective. Once again, I am enamoured by how people who steward land enrich the landscape. We are a part of nature, and everyone who lives in Churchill cares about the lands and waters. But it is important for people all over Manitoba to feel connected to our ocean coast, as it is up to all of us to ensure it is protected. This land holds more wonder and history than many of us realize—and it’s waiting for you to experience it. 

So next time you’re planning a vacation, consider looking north. Exploring our own backyard is not only accessible, but it will impact you far beyond the time you spend there. 

From polar bears to belugas to the dancing aurora, Hudson Bay is full of wonder. But this coastline and wildlife that call it home face growing pressures. That’s why CPAWS Manitoba supports the initiative to establish a Hudson Bay National Marine Conservation Area, to safeguard these waters for generations to come. You can help make this vision a reality. 

Sign our online postcard today and join thousands of Manitobans calling for permanent protection of our ocean coast.  Together, we can ensure the magic Carly experienced will always be there, waiting for the next family adventure.