CHURCHILL, MANITOBA

                     A Small Town in the Canadian North

A blizzard blew into Churchill the night before our arrival, so we were greeted with new fallen snow.

 In 1610, Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson Straight, which is named for him, and in 1619 Jens Munck, a Dane, discovered the mouth of the Churchill River. Only Munck, and two other members of his team, survived that harsh winter. In the spring, indigenous people discovered the bodies of those who subsumed and buried them near the river they called River of Strangers.

In 1686, John Abraham discovered the Churchill River, which he named after Lord Churchill, the then governor of the Hudson Bay Company. In 1912 the borders for the province of Manitoba were defined and established.     Churchill is 700 air miles from Winnipeg, Manitoba’s capitol, or a 1000 mile train ride. No roads connect Churchill to the outside world so one must arrive either by train or plane.

Building of the railroad commenced in 1911, and in 1929 train service  started in Churchill. The railroad was crucial for shipment of grain, from southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, to grain elevators in Churchill. Even today, Churchill remains the northern most terminus for the railroad.

Over 3000 men worked at a frantic pace to complete the 70,000 ton (2.5 million bushel) grain handling facility by 1931. The complex can load 60,000 bushels of grain an hour.  The elevators define the skyline, and are a symbol of the town’s historic growth. Ships, from all over the world, still go to Churchill to fill their holds with grain. It is not uncommon for ships to stay off shore for several days, before they can enter the port. Churchill is the only international harbor on Hudson Bay, and its seaport is 1000 miles closer to Europe than it is to Montreal. There is a 12 foot tide in the Churchill area.

Churchill lies in the middle of the endless Canadian tundra, and is the same latitude as Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway. Here, in the polar bear capitol of the world the aurora borealis or northern lights are clearly visible  certain times of the year. Extremes and contrasts characterize the small town of Churchill established in 1700. The present town, about 80 years old, is rich in history. (The town was moved across the river after the building of the grain facility.)

       The confluence of four regions creates four large and distinct habitats. There is a  wealth of natural life in the Churchill area. The Churchill River lies to the north, the salty Hudson Bay to the east, and the tree line to the south and west. Since 1980, Churchill has become an internationally renowned center for wildlife research and ecotourism. It is one of the most easily accessible human habitats to view the Northern Lights, beluga whales, arctic and sub-arctic birds, and polar bears in the wild.

Dogs are not allowed to run loose in Churchill.  Most of the housing in Churchill is owned by the Province of Manitoba.  Houses are built above ground on pillars sunk deep into the permafrost. The air space between the floor and the ground prevents heat from melting the permafrost which would create a real mess. Wind whistles pretty good under the house, so most houses now are skirted, and the buildings are well insulated.  The city’s water is pumped from upstream in the Churchill River. It is heated three times before actually reaching the faucet in a building. All the pipes are sunk well underground, and water is kept moving all the time.  The old fire house houses oil spill equipment. A 925-foot runway is always kept cleared. The largest jet could land in an emergency---here in the middle of nowhere! It’s nice to know that there is a safe emergency landing,

     St. Paul’s Anglican Church was on the east side of the river until 1892. The pretty little church was built in England, taken apart, and shipped to Churchill, where the minister reassembled it--- with a little help. Quite a character, this minister! He’d see a parishioner, invite him home to visit, then add, “And bring your hammer and tools with you.” After awhile when seeing the minister, people started ducking around the corner.

While roofing, the minister fell, breaking several ribs. He was most distraught, as he was anxious to finish his

church. Being the creative man he was, he decided his wife’s corset would make a good brace for those broken ribs---not a bad thought!.

Meanwhile a high tide washed much of his roofing materials into the bay. It took the poor man two weeks, but he finally retrieved all the parts with incoming tides, and eventually the church was completed.

When the church moved from the east side of the river, it was put on a sled and moved across the frozen river.  Later, when storm tides lapped at its front door, the church was again moved up the hill, to its present location.

   In the midst of the uncompromising wilderness, sits a multi-million dollar modern health and recreation facility.  The present population, of about 750, enjoy life here as a mix of modern technology and traditional skills. Churchill has a post office and its own special stamp which many of us had stamped in our passports. The tourist industry is limited by the motel and restaurant number and capacity. So no big cruise ships visit, as the passengers would overrun the town. It’s a quaint little town and we had a wonderful time—in spite of the fact that I do not like cold weather. My friend had been at me for three years to make this trip and I finally relented when I realized I could borrow my daughter’s ski clothing. I stayed comfy warm and am grateful I did a friend a favor, as she died the following spring.

POLAR BEARS

                                      I Hope They Will Survive

Mid October each year, 600-1000 polar bears gather along 100 miles of coast, stretching from Nelson to Churchill, Manitoba. It is the largest concentration of polar bears in the world. About 300-350 bears congregate in the Churchill area, waiting for the bay to freeze over.( I hope this will continue to be true!)

The indigenous people, the Inuits, called the polar bear Nanook. The Ursus Maritimus is the world’s largest terrestrial carnivore. The King of the Arctic, is a gentle, ever caring mother, who has an intense curiosity. Females weigh 500-700 pounds, and males from 1000-1500 pounds.  Standing on its hind legs, some bears can reach a height of 10-12 feet!

Clad in insulating fur and fat, the polar bear is able to sleep through blizzards, or plunge into near freezing arctic waters. The bear’s three layer coat consists of a big layer of fat topped by skin. A thick black under coat of dense fur traps heat. The top layer of fur consists of guard hairs, which are hollow and act as a solar collector, trapping the warm rays of the direct sun, and passing them onto the heat trapping under coat. The 4 inch outer coat appears from white to yellow, but in effect, its hollow hairs are actually transparent reflecting light. These hairs, also add buoyancy when swimming, and the matting ability and oily texture allow the animal to shed water and ice from its body.

The animals’ paws are large and rounded.  The bear is capable of flipping a 500 pound seal, from the water, with one swing of its paw! Each paw has five partially webbed claws that assist in swimming. Using the front legs to propel him, and its hind legs to stabilize and steer, the bear is a strong swimmer, able to swim up to 60 miles before needing to rest. The footpads have a heavy fur coat, to protect against frostbite, but are rough enough to add traction on ice. On solid surfaces, the paws spread to distribute weight and act like a snowshoe, making them a master at negotiating over ice.

The head is long and tapered, with small ears and powerful jaws. The 42 teeth include long sharp canines, needed for piercing flesh. Their eyesight is rather poor, except under water, where they can see 15 feet, when looking for food. They tend to be far sighted, which allows them to search large areas of their environment when feeding. Their hearing, through the small fur lined ears, is nearly equal to that of humans. The ears also contain a fine network of blood vessels, which transport thermal energy to the auricles.

     The polar bear has a phenomenal sense of smell, and it is said, he can smell a seal buried in a cave, under three feet of snow.  The bear is often seen thrusting its nose in the air to utilize its keen sense of smell. The animal, not only can smell through 3 feet of ice, but also for a distance of 10 miles. On a clear day, through binoculars, its black nose can be seen from a distance of six miles!

The polar bear liver is so rich in vitamin A that it is toxic to humans. The bears are also susceptible to a parasitic worm, which is apparently contracted from eating infected seals. A grown bear’s stomach will allow him to consume 150 pounds of food at one time! However, on average, a seal every five days is adequate to sustains a bear. Summer produces slim pickings for food, and the bear pretty much subsists on its own fat. The normal walking gait of the bear is 2 ½ miles an hour, but it is possible for him to run 25 miles an hour.

Spring, April–May, is mating season for polar bears, with the pair remaining together for a week. Courtship and mating take place on the ice.  Polar bears are induced ovulators, meaning that they do not ovulate regularly, but the mating ritual stimulates ovulation. Gestation is eight months. Mothers normally have twins, but can deliver one or up to four cubs. Cubs look like rats at birth weighting, only 1-2 pounds. When born they are hairless, blind, deaf, and helpless. By the time they emerge from the den at five months, they generally weigh 29 pounds. Moms can double her weight during pregnancy. Cubs are born November – February.  Mom nurses her babies for five months, during which time she does not hunt or feed, but stays in the den with her babies.

The size of the den is approximately 6 X 10 X 4 feet, and the temperature is 40 degrees warmer than the outside air.  There are 17 known denning areas across Canada. One, 40 miles south of Churchill, is the largest. Discovered in 1969, it is a birthing den for 150 polar bears. The cubs stay with their mother 2 ½ years. Mother generally gets pregnant about every three years.     Mother’s milk is 40% fat and is thick like condensed milk. At one month, the cubs crawl, at 6 weeks open their eyes, and by 10 weeks, they can keep their balance. They are mature at 4-5 years. The life span of a polar bear is usually 15-18 years, but can reach 30 years. Mothers with cubs are solitary. Polar bears are very good moms. It is not uncommon for her to run off a male, twice her size, to protect her cub.         Polar bears are one of the seven species of bears, and is most closely related to the brown bear, with whom they can interbreed, and produce fertile offspring. An adult female polar bear is called a sow, and a male, a boar. Adult males can be aggressive and often may hurt or kill the cubs. Two males can box over females for hours and the result can be bloody.

      A polar bear can eat 10% of its body weight in 30 minutes! The animals have well developed, strong hind leg and neck muscles. In spite of their size, they are agile in the water. Young males indulge in mock fights, called sparring, which is an impressive pastime. They spend hours wrestling on their hind legs, which will serve them well for survival and the fight for mates, territory, and food. They will lick the snow to quench their thirst. The only enemy of an adult polar bear is the human.

      Polar bears wander the frozen north and are constantly on the move, roaming hundreds of miles.  They live on ice sheets and ice floes, which provide a base for their diet of mostly ringed seals.  They’ll often wait for a seal to stick its head out of the water to breathe, then slap the seal on the head with its paw, and drag it from the water. This technique is called still hunting.   The aquatic stalk is another hunting technique; the bear quietly swims through the water where a seal is sun bathing on an ice floe. The bear suddenly leaps out of the water grabbing the seal by the neck, and before the seal knows what is happening, he has become dinner. They also eat stranded whales, walruses, carcasses, human refuge, and in the summer, plants and berries.

      We saw many polar bears during our stay in Churchill and it was a thrill every time!

ENGLISH NATIONAL PARKS

                                     Grasmere and the Parks
     England’s National Park history is much shorter than ours, and there are marked differences of how its parks are run compared to the U.S. National Park System.   The National Park and Access to Countryside Act of 1949 was the beginning of England’s eleven National Parks. The major portion of funding comes from the central government with the remainder of the monies coming from local rates, car parks, and fees for guided walks etc.

    The main functions of the National Parks are to preserve and enhance the area’s natural beauty, to promote enjoyment of the area, and to look after the needs of the local people. England’s National Parks are all living landscapes as people live and work in the parks. The government does not own the parks. England’s parks are privately owned and landowners vary from small homes and farms to major landowners who control thousands of acres. Many of the major landowners can trace their history back many

generations. The local population has need for employment, housing, health, education etc. which need to be considered by both the park authorities and visitors. Before the establishment of the National Parks it was up to the voluntary sector to protect areas of outstanding beauty. The National Trust, established in 1895, is still active and going strong owning property throughout England and Wales. In National Parks the Trust works in fairly close cooperation with the Park Authority. However being a charity it is dependent on member subscriptions, entry fees to properties and rents from numerous farms and cottages.

   The Lake District’s 880 square miles makes it England’s largest National Park and the second so designated,  1951; the first park was the Peak District.  The 880 square miles makes a rough circle 35 miles in diameter and 40,000 people live within the park boundaries. William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter as well as other poets and authors popularized the area in the mid 18^th century.

     Today there are many pressures on the National Parks. One of the most urgent and biggest problems is the impact of tourism. The area needs tourist income, but how to control the impact of many people using and enjoying the landscape. Then there is the need for tourist facilities, and control of building and type of structures also impact the growth. The need of the residents is always ever present. Modern farming methods and commercial forestry are also needs. Erosion is a constant problem, often caused by people straying off paths destroying vegetation.

      Repair of paths is a constant manpower as well as a  financial problem.     Leveling walkways, providing disabled access, identifying drainage problems, replanting and protecting such from sheep and deer are just some of the problems facing the area. It might be said that the area has been loved to death. Trying to find a quiet balance is a challenge.

     I’ve hiked and enjoyed several of the country’s parks and have always been respectful of them as they are a treasure.

       England’s Lake District is picturesque with many low mountains, abundant trees and flora. Sheep are seen everywhere and we were to learn a lot about them as well as transit many of their pastures. England has about twenty breeds of sheep, and the most common are the Herdwick, Blackface, and Swaledale.

     Romans came here 2000 years ago and the Vikings 1000 years ago. The old Roman road is 2480-feet high and one can still walk the path the Romans used to pull carts. Fell is a Viking word meaning mountain.

Good hiking boots needed

     In Grasmere we stayed in a sprawling Edwardian hotel located on a small lake. Grasmere is a city as well as a lake and this is where it can be confusing to a stranger. Mere, water, tarn all designate a lake so to say Lake Grasmere is redundant. Tarn is from a Viking word meaning tear. There are 247 bodies of water ranging from small to fairly large in the Lake District.

     Buildings and homes in the area are of either native blue or green slate with slate roofs. Building codes are strict. It is illegal to import stone or to use any non native stone. Historic preservation dictates that if a building is torn down it must be replaced the same size and in the same spot.                       Windermere is a large lake, 10 ½ X 1 mile, and 276 feet deep. It’s fast flowing water changes the surface water every three days. Three steamboats sail on the lake. There are only three lakes in the district that allow motors, two have 10 mph speed limits and Windermere is the only lake with unlimited motor rules. However, because of erosion and pollution a study of that was underway.

ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT

                                 Center Piece in the Bay

One of Cornwall’s most famous natural landmarks is St. Michael’s Mount. It sits 200’ above the bay on the highest point of the granite and slate island rising out of the water. Built over the site of a Benedictine chapel, it has been a church, fortress, and private residence.  It was one huffing hike over a very rough cobblestone path to the top, but the views were spectacular, the castle was lovely, and it certainly was worth the climb.

I was the first to make it to the top, passing a couple who had touted all trip what terrific hikers they were. I was surprised to see them stop every few steps to get their breath. I have found that the people who do the most talking are often full of hot air.

      One can walk the causeway, built in 1425, only at very low tide, otherwise it’s a pound fare for the ‘ferry’ ride. The 12 passenger ferry was little more than an open row boat with an outboard motor. Eight boats run continuously.  At the top of one of the pair of stairs at the island loading piers is a gold footprint marked VC in commemoration of Queen Victoria’s visit in 1846. I wonder if she made the climb to the top?

       The castle was a defense in 1585 when the Spanish tried to invade, and for any significant disturbance since. St. Michael’s Mount was built by the same French monks who created Normandy’s Mont St. Michel.

      The organ in the present chapel is circa 1791.  The castle houses period furniture and old maps. Lovely wooden floors are throughout, and the castle is bright inside because of its rather large windows, unusual for its day.

Close up of castle

Perched atop the rock outcropping

      After viewing the castle and having interesting conversations with a couple of the docents I made my way back to the bottom. Fortunately it did not rain, because if it had that cobblestone walkway would have been very slippery. I spent a fair amount of time walking through the large gardens surrounding the base of the castle. The gardens contained many unusual plants.

     A few medieval and Victorian buildings, as well as a small gift shop, are at the base of the island. 

     In the middle of the bay it was windy and cool. Otherwise it was a clear sunny day and it was a neat adventure.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF CORNWALL,ENGLAND

                      Picturesque Countryside
     Cornwall is a world of its own with spectacular landscapes and stunning rugged coastline. Hedgerows climb the hills defining and dividing the rolling green pastures. No place is Cornwall is more than 20 miles from the coast and the ocean.                 

    We often passed under natural green arches over the roads where the trees and vines on each side had grown across the road and entangled with those on the opposite side. Most roads in Cornwall are narrow two-lane roads, with one lane going in each direction. Some roads are no more than a one car lane and it got real interesting sometimes when we met a vehicle going in the opposite direction. It is easy to understand that people living in this part of the country would want only a small vehicle.    

    Cornwall is the land of legendary shipwrecks, with over 3000 recorded along the rugged coastline. In Charlestown, on a rainy afternoon, we visited the Shipwreck Museum. The museum was quite well done, with video narration of several famous shipwrecks. The museum was full of shipwreck relics.

    Prince Charles has an estate in Cornwall. The eldest royal son has been the Duke of Cornwall for ages.  If produce or a product is labeled duchy, it means the tax goes to the Duke's trust. Prince Charles’ trust makes loans/grants to small business enterprises.

   Mevagissey, a quaint small fishing village, has a history of smuggling. In fact smuggling was a common enterprise years ago all along the Cornwall coast. One evening we had fish and chips in the Fountain Inn, a 15^th century pub where even today the bar, oak beams, and slate floor are the original. The meaning of history certainly comes alive!  George Bernard Shaw wrote The Doctor’s Dilemma  in 1906 while living in Mevagissey.

Hedgerow up a fell

  Driving over the narrow country lanes was a delight. The hedgerow-lined meadows became part of panoramic views as the bushes and flowers along the roads thinned. Wild flowers were in bloom everywhere. Taking one wrong turn our van driver said, “You can’t get lost in Cornwall, you just take the wrong route.” Every once in awhile we’d find a small village or a thatched roof house, but we saw no tourists, buses or fast food restaurant. Ah the pleasures of a small or private group and a van!

Penzance is a seaside community with an ocean promenade that offered a delightful view of Mount’s Bay and St. Michael’s Mount.  In the 16^th century Spanish raiders destroyed most of the town, so most buildings were 18^th century.

     St. Ives has been known as an artist colony since the 1880s. Whistler came  to paint. Daphne de Maurier and Virginia Wolfe wrote here. I visited the Barbara Hepworth sculptor garden. I had a heck of a time finding it, but eventually did after asking several people for directions. Her sculpture was very modern, and it didn’t take me long to get through the garden. The harbor exported tin, wooden barrels, and fish, and imported coal for the mining industry. I did wander the beach area, but generally walked up and down the cobbled alleyways looking in shops. It is a delightful picturesque village. The streets are only lanes and the area is very hilly. A shuttle runs from the carpark down into the village. Coaches, and there were many of them, had to park in an area high above town. We also parked the van in the carpark and took advantage of the shuttle.

Previous post include: Cornwall in a Nutshell 3/10/13, Tin Mine 1/11, Cornwall surprises 7/12, Buckfast Abbey 5/13, Minach Theater 6/10/13 and Eden project 3/21/13