That's a wrap on our summer 2022 season!
This past summer season has been one of the busiest and most action-packed ones so far! We wanted to share with you a collection of some of our favourite moments and things from this past summer season in Churchill.
Here are some of our favourite things from summer 2022 in Churchill.
Beluga Whales and a bowhead whale!
©Alex Cupeiro
Churchill continued to live up to its title of the Beluga Whale Capital of the World as thousands of beluga whales once again made their way back into the Churchill area for the summer. Visitors to Churchill in the summer of 2022 had many intimate experiences with the curious belugas as the curious whales often choose to come close to the boats for a look at the people or even to bump playfully along the bottoms of kayaks.
A rare sighting occurred early in the summer when a bowhead whale travelled into the Hudson Bay for a brief time, causing much excitement in the Churchill community. A few lucky people even were able to snap some photos.
Northern lights
©Alex Cupeiro
This summer, the northern lights made a few sneak peek appearances, allowing some of our guests to watch them dance above their heads. Northern lights in the summer are much more unpredictable compared to the winter when the Hudson Bay is frozen, and the chance of cloud coverage is reduced.
If you are interested in seeing the northern lights check out our winter northern lights adventures! Winter is the best season for northern lights as the frozen Hudson Bay offers the best viewing conditions.
The first Conservation journey®: Beluga Whales adventure
©Alex Cupeiro
We launched our first ever Conservation Journey®: Beluga Whales trip in summer 2022! This special adventure is accompanied by Dr. Valeria Vergara, a cetacean researcher with Raincoast Conservation Foundation. Guests on this adventure learn about beluga whale biology and conservation efforts throughout their experiences in Churchill. Our first Conservation Journey: Beluga Whales group was filled with phenomenal people and intimate beluga whale viewing.
Polar BEars
©Jim Baldwin
Summer 2022 was a fantastic year for the polar bears in the Western Hudson Bay population because they received extra time out on the sea ice before returning to land.
Some polar bears that returned back to the Churchill area a little earlier got lucky with a beluga whale carcass that washed up on shore. A handful of our tours had the opportunity to see numerous bears feasting on the whale carcass and sometimes even sparring in the water. You never know what might happen in the summer regarding wildlife.
Summer 2022 was a hot one in Churchill
©Alex Cupeiro
This summer was a warm one for summer guests. It started out a little cool before warming up with some beautiful hot weather days for guests to explore the town and area of Churchill. One or two days even reached the 30°C! Packing in layers is always essential for travel to Churchill.
Jim Baldwin Returns as the Summer 2022 Tundra Buggy® Driver
©April Carandang
Jim Baldwin returned as the summer Tundra Buggy driver for the 2022 summer season. Jim has one of the sharpest minds and set of eyes on the tundra and he is a seasoned pro at spotting and identifying wildlife and fauna in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.
Learn more about Jim through his We're From Here: Meet Jim video.
"Ed" the Eagle
©Alex Cupeiro
The Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) had a local feathered celebrity this year as many guests had the good fortune of spotting an eagle affectionately nicknamed "Ed" that liked to hang out in the same spot. Of course, wildlife is always unpredictable and never a guarantee to spot, but "Ed' the eagle was a good sport and was a staple of summer 2022 Tundra Buggy adventures in the CWMA. We wonder if "Ed" will be back next year for summer 2023 guests.
Sunsets
©Alex Cupeiro
This summer was a perfect one for sunset lovers in Churchill. The extended daylight slowly shifted into many glorious glowing sunsets as the sun slowly dipped down the horizon across the Hudson Bay. As a result, many of our shutterbug guests returned home with some stunning Churchill sunset photos.
Lego Tundra Buggy® One
©Alex Cupeiro
LEGO Tundra Buggy® One was spotted out and about roaming through Churchill a few times in the summer season. LEGO Tundra buggy One was created by a LEGO community member who was inspired by the Polar Bears International mobile broadcast studio Tundra Buggy One. It needs 10,000 votes to be considered by LEGO to become a project.
Vote for LEGO Tundra Buggy One here
Want to experience Churchill in the Summer?
Header Image: ©Alex Cupeiro