Ronit is the San Diego Zoo's 2007 Arctic Ambassador. She and other teens from around the world are in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, to partipate in Polar Bears International's Polar Bear Leadership Camp. See her previous blog, My International Polar Bear Adventure Begins.

Hello, (finally!) from Churchill, Manitoba-

Today we flew as a group to Churchill. For some this was incredibly exciting as it was their first plane ride of the whole trip (namely the students from Manitoba), and for some it was their first plane ride in which they didn't lose their luggage, miss a connection, or didn't have to fly solo. So it was a good flight!

During our descent, I was awed by the wide spectrum of color in the arctic tundra. From the air, I could see the orange, yellow, and green blends across the landscape"”in stark contrast to the barren gray I expected. I have seen pictures of the colors and heard stories of tundra beauty but until I took my first breathtaking steps in the tundra, I did not understand what I was missing.

Stepping off the plane, I was greeted with a lashing wind that slapped my face and hands. The wind is fierce on the tundra with a chill factor that makes the 7 Celsius (about 44 Farenheit) feel more like 4 C (39 F). Once we dropped off our duffel bags and received a warm welcome from the Tundra Inn, we ventured out into Churchill to explore. Guided by Stephen, the student ambassador from Churchill, we toured many parts of Churchill including " the Complex" which encloses and connects the elementary school, high school, library, skating rink, gym, pool, and community center. I admire the efficient design that creates a gathering and play place that is protected from the elements in Churchill.

We also explored the shipping port, which is a major part of the Churchill economy (the port exports grains harvested from the central U.S. and Canadian plains). We then headed to Hudson Bay, a beautiful pebbled beach that opens out to the Arctic ocean and is where the polar bears descend onto the ice during the winter. As we were hiking along the beach, however, a natural resource officer from Manitoba Conservation's Polar Bear Alert System directed us off the beach. We were confused and disappointed that our stroll was cut short until the officer informed us that a polar bear had been sighted less than half a mile from the beach and was heading along the coast in our direction! It was amazing to witness the reaction to the presence of the polar bears in the community, and their dedication to protecting these bears, as well as the visitors, is inspiring. I am even more anticipatory of our adventure on the Tundra Buggies tomorrow after our close call"”at least then we can observe the bears up close but out of reach!

Just now as I am writing this blog I got up and ran outside when someone announced, " The northern lights are out!" Tonight we had our first glimpse of the beautiful Northern Lights in both green and purple colors. They are absolutely breathtaking and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to witness them. I hope to be able to see even more once out on the Tundra Buggy Lodge, away from city lights. I'm a little nervous that we have used up all our luck today, but the tundra is full of surprises. Hope to have something surprising to report tomorrow.

From the " Polar Bear Capital of the World,"
Ronit

Posted in Conservation, Default, Field Studies, General | Link to this post

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