Churchill Polar Bears - Part 4

 Friday, 13 October 2023

Yes, Friday the Thirteenth passed without even knowing it. It wasn't until I was reviewing notes and photos that I noticed the date.

Murals

Churchill is known for a mural project - an impressive set of murals. New murals are still being added and older ones updated.

This mural shows a polar bear and a dog seemingly interacting. Controversial late resident Brian Ladoon was noted for letting polar bears approach and play with his chained-up dogs. Eventually the dogs met a controversial gruesome death, and Ladoon is still raises strong emotions in the Churchill community.

This polar bear mural (left image) cried out for a hockey stick in its paws. Hockey is an obsession in Churchill, and with the magic of Photoshop, it's easy to "make it so" (right image).

Magnificent polar bear mural on the "Polar Bear Holding Facility" (aka Polar Bear Jail) that detains problem polar bears until they can be released to a more appropriate location.

The full mural at the Polar Bear Holding Facility. It really does look like a sleeping polar bear.

One of three murals on a port facility building shows railroad workers. All those arms remind me of a Hindu god!

Another side of the same building has a polar bear mural. Note the huge rock making sure that the door cannot be opened (from inside or outside)!

Mural of polar bears and belugas on a garage in town.

Unauthorized (but not removed) art on stones at the Community Complex.

Another form of public art (and wayfinding) is this "inukshuk". Inukshuks are navigational cairns found throughout the North American arctic. "Inukshuk" means "imitation of a person" and the "arms" point the way of travel.

Polar Bear Safety

Signs warning about polar bears are everywhere.

At Cape Merry, just outside Churchill, you cannot walk the short boardwalks and trails unless two polar bear guards (with rifles) are on duty.

Dog Sleds

Dog sleds are the traditional way to get around the arctic in the winter. It's actually far easier to travel in the winter than in the summer and fall - and spring mud make travel just about impossible. We had a dog sled ride at Wapusk Adventures, which was far more interesting and enjoyable than we had anticipated.

'Nough said!

Since there was no snow this early in the season, we had rides on wheeled carts that the dogs use for training in the summer and fall.

Ready for our "sleigh" to take off. The musher has to apply a brake to keep the dogs from starting prematurely.

On our way! Photo was taken by professional photographer Daniel Raiti.

Dogs in David Daley's dog yard at Wapusk Adventures wish they were out running today.

Miscellany

More Churchill quirkiness

"Miss Piggy" is a cargo plane that didn't quite make it to the Churchill airport. See the full story on Atlas Obscura.

An arctic hare in full winter white. Only the tips of the ears are black.

Proof that we were in Churchill!