I recently came back from a trip to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. By recently I mean about a month ago, but I have been busy and haven't really had the time to update y'all fully on everything until now. It was a study abroad trip through my college for a great deal and our group was the very first to ever go, so we were sort of like a trial group. We flew out of Atlanta to Chicago where we transferred flights to Winnipeg. We stayed overnight there, and the next day we traveled by train all the way from Winnipeg up through the province of Manitoba partially going into Saskatchewan, back into Manitoba and all the way up to Churchill. The whole trip by train took around 40 hours. We arrived in Churchill around 7:00am and we headed to the CNSC (Churchill Northern Study Center) where we would be staying for two weeks. CNSC (Churchill Northern Study Center) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) While there our group... ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) That's me on the far left in the back. Notice all the mosquitoes, that's why we are wearing bug suits. They were swarming by the thousands. Anyway, our group explored many different habitats from the Boreal Forest, to the Fen bog, to the vast Tundra. Boreal Forest ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Fen ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Tundra ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) I took lots of pictures of everything, but unfortunately I will not be able to post them all on here so I will try to pick the best ones to post. Bog Laurel ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Lapland Rosebay ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) This next picture is of another Lapland Rosebay, but it the only one that has ever been found white. Some of the researchers we met thought it might be some sort of very rare mutation and they are going to collect some of the seeds to grow them and do DNA sampling on it to see if it is a new species. White Lapland Rosebay ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) While there we also got to go on a Beluga Whale tour. We saw lots of whales from zodiac boats which are the same ones the US Navy Seals use. Zodiac ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Beluga Whale ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) We also did a little birding and we saw a few birds such as the Common Eider, Red-Breasted Merganser, Killdeer, Ptarmigan, and the Common Goldeneye. Common Eider ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Red-Breasted Merganser ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Killdeer ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Ptarmigan ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Some of my favorite things that I saw while I was up there are these next set of photos including the midnight sunset. The sun really did set around 11:45pm - 12:00am and rose again around 3:00am - 3:45am. So our time up there seemed like one really long day. ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Husdon Bay ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) While we were there they had a day called Canada Day and on Canada Day they had a thing called the Bay Dip which is where you jump into the bay, which by the way is very cold, and do a relay race. ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Bluffs ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) This was an airplane that crashed a years ago, but since things take a while to degrade in the arctic it still looks like it crashed yesterday. Sunset over the Ithaca ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) The Ithaca is a ship that was carrying tons of supplies, but wrecked on the shallow shores of the Hudson Bay and still remains today. When the tide goes out far enough, you can actually walk to it. I hope you all enjoyed and I have plenty more pics if y'all want to see them, so just let me know.
Oh I certainly did FF!!! I admit to being just a tiny tad jealous of your trip to Manitoba as it's somewhere I've always wanted to travel to. (I'm lying, of course, as I'm sooo pea green with envy.) I really enjoyed all of your photographs and seeing the landscapes, flora and fauna that part of Canada has to offer. Wouldn't it be great if the White Lapland Rosebay really is a new species?!! Many thanks for taking the time to share your trip with us. Hint: If you feel like posting more piccies I won't object.
This is a great posting! What a fabulous trip for you. You did a great job showing us the highlights. I share Eileen's green with envy status and would love to see more pics of the things you all did there. Did you take pics from the train (wow, what a journey). It must have been a thrill to find that rare flower! The different terrains you show -- that's very cool. What a great experience!
Amazing photos. I loved each and every one of them. Thanks for showing us around. I had to look it up and discovered that Churchill is on latitude 58°, so we're further north here. My home town is on 62°. Even Anchorage Alaska is further south than me.
I'm glad everyone liked the pics and since you all seem to want to see more I shall post some more for y'all. Flame-Coloured Lousewort ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Butter & Eggs ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Common Butterwort ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Trembling Aspens ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Early Coralroot ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Jewel Lichen ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Alpine Arnica ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Bearberry ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Yellow Anemone ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden )
Wow whip more on to us. What was in those fields? I like that too. Show us what the farmers are doing. I have phto on my wall , a lady in arkansas sent me a picture of a cotton field. I liked it so well It has a favorite spot on my wall for years now. No one here seen a cotton field. I actually grew some from seed. Thanks for sharing , show us more. b
A friend of mine, Keith Rawlings, built the Arctic Trading post when the hotel there burned down and he bought it. He was killed flying his plane to the Inuits villages who he bought their work from. Penny ran it after his death, I went to their wedding.
Thanks all, I'm glad you liked the pics. Bsewnsew - What is in those fields has the unfortunate name of Rapeseed (Brassica napus). I don't have any pics of what the farmers are doing other than growing this crop. Kildale - I remember seeing the Arctic Trading Company. We never went in unfortunately. I wish we had though. We met many people up there, but I don't think we ever met her.
I really enjoyed your photos Jon. Someday when my kids are on their own I want to see more of Canada.
