Day Off #2: Time to Write

Its November 14, and I only have four more days of Buggy Driving.  Today was my second day off since I began work, a great time to recharge my batteries (both my body batteries and camera batteries), buy some groceries, and do my laundry...yeah for clean clothes!

So what's been happening on the Tundra.  Well, snow, snow, and more snow.  And when it isn't snowing it is blowing snow.  The temperature seems to be cold for a couple of days, then warm with even some melting and drizzle.  The cold weather allowed for an ice build up on Hudson's Bay and the bears became excited as they ventured further out on the ice, becoming smaller and smaller as they retreated from our view.  Then the wind turned to the south and the weather warmed up causing the ice to move away from shore, and the bears came back to the shore.

So there have been many bears for the past few days.  Some sleep, to conserve energy, but other bears walk the shoreline, impatiently waiting for a change in the winds and some cold weather.

I have had the pleasure of driving for some wonderful guests.  I really enjoyed a photography group called "Into the Light".  I spent four days with them as we toured the area looking for bears or other critters, while trying to ensure we were in a position to get the best lighting and composition.  We saw some fantastic bears, but a highlight for me was watching an arctic fox catch and eat a vole (a little "mouse like" animal).  The fox kept poking his nose into the snow as it dashed here and there trying to pinpoint the vole's location.  In a flash of white the tiny fox leapt into the air and landed burying its head into the snow.  As he pulled his head out there was the little snack hanging from his sharp teeth.  A few crunches and the meal was gone and our fox carried on his hunt...looking for dessert perhaps!

The photographers were ecstatic, and their huge lenses poking out of the buggy windows caught some wonderful pictures.  There were great shots of the fox leaping skyward, landing with his head down between his paws, shots with his whole head in the snow, and of course superb pictures of the fox eating his well earned meal.

My four days ended with me joining the group for a wonderful steak dinner at Jodie's Bed and Breakfast.  It was a fantastic group, and not only did I enjoy them, I learned a lot about how little I know about photography.  A course in digital photography will be high on my list once I get home.

The only downside with the photographers was that they needed to keep the buggy cold.  Apparently the heat waves going from the buggy windows can distort their images.  So to say the least, I was often a tad chilly.

Often our buggy was a great photo op for the other buggies.  Who can resist taking a picture of a Tundra Buggy studded with 3 and 4 foot lenses trained on one bear (or tiny fox) as the repeating sound of camera shutters sounds over the crisp air.

My last group before my day off ws 11 people from all over the world.  They came from Denmark, Japan, England, the United States, and even Sydney BC.   One couple has been to Churchill to visit the bears every year for over 20 years.  Amazing!  We had a great day and a lot of fun together.  Once again our buggy was the target for many photographs.  You see, I had a polar bear puppet that I used as part of my talk.  The little white cub (puppet) would wave at the other buggies as they passed.  Certainly a big hit that brought lots of smiles and laughter.

So the adventure is winding down.  I can hardly wait to see what the next four days will bring.  Stay tuned.

Buggy Doug

The Day Off...Almost feeling Guilty

This is an addition to my last blog...

November 4th continued...

We are in the midst of an early season blizzard.  Technically it is just a storm as the temperature is too warm to be a blizzard.  But none the less this is a dangerous storm.  

I am in my cozy apartment as the wind howls and the snow swirls.  I went out this morning to run some errands,  after all I live in Winnipeg, and am used to an early winter storm.  But I was surprised.  The temperature is warm, around 0, there is not really all that much snow coming down, but the wind...it is a special wind.

Whipping from the South East at almost 70 kph, it flings frozen snow pellets at everything in its path.  Walking is treacherous as the surface is polished into a slippery glaze and the wind tries to push me in the direction it is going.  I cannot look into the wind as the snow pellets sting my eyes.  So head down, I trudge along, carefully selecting each foot placement and struggling to stay upright.

But as I sit here, I am worried about my colleagues out on the Tundra.  The buggy windows fog up so easily in this weather, and often the windshield wipers are unable to keep up with the heavy snow.  So even though Environment Canada says visibility in town may be 2 kms. out on the tundra you are driving buggy blind.   Added to that is the slippery nature of the wet snow and ice make it difficult even for the monstrous tires to find the traction necessary to climb out of some of the ponds.  the huge size of the vehicles and the fact that they act like sails in these wild winds make driving even more difficult.  But there is nothing I can do.  I will ensure my house buddies have a warm supper waiting for them when they get back.

In the meantime, I cannot sit inside.  So I will dress up and head back into the wind and snow, to see some more of Churchill.

Evening:  This afternoon was wonderful.  I headed off into the wind in search of the "Eskimo Museum".  Of course on the way I helped a truck get unstuck in the wet snow.  People looked at me with questioning eyes since I had a pair of yellow lens glasses on to protect my eyes from the icy snow.

The Eskimo Museum has some wonderful exhibits of carvings, photos, and artifacts.  It is amazing to think that a culture that lived in such a harsh environment had the time to carve and create art that is unique and unsurpassed in carving skill.  They also had two full size Inuit kayaks.  As a kayaker I am amazed at the design and skill that was used to build these beautiful craft.  The sea around here is so powerful and dangerous I cannot imagine hunting seals or whales from such a fragile platform.

After the Museum I went to another of my favorite places, the library.  I looked at some incredible photo books of the Inuit people, and then headed for the gym for a quick workout.  After that it was home to prepare a shrimp jambalaya for my roommates who had endured the fury of today's winter storm as they drove the buggies.

It turned out their day was an adventure (one I am glad I missed).  The storm out on Hundson's Bay was wicked.  No one could see past their buggy, at least in places.  A couple got stuck, and a few found themselves lost for a few minutes as they were enveloped in the whiteness.  But they all made it safely back, with all of their guests.  Everyone now has a true arctic adventure to tell, plus they saw quite a few bears. 

So now as I write this my exhausted roommates watch hockey and doze off.  Tomorrow looks better, but still with some snow and wind, and I know I am scheduled to be out on the Tundra.  I look forward to it with excitement, anticipation, and anxiety.  I have 15 people to take into a new white environment, one that has changed completely now that it has been covered with a fresh blanket of snow.   Stay tuned!  Will I find my way on the featureless tundra, and will I be successful in locating the bears my visitors desire.

Bye for now,

Buggy Doug

Another Bizzard...and a Day Off

Today is Tuesday, November 4...there is a bizzard raging outside and I am not on the Tundra, but I am relaxing warm and comfortable at home in Churchill.   I could not believe my good fortune at this morning's breakfast meeting when I was told I had a day off.  Not that I don't enjoy my work, but I know from last year that having a day off every now and then does help.  I have worked 7 days straight up until now.   So laundry is being done, I plan on going to visit some of the local museums and other attractions.  I even will go to the gym for a short work out.  Driving the bus is great for certain arm muscles, but the rest of me is quickly loosing any of the muscle tone I built up over the summer.

My tour from France ended well on Sunday, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to listen to their language for three days.  I know my understanding improved considerably, and I was back to thinking in French rather than English.   I found myself talking first in French rather than English.

Yesterday was way too warm for the bears so they were not too active.  I had a tour of 15 from Frontiers North (our company), got to drive the 40 footer buggy, and had an enjoyable day.  Even on a rather poor "bear" day we saw over 15 bears including two sets of mothers with twins, and some very interesting bear interactions on the "Coast".  One younger bear was sleeping peacefully in a kelp bed on the shore of Hudson's Bay, when a slightly older and larger bear simply walked up wind.   The younger bear smelled the presence of the new bear, looked up and quickly walked away as the older bear sauntered over to the kelp bed and took over the sleeping spot.  I am sure it was still warm.

The bears spend a lot of time sleeping when it is so warm (it was around zero).   They overheat very quickly and resting on a pile of snow or in a kelp bed is one way to stay a bit cooler and conserve energy.

Well the dryer has finished its cycle, and I need to get on with my day off.  

Bye again from the Tundra.

Doug

 

Halloween is scary

Halloween dawned with me feeling rather poorly.  There is a bug going around, and it seems everyone is getting some form of it.  My turn was on Halloween.  I woke up every hour after 2:00 am and felt rotten when I got up.  No breakfast for me.  Once again I had another surprise at the morning meeting.  I was to lead a 3 day tour for a group of people from France.   Of course as everyone knows, fluency in French is not one of my strengths.  But not to worry, the French tour guide wanted to do everything, and all he needed was a driver.  Was I lucky!!   I just gritted my teeth, smiled a lot, said a few "bonjours" and "mercis" and managed to get through the day, again with seeing some great bear sitings.  Once home though, my body was not happy.  I tried to stay up to give out candy (6 kids), and write emails, but was completely done by 7:30 when I went happily to bed.  

The good news is that after a great sleep, I felt like a new man!  I am amazed how good it feels to feel well after you are sick!!  My second day with the French Tour went well, and I felt good enough to attempt to explore my French skills more with my new amis.   Fortunately for me they were wonderful people and did not seem to mind the way I butchered their beautiful language.

One other thing.  Both on the 31 and today, November 1, I did my first helicopter transfers from the buggy.   You drive the buggy to a designated spot, it lands, and people from your buggy buckle up and take to the skies for a very expensive tour.   Its a bit nerve wracking as there could be bears about, although we take every precaution to ensure it is safe.  The pilot scans the site before landing looking for bears, and the transfer is done quickly with very little time on the ground.  Today, however, our pilot had to stay on the buggy as we watched a bear who appeared about 1/4 km away.  Fortunately he went away from us, so when it was safe our passengers boarded and had a wonderful flight.

Well, thats it from the Tundra.

Take care everyone.

"Buggy Doug"

The First Snow, Bus Pick-up, & Buggy 8

Thursday, October 30, was a great day for "Firsts" for me.    It was the first heavy snowfall of the year (about 5 cm),  my first day ever driving a tour bus and picking people up from their hotels (in a snowstorm), and my first day driving our biggest buggy, the mammoth of all buggies, Buggy 8, fondly called Gabriel.  I was scared stiff when I first picked up my assignment at 7:00 am.   But, I knew my time would come...so I sucked in my gut and said "I can do it, no problemo".  Yah! Sure!

So I actually found the 15 people at the various hotels and bed and breakfasts, managed not to get the bus stuck (a 24 seater), and was lucky enough to be able to follow another bus through the swirling whiteness of the morning darkness to the launch site.   The other drivers always help get the bus driver's bus ready (lucky for me) and Marc, our Buggy Driver supervisor gave me a 3 minute seminar on how to start, how to stop, and how to put the beast "Gabriel" in gear.   Now that I am well versed in the machine, I get to drive a 8 wheel drive Buggy that is about 50 feet long, 14 feet wide and about 18 feet tall with the front 4 wheels steering.  The good news, I successfully drove the buggy, saw lots of bears, and made it home in one piece with happy passengers.   Later we discovered (as I had mentioned at the meeting) that I was not really licenced to drive the 24 seat bus, but oh well!   I guess I won't be bussing again.

The photos were great that day as the snow was coming down continually.  I found the same mother and cubs as I saw the day before.  I have added some photos (I will try again) to the blog.  Note that the buggy in the picture is not Gabriel, but one of the smaller ones.

The First Mother and COYS (cubs of the year)

Wednesday was my first real day of work, my first time driving the small (24 seater) buggy, and my first time with a casual group.  I had 15 people of all ages and countries.  Even a family of 5 who had taken their kids out of school and taken the train to Churchill for real-life learning experience.   

I am now giving up on any photos as this blogger is so slow and I don't have any ability to move the photos around.  I will post images on my facebook account as soon as I can.

But for these pictures you do see the mother and cubs.  It is hard to believe such ferocious and dangerous animals can look so darn cute.  Even I just want to get down off the buggy, and bury my face in their fur.  Of course it better be good as it would be the last thing I ever do.   Not only are they cuddly they are great comedians.  Like all kids they roll around, chase and tease each other, experiment with new ways if sliding or rolling over little mounds of snow.  They also spend some time watching their mother and learning how to smash their forepaws into the snow, a skill that will help them catch seals later in life.   I could watch them for hours, but one must move to see what other secrets the Tundra Buggy can reveal.  

Home life is settling in.  Since I can cook I seem to make most of the meals, which is fine by me. It is cheaper and much tastier than eating at the SeaPort and probably much better for you.  So once home we have crackers, cheese and salami while we wait for the dinner to cook.  Then eat, and watch TV or work on our computers until 9:30 or 10:00 when I go to bed as 5:00 am seems so soon.

Our day is a busy one.  We begin at 6:30 with a meeting and breakfast,  get our daily buggy assignment, enjoy a 30 minute ride to the buggy launch in a van, rush to our assigned buggy, check the fluids, get the bathroom ready, load the lunches, greet the guests, give an orientation and safety talk, then leave the launch.  We serve coffee and donuts around 10:00 (usually while watching a bear), serve lunch (again hopefully in front of a bear), keep the bathroom clean, give talks, scan for animals, answer questions, help open and close windows, then head for home, clean the buggy, pile in the van and go home.  Whew!!! Now I am tired.

Monday and Tuesday On the Tundra

Well, I have been here now for over a week, have worked for 6 days, and almost each day has brought me a new first experience with Tundra Buggy Tours.   

Monday was rather slow, since I was along for the ride.  But I got some great pictures and it was wonderful reviewing the trails and routines associated with being a driver.  Rick and I only had 7 people, so I had lots of opportunity to take a few pictures.   Here is young male waiting for the ice to go out.  The top picture (since I cannot figure out how to move a picture within the text) shows the type of scenery you see the bears in.  The tallest trees are black spruce and they only reach a spindly 10 or 15 feet in height.  The willows can be found in many places as they are tough enough to survive the arctic winter.    They are also the homes for ptarmigan and arctic hare.  Of course that means they are also a  place to look for the tiny arctic fox.  All of these critters are almost impossible to see against the snow, and you often have to look with an open mind to see them.  You look for movement, or their black eyes.  The arctic hares are cool.  The sit perfectly still even when there is no snow.  They think they are invisible.  Whoops!!!

Tuesday I had a chance to work.  I thought I was to get my first tour on October 28, but as it turns out, I was just supposed to report for work that day, and begin doing tours the next.  One of the other drivers was feeling rather sick, so I drove for his group.  It was fun as some of the people on the tour had been with me on the train.   It was a first for me as I got to drive Buggy 13, one of the 40 footers.   Each buggy has its own personality and peculiarities.   Buggy 13 likes you to turn the steering wheel about 30 turns, lock to lock.  Not quite a sports car, I almost drove into a marsh as I left the launch.  But the day was wonderful, and I had a very good time. Two of the other photos shows the inside of the buggy.