Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: Nikon on June 01, 2004, 07:05:06 pm

Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: Nikon on June 01, 2004, 07:05:06 pm
[font color=\'#000000\']Tundra Buggy Tours or Great White Bear, these are the only 2 tour operators allowed in the area, all other tour companies must use their services. FWIW, though I now reside in Alberta, I was born and raised in Churchill 30+ yrs. and guided photographers/cinematographers for TBT for 10 yrs. To view some photo see:

mark augustowich photography (http://www3.telus.net/public/markaug/maphoto/index.html)

It's still in progress but will show you what's possible in the area.

Hope this helps,

Mark  [/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: Tim Gray on June 02, 2004, 10:58:21 am
[font color=\'#000000\']Nikon, ever here of this outfit?

http://www.watcheelodge.mb.ca/index.html (http://www.watcheelodge.mb.ca/index.html)

they only run during March.  Most of the other tours (I recollect) focus on October.[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: ph74 on June 03, 2004, 05:49:14 am
[font color=\'#000000\']do you know this company?
http://www.churchillnaturetours.com/ (http://www.churchillnaturetours.com/)
Are the prices in a normal range?
Philippe
france[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: Tim Gray on June 03, 2004, 11:36:33 am
[font color=\'#000000\']FWIW = for what it's worth

Later means that due to warming trends, the ice forms later in the year than in the past - and that means the bears are on land longer (they aren't accessible to the average tourist one they are on the ice flows).  From a bear perspective, this is a problem since their main diet is seals, and they can't hunt until the ice forms.[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: framah on June 04, 2004, 07:13:32 pm
[font color=\'#000000\']I went up there last fall at the end of October and we had a daily count of over 45 bears the third day out onto the tundra. I went thru Travel Wild Tours. It is owned by Joseph Van Os who is a fairly well known nature photographer. Be very careful about who you do your tour with as some outfits are way more expensive than others and you don't get as much!! Forget about night trips out to the tundra!! What a waste of time in my opinion! You only see whatever is in the headlights. And by taking you out at night, you lose some daytime out there. WithTravel Wild, I really felt I got my moneys worth. Plus the buggys they use are they best out there.  You need to get ahold of them quickly as their tours fill up quickly.[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: Tim Gray on May 29, 2004, 12:25:55 pm
[font color=\'#000000\']Can anyone recommend an operator geared to photography?[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: ph74 on June 02, 2004, 09:13:57 am
[font color=\'#000000\']When is the best period to see polar bears?

Philippe
Annecy, France[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: Nikon on June 02, 2004, 07:33:52 pm
[font color=\'#000000\']Watchee Lodge, yes I know them well. Highly recommended, however as you stated this is in March, so do not expect to see any males as they are still all out on the Bay hunting for seals at this time of year. This trip is into the denning area to photograph/film mothers and cubs coming out of the den.

For sparring males and such mid. Oct- mid. Nov. is peak season.

Just remember they are wild animals and are waiting for the Bay to freeze to get out and hunt for seals, so should it freeze earlier or later.....while you get the picture. FWIW freeze ups have been later for a number of years now.

Hope this helps,


Mark

mark augustowich photography (http://www3.telus.net/public/markaug/maphoto)[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: ph74 on June 03, 2004, 09:06:18 am
[font color=\'#000000\']nikon wrote "FWIW freeze ups have been later for a number of years now."
two questions:
What does it mean: "FWIW"? (I am french !!!!)
second one: does it mean that polar bears are more in november than in october? between october  15 th and november 15 th, which week seems to be the best to see a lot of polar bears
thanks for your help[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: ph74 on June 03, 2004, 05:01:39 pm
[font color=\'#000000\']thanks for your answers[/font]
Title: Churchill Manitoba
Post by: framah on June 04, 2004, 07:12:51 pm
[font color=\'#000000\']I went up there last fall at the end of October and we had a daily count of over 45 bears the third day out onto the tundra. I went thru Travel Wild Tours. It is owned by Joseph Van Os who is a fairly well known nature photographer. Be very careful about who you do your tour with as some outfits are way more expensive than others and you don't get as much!! Forget about night trips out to the tundra!! What a waste of time in my opinion! You only see whatever is in the headlights. And by taking you out at night, you lose some daytime out there. WithTravel Wild, I really felt I got my moneys worth. Plus the buggys they use are they best out there.  You need t o get ahold of t hem quickly as their tours fill up quickly.[/font]