Bear Attacks

During the last few weeks there have been an unusually high number of bear attacks on people. As we are invading the territory of the wildlife in general and bear territory in particular, we can expect more of this to take place. People are searching for new adventure and pushing the outer limits of seeking for that special thrill of being only one of a few to penetrate back country. There is a great feeling of being alone in this environment, but with this comes dangers. Wary travellers with knowledge have low risk but casual visitors to these regions are at a very high risk for problems.

I have spent years in the wilderness of the Arctic where weather is the greatest danger - more than bears. There were rules to follow and failing to follow them could cause grave results. While living in Ikaluktutiak, Nunavut I received a call one day on my radio phone from travellers who were in a difficult situation on the Back River, south and more east of us. Eight men in canoes were moving from an inland drop off point and travelling to the coast to be picked up again before returning home.

Their problem was bears; many bears. The Back River is a wonderful river to canoe but there are shallow stretches with rock and sandbars making travel a little challenging. Portaging is necessary and most people decide to walk their canoe through this stretch of the river. The water is cold and swift and footing is very bad. At this place in the river, these men were confronted with a family of barron grizzly bears. These bears were feeding on dead caribou that perished during the migration. There was an abundance of food for these bears and they were not likely to move any time soon.

The solution was to backtrack and try to move around the bear family or try to paddle through and escape down river. These bears are known as mean bears and will attack without warning if bothered or with cubs. Our advice was to back up a safe distance and wait. A Otter twin engine with tundra tires was to be dispatched and safely pick up the travellers. Tundra tires are huge soft tires which make it possible to land on very rough terrain.

The pilot and myself left and, after the hour and a half flight, were at the scene. We could now see eight bears - and more coming - and the men in the canoes about a mile upstream. The pilot chose a landing area which was acceptable and waited for the people to come to the plane. We were able to take all the men, their gear and two of the six canoes, as there was fear of damage on landing or takeoff.

These men had fear and used good sense and made their trip have a happy ending. Less experienced folk would have chanced the walk through the bears with grave results. I knew these men as they were from down south where I used to live. Their trip was shortened by a day but they came to our town and took advantage of resting up and meeting the Inuit from our hamlet.

Around the campfire that night (really day as the sun did not set) they heard firsthand from the Inuit of the encounters with these bears and were thankful for the choice they made. Bears are powerful animals and deserve the respect shown by these safe and not sorry adventurers.

Out My Backdoor

During the years I lived in the Arctic many people questioned the wisdom of staying in a god forsaken place that was eternally cold and forbidden. I shrugged off these comments as I had a different take on that land. At my little cabin beside Grenier Lake, I had the wonderful views on all sides. The one in the picture was looking east by north east. In the background was this esker named Pelly Mountain.

Pelly Mountain was not a mountain by any stretch of the imagination as it was less than 300 meters in height, but was the highest point of land in the whole area. It was surrounded by numerous lakes and rivers and lush tundra where muskoxen and caribou lived during the summer. Outside my cabin door there was a catalogue of Arctic animals and birds. Plants and flowers that attracted photographers from Europe and around the world made this place home to me.

My best friends in the animal kingdom besides my dog Buck were the muskoxen. This esker had a more sinister role in world politics as well. During the cold war the USA installed a listening post here to monitor the number and intensity of the Russian Nuclear Program detonations.

Cables were spread on the tundra for nearly thirty miles in every direction ,spreading out from Mount Pelly. These cables and the electronic listening devices could detect and record every movement in the earth's crust in the northern hemisphere. Atomic explosions were of vital interest to the USA military and were monitored here on Victoria Island and in the little Hamlet of Ikaluktutiak. The local Inuit had no knowledge of the use of the system but left them alone and not one incident of vandalism was recorded.

So when people speak of places like the Arctic without knowledge, let them come to have a look out my back door and I am sure they will leave with a different view.

Winter Comes Early In The Arctic

Around this time of the year the late fall turns into winter. There is no warning but the animals know. Late August the caribou migrate to the south shore of the North West Passage (NWP) and browse for some nutritious food. They wander almost in a daze with one thing in mind, get over the passage and head south on the mainland. I lived on Victoria Island , home to a huge herd of caribou.The caribou cross the 60 miles over the ice when it is strong enough. One year hundreds were lost when the tried to cross on bad ice. Their bodies were taken by the Inuit and used as dog food.

Muskoxen who live along the coast begin to move inland to unknown hid outs where they use their thick coats to keep warm and big feet to scrape away the snow and ice to find nourishing Arctic Willow. They disappear only to reappear in late June.

The ground or tundra becomes rock hard and ice freezes along with the puddles and small ponds. The Salt water of the NWP freezes quickly but heavy wind turns the ice into a messy mixture of ice clampers and pressure ridges.

The Mute Swans gather at Swan Lake near the passage and the young ones go off every day to test their wings. Anxious parents observe this time proven ritual and meet their youngsters with chatter as if to give encouragement and advice. Some scolding takes place when the fledglings act out. The swans wait for a heavy south wind to help start their journey on a high note.

The tell tale sign is the lack of sunshine. The sun quickly begins to fall further and further below the southern sky and the wind ,once friendly begins to bite and sting to remind you that winter is around the corner.

People bring out their warm clothes and mothers take extra time with their needles preparing mittens and coats for their children and hunters. I personally loved the winters with the low temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius was a warm day. My preparations were obvious and I checked the snow machine, updated my komitick (sled) and cleaned the rifles for winter use.

I still think of those days between summer and winter in the Arctic with warm feelings.