Churchill, Manitoba, Canada 2024
Being part of the team for the 36th annual Educational Travel Consortium conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada was inspiring and energizing! My association with ETC goes back to my first presentation on delivering quality programming at the 1992 conference. I am a proud member of the Emeritus Executive Advisory Council and have been part of many conferences over the years. This year, in addition to providing learning support as a member of the on-site team, I also served as a facilitator for Manitoba’s Changemakers: In Sustainability & Tourism and as a moderator for two sessions, Creatively Curating Travel Programs: Designing for the Transformational Economy and State of the Psyche of Educational Travelers.
At the conclusion of the conference in early February, I was fortunate to be able to journey to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, on the shores of the Hudson Bay, to take part in a post-conference experience. We were introduced to the beauty and grandeur of the subarctic tundra, while learning about how climate change is affecting the environment, the First Peoples, and the fascinating wildlife, particularly the polar bears. I am definitely a newfound fan of polar bears and find myself enjoying a daily social media dose of these lovable animals.
As our Calm Air flight was preparing to land in Churchill, our flight attendant donned her hooded parka. Even though we had our heavy gear and boots for the flight from Winnipeg, when I looked out the window and saw nothing but frozen, white ice I knew our gear was about to get tested. I pulled on my gloves and mittens and got ready. As we climbed down the stairs, the air was brisk and fresh, but not unbearable. Then our guide met us in a long-sleeved shirt without a jacket. He noted that we were lucky. It was unseasonably warm in Churchill and the temperature was barely getting below zero Fahrenheit. I think we were all relieved.
The weekend was jam-packed with memorable activities. We crossed the frozen Churchill river in a hardy Tundra Buggy to enjoy an exquisite meal under the stars and view the northern lights over the frozen tundra. Watching the universe dance during the aurora borealis has long been a dream of mine. I treasure the pictures I took that night. We walked on the frozen Hudson Bay and marveled at the solid waves over rocks - water’s dramatic flow captured in ice. We strapped on snow shoes and hiked to a cliff to look out over the bay, with the wind whipping our faces. On the way, we made snow angels and marveled at the pristine beauty of the trail, only broken at intermittent intervals by fox, rabbit or ptarmigan tracks. One of my favorite memories was going dog sledding. The dogs were wonderfully eager and the run was exhilarating. It was just over a mile, but even with the caribou gloves and fur hat I was wearing the wind was bone-chilling on that sunny, clear day.
I also learned a great deal about the long history and culture of the Inuit from a visit to the Itsanitaq museum, home to one of Canada’s finest collections of carvings and artifacts, and about the Dene Peoples from a local elder. The Inuit community still inhabits land in the subarctic and arctic circle and their insights into the land inform scientists and researchers working on issues of climate change and wildlife preservation. One of my favorite memories from a research facility was seeing a map of polar bear distribution in the arctic circle that was written in Inuit, French and English.
I learned so much, but I want to learn more and make more memories. I can’t wait to go back, so I’m planning a group trip to Churchill in August 2025! No parkas necessary! We’ll get up close to the thousands of beluga whales that migrate to the Churchill River and Estuary in the summer, spot polar bears, caribou and arctic foxes from our Tundra Buggy, go dog carting, and, weather permitting, marvel at the northern lights during our evening beach bonfire. Stay tuned for more details. I hope you can join us!