Ground-level Polar Bear Workshop

November 6 – 12, 2011

About the Workshop

During the fall of each year, thousands of Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) congregate along the shores of Hudson’s Bay in Canada while they await the formation of sea ice.  They swam for shore the previous summer, when the sea ice finally melted.  The bears haven’t eaten since.  Now they’re patiently and not-so-patiently waiting along the shores of the bay for the ice to return so they can return and indulge in their favorite meal; seal.

The Burwell School of Photography is teaming up with a fantastic lodge, situated north of Churchill, Manitoba, CANADA, and its experienced guides, to offer you an unforgettable photo experience.  We’ll primarily focus on photographing Polar Bears, but there are also opportunities for capturing images of other animals like Caribou, Ptarmigan, Arctic Fox, Arctic Hares and even an occasional and elusive wolf.

Unlike many adventures to photograph Polar Bears, we won’t be photographing from the heights of a Tundra Buggy (approximately 12 – 14 feet (4 to 5 meters) above the ground). Instead, along with our guides; we’ll be down at ground-level with the bears, for some incredible eye-level photography with these mammoth carnivores.  Don’t worry, we’ll be completely safe.  Our guides have many years of experience working with all kinds of bears including Black, Brown, Grizzly and Polar Bears.  They’ve never had any safety incidents and have never had to fire a shot in anger from the rifles they carry.

Polar Bear resting along the shores of the Hudson Bay

The beginning of November is a perfect time of year to visit this part of Northern Canada.  The insects are long gone and there is a very good chance we’ll have some snow on the ground to photograph the Polar Bears against.  It should also be early enough in the fall that we don’t risk the chance of the bay freezing up early and the bears departing for their hunting grounds before we’re even there.  Traditionally, the bay freezes up around the third week of November.

Another photographic opportunity our guides watch for are the Northern Lights (also known as the Aurora Borealis).  This astonishing display of light and motion is a photographic opportunity not to be missed.  Guests who are interested in photographing the Aurora Borealis can expect a knock on their door at any time of the night alerting them of the display going on.  This gives them an opportunity to get dressed, get their gear in order and rush out into the fenced yard where you’re protected from the curious bears while free to photograph the spectacle playing out in the sky above you.

You’ll be taken care of on this trip like few others.  Your guides are personable with years of experience getting photographers into the right positions to find and photograph wildlife.  The meals are out of this world.  You’ll start each day at the lodge with a hearty breakfast preparing you for a morning of hiking and photography.  Lunches can be taken ‘on the run’, or you can enjoy a sit-down lunch in the dining room before the afternoon’s hike and photography.  Dusk comes early this time of year and we’ll be back at the lodge by about 5:00 in the afternoon.  Cocktails and appetizers are generally served around 5:30 and dinner is served at 7:00.  The award winning food at the lodge is always healthy, home-made, delicious and plentiful.  After dinner you’re free to sit around the lodge and catch-up with your peers or catch a lecture or presentation.

Polar Bear sitting amongst some bushes

ITINERARY

Nov 6 – Arrive in Winnipeg for your overnight stay

Arrive in Winnipeg where you will enjoy a relaxing stay at our choice hotel. You’ll need your rest for your early morning departure to Churchill.

Nov 7:  An Arctic Arrival and Aerial Tour

Arrive in Churchill by air where one of our staff will meet you at the airport and will provide you with an orientation to the tour including a clothing check (in order to crosscheck your “What to Bring” list as provided to you in your Adventure Album). You will then be transferred by helicopter or fixed wing aircraft to the lodge at approximately 11:30 a.m. This exciting flight takes you out over the historic Churchill River, and then northwest up the rugged Hudson Bay coast to Canada’s most exclusive Polar Bear viewing locations. Keep a sharp eye out en route for caribou, moose, seals, wolves and of course the great Polar (Ice) Bears.

Upon your arrival, your hosts, a true Churchillian family, will provide a tour of the Lodge and get you settled into your room. A thorough orientation on travel in polar bear country will be provided prior to any outings. This day includes a guided hike on our rugged and starkly beautiful coastline, an interpretive slide show featuring the wildlife of Hudson Bay, and hopefully a clear night for viewing the Aurora Borealis. All this will be topped off with a gourmet lunch and dinner where your hosts and guides will regale you with tales of life and adventures in Canada’s Arctic.

Nov 8 to 10 – Tundra Trekking, Polar Bears and Priceless Photography

The Lodge is wildly rugged and remote. This location is great for disconcerting photographers. We are able to dedicate longer hours in the field to get up close and personal with the arctic wildlife. Ground level photo opportunities are offered for arctic wildlife including polar bears in a pristine wilderness setting. We ARE in the heart of polar bear country! Your photos will have stunning backdrops with the seascapes and landscapes surrounding the Lodge. The shoreline location is ideal for photographing bears on snow and ice. Polar bears are also known to saunter by our Lodge on a regular basis so you can often view them from the warmth and comfort of one of our lounges through the massive picture windows. We also have an exceptional number of clear nights for Northern Lights photography.

Lunches will be held at the Lodge each day with some time to relax. There will likely be wildlife around the lodge during this time that you can photograph at your leisure from the lodge or out the large viewing windows. We are back out in the field approximately by 2:30pm and usually return to the lodge by 5:00 pm for hot or cold drinks and appetizers. Your full course delectable dinners are served at 7:00 p.m. after which, the fireplace is almost always central. Award winning photo ops are the priority so expect many a meal to be interrupted. Your guide team will give informative lectures and beautiful slide presentations as well as initiate a discussion about the activities for the following day. Bedtime is at your leisure. The entire lodge area is patrolled for polar bears all night by one of our night watchmen so if you wish,  be prepared to have a nocturnal opportunity by one of the great Polar (Ice) Bears (or by one of our dazzling displays of northern lights!).

Nov. 11 – Say Goodbye to the Lodge…But not to the bears!

After another hearty breakfast it’s time to pack for the flight back to Churchill, say our good-byes and snap a few more pictures! After another exciting aerial tour, you’ll arrive in Churchill. Your bags will be stored for you until your flight back to Winnipeg later in the day. You are then free to explore and wine & dine in this frontier community at your leisure. We recommend Nature 1^st Tours and Transportation (www.nature1sttours.ca/) should you prefer a guided tour of the area. Local places such as Cape Merry, the Port of Churchill, the Eskimo Museum, the Polar Bear Holding Compound (otherwise known as the Polar Bear Jail), as well as the Parks Canada exhibit are all of great interest. Dog sledding and helicopter charters fit nicely into this afternoon if you’re so inclined. For dog sledding, contact Blue Sky Mushing at 204-675-2001 for details and Hudson Bay Helicopters can be reached at info@hudsonbayheli.com or by phone at 204-675-2576. You will have your choice of Churchill’s restaurants for dinner. After dinner you will meet up with our guide and you will be transferred to the airport in preparation for your flight back to Winnipeg.

Nov. 12 – Darn it!  Back to reality….

After a restful sleep at your Winnipeg hotel, you will pack your bags in preparation for your flight home. You will also enjoy a complimentary breakfast at your hotel before your trip back to reality.

THE LODGE[Gallery not found]

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Included in the price of the trip:

• Lunch and Dinner on October 29^th
• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner from October 30^th to November 1^st
• Breakfast on November 2^nd
• Breakfast on November 3^rd
• Shared hotel accommodations in Winnipeg and at the lodge
• Return flights from Winnipeg to Churchill and then from Churchill to the lodge
• Outstanding guide service
• Wholesome, delicious, and mostly-organic food while in the wilderness.
• An amazing opportunity to photograph Polar Bears from eye-level

Not included in the price of the trip:

• Transportation to and from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
• Personal clothing and footwear rated for arctic conditions
• Camera Gear
• Gratuity for lodge staff and guides

WEATHER

Temperatures vary dramatically in the Arctic.  It could be warm, but it isn’t likely to be much above freezing.  Average temperatures for November hover between 32 degrees Fahrenheit and 12 degrees Fahrenheit (0 Celsius and -11 Celsius), but like all averages, those are composed of temperatures well above and below those ranges as the record high temperature for November is 52 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) and the record low is -33 Fahrenheit (-36 Celsius).  Snow and or sleet are also a possibility so you’ll want to consider bringing along some protection for your camera gear.

Polar Bear holding a branch in its mouth

TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Getting to Winnipeg

You’ll want to fly into Winnipeg International Airport (YWG). The airport is located close to the city centre and a short taxi ride will deliver you to your pre-trip lodging.

EQUIPMENT

Upon reservation or request, we will send a Polar Bear Trip Equipment List

As far a photography gear, we recommend that you bring the following with you on our Polar Bear tour:

• Digital SLR with back up camera that will fit your lenses
• Lots of extra batteries in case it is very cold outside and you need to swap batteries to deal with the cold.
• More memory cards then you imagine you’ll need
• A device to download and store your images- Paul uses two Hyperdrive memory card backup drives. That way his images are always backed up on two drives.

Lenses

• A super-telephoto in the range of 300 to 500mm with teleconverters
• A wide-angle for the landscape shots
• A lens in the range of 70-200mm for those other opportunities
• Polarizing filter(s)
• Lens hoods for all lenses
• Lint-free cloth to clean lenses and air blower for dust

Other

• Tripod
• Cable release
• Small headlamp or flashlight
• Photo backpack or bag
• Camera manual
• Hand and toe warmers, not just for you but for your equipment too

LEADER

Paul Burwell is an internationally renowned professional photographer, writer, educator and enthusiastic naturalist with over twenty years experience working with and educating adults. He has been a finalist in the international Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for 2009 and hosts photography workshops and tours throughout North America to rave reviews.

Paul’s foray into photography began during high school when he constructed a dark room in his bedroom clothes closet where developer spills stain the floor to this day. Once an adult, Paul chose to pursue a computer career professionally although he maintained his love and practice of wildlife photography.    Paul woke up some years ago to discover the Internet company he’d built from the ground up for 20 years had been sold and it was time to find something else to do with his life. While working on new business plans he investigated becoming a professional nature photographer and quickly discovered that it was almost impossible to make a living as one. Naturally, he immediately dropped his plans for internet dominance, sold his house and most of his earthly possessions and decided to dive in to become a full time nature photographer, and he’s never been happier.

Now Paul has built a career in the world of nature photography with a passion for wildlife. He is a contributing editor and regular columnist with Outdoor Photography Canada Magazine and a photography instructor at Metro Continuing College. In addition to his courses at Metro, Paul conducts a number of worldwide photography workshops and tours each year.

Paul currently resides with his wife and a spoiled cat in the beautiful prairie city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada which is nicely situated between the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains and the Boreal Forest.

View more of Paul’s work at www.PaulBurwell.com and check out his wildlife photography blog at www.WildShots.ca

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This trip requires a minimum of 6 photographers in order to run.  If that minimum number cannot be realized the tour will be cancelled and any monies collected, including deposits, will be refunded.

TOUR COSTS

• $7,895 Canadian Dollars (Plus Tax)- Check out our currency converter located here.
  • $1,500 Deposit Required Upon Reservation
  • Additional $1,500 Deposit Required by June 30, 2011
    
  • Remainder of $4,895 due by August 31, 2011

Policies and payment information are available here.

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Phone Toll-free: 1-877-778-1745