Wilderness - Polar Bears of Seal River

When you leave the float plane after a 20-minute flight from Churchill, this is what greets you. Polaris six-wheeler, trailer for guests and baggage, and Rebecca Reimer, complete with shotgu ...

2009-02-14T22:01:01Z

maldon
When you leave the float plane after a 20-minute flight from Churchill, this is what greets you. Polaris six-wheeler, trailer for guests and baggage, and Rebecca Reimer, complete with shotgu ...

The ready-to-go shotgun makes you realise it is serious wilderness.

2009-02-14T22:07:27Z

maldon
The ready-to-go shotgun makes you realise it is serious wilderness.

The lodge in the late afternoon. Ourt back there's a chainwire enclosure several metres high whereguests can go out there to smoke or get fresh air. But you don't go out the front door unles ...

2009-10-06T12:28:23Z

maldon
The lodge in the late afternoon. Ourt back there's a chainwire enclosure several metres high whereguests can go out there to smoke or get fresh air. But you don't go out the front door unles ...

At night, Mike Reimer closes the shutters to keep out the bears, who can smell the food and the humans. The shutters are studded with four-inch (ten cm) nails. It doesn't happen often at all ...

2009-06-12T04:48:10Z

maldon
At night, Mike Reimer closes the shutters to keep out the bears, who can smell the food and the humans. The shutters are studded with four-inch (ten cm) nails. It doesn't happen often at all ...

This is Mike Reimer's "working" belt. Sheath knife, Leatherman multi tool and a "bear repellant" spray. Other people use the super modern shotgun, but Mike likes his old reliable single shot ...

2009-02-14T21:37:14Z

maldon
This is Mike Reimer's "working" belt. Sheath knife, Leatherman multi tool and a "bear repellant" spray. Other people use the super modern shotgun, but Mike likes his old reliable single shot ...

It was a bit fresh, as they say, even in summer. REady to go on an expedition were my wife, Karen, right, and Linda Besse, one of America's premier wildlife artists. Despite their grim looks ...

2009-06-14T06:35:42Z

maldon
It was a bit fresh, as they say, even in summer. REady to go on an expedition were my wife, Karen, right, and Linda Besse, one of America's premier wildlife artists. Despite their grim looks ...

This is Ian Thorleifson, Icelander, lots of environment-type qualifications, fountain of knowledge and all round good guy. He can talk you about moose hoofprints in the mud -- how big it was ...

2009-06-12T05:03:15Z

maldon
This is Ian Thorleifson, Icelander, lots of environment-type qualifications, fountain of knowledge and all round good guy. He can talk you about moose hoofprints in the mud -- how big it was ...

Going on a trip. Rain was threatening, so only the hardy ones went. Mike Reimer driving and in the back, left to right, Matthias (Matt) Breiter, a German-born wilderness photographer with a ...

2009-06-12T04:47:40Z

maldon
Going on a trip. Rain was threatening, so only the hardy ones went. Mike Reimer driving and in the back, left to right, Matthias (Matt) Breiter, a German-born wilderness photographer with a ...

Linda Besse stayed inside, doing research for her paintings, while husband Jim and the others went off into the cold.

2009-06-12T05:24:38Z

maldon
Linda Besse stayed inside, doing research for her paintings, while husband Jim and the others went off into the cold.

Out on the tundra, there's these little guys, called "sic sic" because of the noise they make. But if you stop and leave the trailer to take pictures like this, you must have a guard.....

2009-06-12T05:23:03Z

maldon
Out on the tundra, there's these little guys, called "sic sic" because of the noise they make. But if you stop and leave the trailer to take pictures like this, you must have a guard.....

Karli Reimer was watching for bear while we were taking photos of the sic sic. Can she use the shotgun? Absolutely. It's loaded with "scare 'em" pellets, not a full-on charge. Shooting "prop ...

2009-06-12T05:15:40Z

maldon
Karli Reimer was watching for bear while we were taking photos of the sic sic. Can she use the shotgun? Absolutely. It's loaded with "scare 'em" pellets, not a full-on charge. Shooting "prop ...

Out on the tundra for the day. We had to go out on the low tide to a high spot, then wait for the tide to come in and go out again. It was a long day, but fun.

2009-06-14T06:41:40Z

maldon
Out on the tundra for the day. We had to go out on the low tide to a high spot, then wait for the tide to come in and go out again. It was a long day, but fun.

Sometimes we had to leave the vehicle and walk. But not far.

2009-06-14T06:23:52Z

maldon
Sometimes we had to leave the vehicle and walk. But not far.

In the lodge, they had "dry" suits. A wet suit lets water in which is warmed by your body heat so there's a warm layer formed. A "dry" suit is thick rubber and nothing gets through or past t ...

2009-06-12T05:16:50Z

maldon
In the lodge, they had "dry" suits. A wet suit lets water in which is warmed by your body heat so there's a warm layer formed. A "dry" suit is thick rubber and nothing gets through or past t ...

Louise Murray, English-born wildlife photographer who spends half her life under the Arctic Ice and the other half fighting ticks in South America, went in to see the Beluga whales. She is b ...

2009-02-14T22:03:22Z

maldon
Louise Murray, English-born wildlife photographer who spends half her life under the Arctic Ice and the other half fighting ticks in South America, went in to see the Beluga whales. She is b ...

My wife, Karen, rugged up against the cold in the rubber duck. This was as close as she wanted to be to the cold water, even though the Beluga experience was inviting.

2009-06-12T04:56:09Z

maldon
My wife, Karen, rugged up against the cold in the rubber duck. This was as close as she wanted to be to the cold water, even though the Beluga experience was inviting.

Belugas. Thousands come into Hudson Bay to calve. They are very curious and hundreds of them came up to our rubber duck. Louise Murray, wildnerness Phogographer and Linda Besse, wildlife art ...

2009-06-12T05:07:02Z

maldon
Belugas. Thousands come into Hudson Bay to calve. They are very curious and hundreds of them came up to our rubber duck. Louise Murray, wildnerness Phogographer and Linda Besse, wildlife art ...

Karen and I rented a helicopter for an hour to see if we could spot some bears. That's Mike Reimer, in the brown.

2009-06-12T05:03:03Z

maldon
Karen and I rented a helicopter for an hour to see if we could spot some bears. That's Mike Reimer, in the brown.

Leaving the lodge for bear spotting. I just like this picture. I took the picture, so it's pretend. It was another flight, not ours.

2009-06-12T04:50:18Z

maldon
Leaving the lodge for bear spotting. I just like this picture. I took the picture, so it's pretend. It was another flight, not ours.

First we saw this big male. I have lots of pix -- the motordrive was smoking. We didn't stay. Two quick passes and we left him alone.

2009-06-14T06:30:24Z

maldon
First we saw this big male. I have lots of pix -- the motordrive was smoking. We didn't stay. Two quick passes and we left him alone.

We saw lots of bears, including this mother and cub. We were careful to be with them for only a couple of minutes, so we didn't stress them.

2009-02-14T21:48:28Z

maldon
We saw lots of bears, including this mother and cub. We were careful to be with them for only a couple of minutes, so we didn't stress them.

The last picture in the mother and cub series. I have maybe fifty showing them trotting along the beach. But I love this one. The cub is a grubby teenager......

2009-06-14T06:30:32Z

maldon
The last picture in the mother and cub series. I have maybe fifty showing them trotting along the beach. But I love this one. The cub is a grubby teenager......

Back at the lodge, the Reimer kids play with the guard dog, a black labrador called Dakota. Whenever they go outside, they must take her with them, because she can sense bears long before th ...

2009-02-14T22:02:29Z

maldon
Back at the lodge, the Reimer kids play with the guard dog, a black labrador called Dakota. Whenever they go outside, they must take her with them, because she can sense bears long before th ...

We travel with two bears. That's Teddy on the left, from the Edinburgh Tattoo and his mate Polar, whom we acquired on a small-boat trip in the Bering Sea with Cruise West. They were on looko ...

2009-02-14T21:59:31Z

maldon
We travel with two bears. That's Teddy on the left, from the Edinburgh Tattoo and his mate Polar, whom we acquired on a small-boat trip in the Bering Sea with Cruise West. They were on looko ...

One day, a bear came along the path to the lodge. They do that. The pretty flowers are called fireweed and they're a pest in the arctic and sub arctic.

2009-06-12T05:06:49Z

maldon
One day, a bear came along the path to the lodge. They do that. The pretty flowers are called fireweed and they're a pest in the arctic and sub arctic.

Matt Breiter, the German-born wilderness photographer quickly set up. They wouldn't let him go outside. Matt spends a lot of time in Alaska and has written several books on bears.

2009-06-12T05:05:11Z

maldon
Matt Breiter, the German-born wilderness photographer quickly set up. They wouldn't let him go outside. Matt spends a lot of time in Alaska and has written several books on bears.

They allowed Matt outside briefly, but only on the porch. My wife Karen looked apprehensively through the window, and Ian Thorleifson, the Icelandic-born guide, stood guard. The shotgun was ...

2009-06-12T05:51:32Z

maldon
They allowed Matt outside briefly, but only on the porch. My wife Karen looked apprehensively through the window, and Ian Thorleifson, the Icelandic-born guide, stood guard. The shotgun was ...

The bear came closer......

2009-02-14T22:01:07Z

maldon
The bear came closer......

.... and closer ......

2009-06-12T04:58:33Z

maldon
.... and closer ......

.... until it was right out front.....

2009-02-14T22:01:25Z

maldon
.... until it was right out front.....

And then at the window.

2009-06-12T05:17:44Z

maldon
And then at the window.

Fee, fi, fo, fum.... I smell people.....

2009-06-12T04:49:52Z

maldon
Fee, fi, fo, fum.... I smell people.....

Just after I took this picture, the bear stood up and it was well over my 6ft tall. Ian had told me: "If it stands up, bang on the glass, because it could come through." It did stand up, and ...

2009-06-14T06:45:05Z

maldon
Just after I took this picture, the bear stood up and it was well over my 6ft tall. Ian had told me: "If it stands up, bang on the glass, because it could come through." It did stand up, and ...

Linda Besse burned lots of rolls of film while the bear was right there.

2009-02-14T22:02:23Z

maldon
Linda Besse burned lots of rolls of film while the bear was right there.

I love this picture. Two bears. Rolf, a German army colonel, was up close and personal.

2009-02-14T22:02:34Z

maldon
I love this picture. Two bears. Rolf, a German army colonel, was up close and personal.

No food, so the bear left. That's photographer Louise Murray in the left of the picture.

2009-06-12T05:27:18Z

maldon
No food, so the bear left. That's photographer Louise Murray in the left of the picture.

Me, left, with Mike, wearing our "Churchill Wild" polar fleeces.

2009-02-14T21:50:08Z

maldon
Me, left, with Mike, wearing our "Churchill Wild" polar fleeces.

That night, our last, we had "goose boobies" on the barbecue. Every year, hunters kill hundreds and hundres of Canada geese. They leave Mike a freezer-full of goose breasts. They are absolut ...

2009-02-14T21:36:11Z

maldon
That night, our last, we had "goose boobies" on the barbecue. Every year, hunters kill hundreds and hundres of Canada geese. They leave Mike a freezer-full of goose breasts. They are absolut ...

Closeup of the "goose boobies" cooking on the barbecue. I may have eaten better than we did at the lodge, but I can't remember when!!

2009-02-14T21:36:54Z

maldon
Closeup of the "goose boobies" cooking on the barbecue. I may have eaten better than we did at the lodge, but I can't remember when!!

Leavin' on a float plane. This was our last view of Mike, as it had been our first view, days earlier. We didn't want to go. We will be back.

2009-06-12T04:57:37Z

maldon
Leavin' on a float plane. This was our last view of Mike, as it had been our first view, days earlier. We didn't want to go. We will be back.