No signals from Linda for two days now. So it is a time to wait until she makes her move. Hopefully, I will be close.
I last wrote from Thompson. While waiting there, I encountered some wonderful people who extended their hospitality to me. I have always found this to be typical among people living in the areas away from cities.
I was able to locate a school, Westwood Elementary, and gave them a 20 minute talk on Linda and what we are trying to accomplish. Thanks are due to Susan Thomas, the principal, Karla Turton, and especially Pauline McDonald-Smith, the librarian. She and her husband, Harold and their 6-year-old daughter, Abbey, later invited me to dinner at their home. Greatly appreciated as you can imagine.
(Harold, Pauline and Abbey McDonald-Smith of Thompson, Manitoba)
That night, since Linda was not moving, I caught the all-night train to Churchill. This is the only way to get there except by air. I wanted to try and see what was happening up there that would explain why Linda was staying around so long. The train left 2 hours late (8:30 PM) and arrived 4 hours late (1:30 PM). The tracks are getting pretty old and so the train travels at about 5-20 mph the entire way. Very slow. However, what it lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in discomfort. The train lurches and rolls, starts and stops along the entire way. I found it almost impossible to sleep.
(.... the Train trip to Churchill)
At first light, it was apparent that we had moved well towards the limits of the Boreal treeline. The spruce and Tamarack were widely dispersed and quite short in stature. The area was filled with water in streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. The remaining ground was covered in lichens, grasses and low brush.
It started to snow but you could still make out the odd red-tail, Willow Ptarmigan (now half-white) and the ever-present Ravens.
When we arrived in Churchill, it was still snowing, a strong north wind was blowing and I had my first look at Hudson Bay. There were large waves rolling into the rocky beaches with heavy whitecaps over the sea. It was green and white and immense.
Turns out Churchill is a seaport and the railroad is used to ship Canadian wheat from Saskatchewan and Manitoba to Europe. In this way, it is less expensive than taking it out through the St. Lawrence waterway.
Oddly enough, this feature impacted my trip in an unexpected way. The Prime Minister of Canada and the Premier of Mantoba were due in town the next day to make an announcement concerning upgrading the railway and the port.
I was told that they had the first import of goods come into Churchill this last summer. As things are warming now, you can expect to see things changing in this port city. It should not be long before the arctic waters are open enough to ship around Alaska and the NWT in summer. This would save a trip through the Panama or Suez Canals.
I called up Diane Howell, the assistant director of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, a non-profit organization located outside of town. They are a remarkable group of individuals that provide housing and extensive logistical support for visiting scientists from all over the world and of all types. She was kind enough to pick me up in town despite the flurry of activities taking place before the visit by the Prime Minister.
Everything here in Churchill is influenced by their location along the Hudson Bay Polar Bear migration route. The bears start moving about now. For example, they have an "open door" policy in town where people do not lock their doors in case someone has to duck in momentarily to avoid a bear walking through the streets at night.
You will see the provincial wildlife bear patrol trucks driving through the streets looking for bears. There are signs everywhere warning you to not walk down by the beaches. I am told you especially want to avoid the rocky areas because bears will sleep there and you can encounter them unexpectedly.
Windows at the Centre are barred with 5/8" rebar screens. You are given a bear safety lecture and reminded to make sure you only use the one door and to make certain that you close it behind you lest a bear walk inside the facility. What a nightmare that would be. Open a door on the way to the kitchen and have a Polar Bear standing on the other side. So people tend to follow these rules to the letter.
(Bear bars at the Centre)
In the afternoon, I was able to meet the director of the center, Michael Goodyear, and had a nice conversation about NPO's. He is doing a really excellent job up here for a much needed organization. Check them out on the web at http://www.churchillscience.ca/.
I made arrangements to stay the night, had dinner, and listened to a lecture on the latest findings about global warming before falling off to sleep immediately.
The next morning, I laid low to avoid all of the commotion which actually turned out to be quite easy going. The entourage arrived (4-5 cars), The Prime Minister came in and they did an announcement and then went for a helicopter tour to see the bears a few miles down the coast. Very civilized. Very efficient and I have to admit, kind of fun. Talked with a woman Secret Service agent who was polite and professional (and armed of course). The Prime Minister walked right by just like an ordinary person. It was great.
Later, I went into town and gave another talk to the local grade school, the Duke of Marlborough School. It is brand new and makes up part of a huge community Center complex right on the shore of the bay. It is their first year there and the buildings are beautifully done and well arranged. The principal, Darren Kinden, graciously arranged for the program. His assistant, Cindy Wasylkoski, also helped out. Thanks to them all. Good group of kids too. This is our third and northernmost among the "String of Pearls".
(The new Community Center in Churchill (Duke of Marlborough School)
Unforunatley, I do not have a picture of the kids. We are living in a different world now and we have to have permission from the parents of each child before we can add their picture to the web. Could not get this in time so a picture of their school will have to do.
Went out and walked a bit through Churchill to get a bit of a feel for the place, had lunch and flew back to Thompson that night.
