We have been barbequing almost nightly here. Well not here really, over in Victor Bay, where everyone goes to get away from the hustle and bustle of Arctic Bay. A tank of propane is expensive here, $150. So when they are available, and when you lay down that cash (when the mine was here a fill used to cost all of $5) you take advantage of it.
While some folks are troubled by mosquitos when they barbeque I never am. Mosquitos are only present here in low numbers, numbers that don't get my attention after the full on assault one was subjected to in Fort Providence on the mighty MacKenzie River. No, the mosquitos may send many people here screaming with their hands wildly swatting about in the air, but they barely register on my radar.
What did register on my radar the other day while I was barbequing was this fellow. This was the view from Leah's parents tent where I was cooking. A good size male bear had wandered in to Victor Bay and happily was noshing on someone's cache of seal meat on on the point. By this point it had already been chased off once or twice, but would not go far. As soon as things would calm down it would wander back.
All well and good while the seal out there lasted, but it is only a few hundred metres from some tents, including that of our eldest resident.
After supper, we got closer and I managed to catch a couple of photos, still from a safe(ish) distance until the battery on my camera died. My spare back at the truck.
I was pretty content at that point, although it would have been nice to get closer. That wasn't happening without someone with a gun coming along. Such as the wildlife officer.
Back at the truck, fresh battery in hand (or in camera) we headed back to Arctic Bay, and on the way there we met said Wildlife Officer. Hoping to tag along as he chased the bear away, we turned around and chased him back to Victor Bay.
It was a chase that I just couldn't win, as I followed him out to the bear. I was behind him all the way, scrambling over the rocks in an effort to catch up. As he neared the bear, I paused to snap off a photo of him and his son with the bear, and then continued on.
As I closed in he let loose with the shotgun, firing a bear banger (a shell that explodes in the air with a loud bang) and the bear turned and ran a little ways. The next shot sent it down onto the ice and I snapped some photos as the shots continued and eventually drove the bear out into the bay. It eventually settled on a bergy bit.
Comments
7 responses
Great images of the bear!
I agree with John — wonderful photos. A great story, too, Clare.
It is funny to me to have a barbeque invaded by a polar bear. Have you read the all modern polar bears are Irish? That is funny too. Anyway, I enjoyed your adventure.
Glad you were able to scare it off. Nice photos and story!
What an experience! Beautiful shots of the bear too.
Jealous, very jealous. The polar bear is on our list of things to see. And not just stuffed ontop of a conveyor belt in the airport! Actually, my fiance and I are new at this. New residences of the North, that is. He has become one of the new members of the Yellowknife detachment and it was a great surprise to stumble upon your blog, as we too have one {NWT style}
everythingelseissecondary.blogspot.com
We’ve only since arrived in March and have so much to learn and see..any tips on living in the Territories?
Thanks John.
Thanks Pete.
You think that if they were Irish they’d have some green Emma. Actually the most surprising thing about that story, for me, was that there had been bears in Ireland.
Thanks Dave, unfortunately for the bear the scaring didn’t work and it kept returning, and eventually threatened people in the camp.
It was a good experience Morena. I should have taken a photo of the crowd that was out watching it at the point.
Welcome to the north Riley. There is an excellent blogging community in Yellowknife/NWT. Check out the NWT blogs on my sidebar. Megan at Reflections in the Snow-covered Hills rocks, and would be an excellent contact for you there in the blogging world. I was posted in G Division before coming up here, Fort Providence.