The Polar Bear Journals, Ch. 1

Three and a half days of travel later, I arrive at the Churchill Northern Studies Center, which is located right next to a rocket range where guys used to study the Aurora Borealis.  We're staying in a brand new building in the Churchill Northern Studies Center with really nice dorm style rooms.

The building itself is built to accommodate research scientists AND keep them and the tourists from being on the polar bears' food chain.  All the windows on the first floor are barred.

We'd been here less than fours hours when the first bear of the afternoon appeared, ambling slowly towards the Center.  Before most of us could stampede out of the cafeteria to the proper window, a red Suburban drove towards the bear and one of the staff shot "cracker" shells from a 12 gauge shotgun.  That sent the bear running.

Julia at front door to Churchill Northern Studies Center

(Note to self:  flatten tires on red Suburban.)