Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/561260
lea currie F A L L 2 0 1 5 | G O I N G P L A C E S 27 Canada ranger armed with a rifle is standing nearby. Inside the fort, we head to higher ground for safety and a better view. From here, I scan the water and see two boats manoeuvre the swimming bear towards the land in front of us. Soaking wet, the bear climbs the rocks to survey its surroundings. I can hardly believe how big it is as it strolls to within 100 metres. I watch in wonderment, running between one viewing spot and the next. There's no point now in denying my giddy enthusiasm. A fter two days of whale-watching and bear-spotting, I think I've seen it all. ankfully though, the best is yet to come. It's our last full day in Churchill and we're taking a six-hour boat ride to Hubbard Point, the northern tip of Hudson Bay and a breeding ground for seals, which makes it a favourite hunting area for polar bears. As it turns out, however, belugas will once again be the star attraction. It's not long before pods are skipping along with the boat – called bow-riding because they ride the bow waves created by the vessel. As the belugas play in the waves, you can see the per- sonalities of these highly social creatures shine through. Pods swim past us, whistling, clicking and tweeting their happy tune. ese under- water vocalizations are what earned them the nickname "sea canaries." Some of them even double back for an encore performance. About halfway out, Raffi's song that had danced in my head earlier in the week comes to life as we encounter a rare and magnificent sight. Just like the song says, a baby beluga is swimming wild and free. Our guide, Gerald, announces that the calf is likely just one to three hours old based on his chaotic swim- ming patterns and the pod of females that sur- round him and help lift him to the surface. At about 45 kg, the newborn's slate colouring makes him stand out from the pod. In time, this will fade to creamy white, an Arctic cam- ouflage to protect him against his main preda- tors, polar bears and killer whales. Like any newborn, he elicits oohs and aahs from the group every time he bobs to the surface. It's one of the most amazing sights I've encoun- tered on this trip – or ever. Just minutes after the calf is gone, I flip through the photos to remind myself it wasn't a dream, but the images can only capture a fraction of this surreal experience. I put down my camera and simply enjoy the memory. GP A baby beluga gets a boost from Mom for a breath of fresh air.