Page 19 - Seniors Today - Vol1 Issue 3
P. 19
And this is where I begin my story. Wrapped The eco-friendly lodge, aptly reviewed on
in a coat that could withstand minus 20 degrees Tripadvisor as a “hidden gem,” is more than
centigrade; feeling the freezing cold air around 400 miles away from the nearest town. Supplies
me; taking in the barren frigid terrain; taking in have to be perfectly ordered so that nothing
one deep breath after another. runs out and that nothing is wasted. Groceries,
essentials, medicines and other items are flown
A Hidden Gem in once a week. As a vegetarian on the trip, I was
Seal River Heritage Lodge, as its name suggests, just a tad anxious until I was told the lodge had
reposes by the mouth of the Seal River and is a surplus of potatoes on which I could feast in
home to bears, birds and whales. The lodge is the days to come.
run by a local family and runs three safaris But for all its seclusion, the lodge was very
per year: a Canadian signature experience comfortable, with wooden beams and warm
through July and August, an Arctic safari in fires; and in my small room, I felt very cheerful
September, and a polar bear safari in October and cosy.
and November.
Icy Adventure
Bright and early, we rose the next morning,
eager to leave the cosiness of the lodge and rush
headlong into our Arctic experience. The frigid
air hit us with a blast, and we huddled together
as much as we could in a single file: a guard at
the beginning and end flanking our procession.
They each carried a rifle and some stones.
During combats and to deter rivals, polar bears
click their teeth, with the most resounding click
winning out. The stones carried by our guides
Hidden Gem - The Seal River Heritage Lodge
were to replicate this clicking sound in the event
of encounters with unfriendly and feisty bears
– and obviously to use the rifles as a very last
resort.
The very first thing we saw was a sic sic
squirrel, which lives in the ground, and was
no doubt foraging for the long winter months
ahead. Up next we saw what we had all been
waiting for: a giant pug print of the polar bear.
Typical V formation of the Snow Geese in flight
Snow Geese Sic Sic Squirrel with its mouth stuffed with nuts
