Floating Lodge in the Canadian Arctic

The next day, a small ferry carried us to our destination - a place far removed from civilization. Anchored in the bay was a lone floating lodge, facing an island blanketed in glowing fireweed. Here, we hoped for our first encounters with polar bears.

Summer is not a season of abundance for these animals. In winter, they can hunt seals out on the sea ice, but the ice-free summer forces them to fast. Only on rare occasions do they manage to catch prey in the water - seals are simply too fast, even for such powerful swimmers. And the summers are getting longer. In western Hudson Bay, the ice-free period has extended by several weeks over recent decades: from around 120 days in the 1980s to as many as 150 days without ice today (UCL, 2024; Nature, 2024). For the bears, that means longer stretches of hunger, fewer hunting opportunities, and greater dependence on chance food sources.

Before the bears made their way to the whale carcass, we could watch one or two right on “our” island. One of them emerged from the sea of flowers, paused, and lifted its nose into the wind. It stood motionless for several seconds, as if sensing something hidden from us. Then came the decision: with steady steps, it followed the scent of the carcass.

Only four kilometers away, as our drone footage later revealed, a dead whale lay on the shore. The largest males had already gathered there, while mothers with cubs and younger bears lingered at the edges, hoping to steal a share. With the carcass so close, the days ahead were clear: the island emptied, and the bears converged on the whale.

For us, it meant patience. We were bound by the tides and could set out only when the water allowed. The few outings we managed came with their own challenges: the boat rocked violently, and the sun beat down without mercy. Stark contrasts, blinding light - hardly the conditions for creating aesthetic images.

And yet, the island was alive with movement. Arctic terns nested in the meadows, while a polar fox slipped silently through the flowers - gone as quickly as it appeared.

Thus, the first days on the floating boat passed: shaped by waiting and watching, by knowing that a drama was unfolding nearby - and by the certainty that patience is the true currency of the Arctic.