The Churchill Belugas – My Experience with Sea North Tours

The best compliment I can give Sea North Tours is that during their Zodiac Estuary tour, I didn’t think about polar bears once. That might be a strange thing to say, but it’s true. I had made the long journey to Churchill, Manitoba, just to find polar bears, and hadn’t seen one on my Tundra Buggy tour the day before. It’s safe to say I had polar bears on the brain. So to make me forget about them for a couple of hours is quite an achievement. Instead, I found myself surrounded by the Churchill belugas.

The northern Manitoba coastline boasts the largest population of beluga whales in the world, with over 57,000 gathering in the area during the summer season (June to August). With few natural predators and a historical lack of hunting in this area, these white whales have no fear. Not only do they not fear the boats we travelled out on the estuary in, they love them.

It was a gloomy morning, with heavy clouds above, when we took to the water on our inflatable zodiacs. Now, I’ve been on a few safaris and wildlife tours at this point, so I know not to expect to find animals immediately. In this instance, I was wrong. We had only just left the dock and turned the corner into the Hudson estuary when the first whales were spotted. With their bright white colour, belugas are easy to spot against the dark water.

We quickly realised there were hundreds in the water around us. You couldn’t look in any direction without seeing those white backs breaking the surface. This meant that each zodiac had plenty of whales to watch, instead of all crowding around a small group or an individual – something I’ve seen too many times before.

Protecting the Churchill belugas

Belugas are very social animals, and combined with their lack of fear of boats, this meant we were able to get very up close and personal with them. Maintaining a safe and respectful distance from wildlife is very important, but what do you do when the wildlife wants to come to you?

Sea North Tours have fitted special covers onto their boat engines to protect the whales from the propeller blades. As we soon found out, this is very important, as groups of belugas would come right up to the back of the boat to play in the jet stream from the engine. They even took turns, each one giving us an amazing opportunity to see their movements under the water, and get a brilliant close up view when they surfaced.

The White Whale

Belugas differ from other whales in a few ways. Most obvious is their colour. While adult belugas are the only white whales in the world, their young are actually a darker shade of grey or brown. Newborn calves are a light pinkish colour, and we may have spotted one for a brief second, so small it could only have been a week or two old.

Another difference is that they don’t have a dorsal fin, so when they break the surface you only see a flat back rising and falling amongst the waves. We also saw that many of the belugas have scars across their backs and tails. With most other marine species, these scars would usually be as a result of predator interactions or accidents with boats. But the Churchill belugas have a different reason for their scars. During the winter under the thick sea ice, algae grows on their backs, and they love to scratch it off any way they can, including on the bottom of zodiacs.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Whale song

My favourite part of seeing the Churchill belugas? When our guide whipped out a hydrophone so we could listen in on the whales’ underwater conversations. Known as ‘sea canaries’, belugas are one of the most vocal whale species, using at least 11 different sounds to communicate with each other. It was absolutely incredible to discover that the apparently-silent waters were anything but. Whistles, trills, clicks and several other noises I don’t have a name for, all came together in a vast cacophony I felt so lucky to listen to.

During the two hours I spent on the water with Sea North Tours, I don’t think I stopped smiling once. From watching the birds overhead joining in on the whales’ feeding frenzy, to the little kid pointing excitedly at the whales passing by before falling asleep in the bottom of the boat, to the funny noises one particular whale kept making above water (even our very knowledgeable guide couldn’t explain that one), it was such a fantastic experience. It just reaffirmed my belief that the only true way to experience wildlife is in the wild.

As well as the zodiac trips, Sea North Tours also offer several other ways to experience the Churchill belugas. If you want to get even closer than a boat, then hop in a kayak or onto a standup paddleboard. Just hold on, because as I said, those whales love to scratch their backs!

If you’re in Churchill too early to see the belugas, then Sea North Tours can show you the incredible ice floes of the melting sea ice one it starts to break up in June. They also have guided hiking tours for those looking for further adventures on land. Check out the Sea North Tours website for more information!

And if you’re looking for a place to stay in Churchill, I can personally recommend the IceBerg Inn, which is just a short walk from the train station and sits right on the main street.

Have you ever been whale watching? Tell me your stories in the comments below!

Like this post? Pin it for later!

Disclaimer: this website contains affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase or booking, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me to continue this blog and help wildlife around the world!

HOW TO INTERACT WITH WILDLIFE RESPONSIBLY

Never, EVER feed wildlife.

Enticing wildlife with food not only puts yourself in danger, but can lead to wildlife learning to depend on humans to survive or becoming more aggressive – neither of which are a good thing. Human food can also be dangerous to animals, making them ill or malnourished. Depending on where you are, feeding wildlife in national or provincial parks can also lead to hefty fines if you’re caught, so don’t risk it just for a photo op.

Mind your food and dispose of scraps properly.

Feeding wildlife can occur accidentally too, if left unattended or not thrown away correctly. When camping, hiking, or just out in nature, store any snacks or food in proper containers, and don’t leave food lying around unwatched. Even if you think there are no animals around, there probably are. And never leave food next to a rubbish bin. If the bins are full or you can’t find one, take it with you. Don’t be lazy!

Keep your distance.

Wildlife is unpredictable. Unless you’re very familiar with animal behaviour, it can be hard to tell how wildlife is reacting to a situation. Just because an animal looks calm, doesn’t mean it is. Certain times of the year have added dangers, such as mating seasons. Animals can be even more aggressive or volatile during these times, so extra caution is necessary. There have been too many instances of tourists getting too close to wildlife and getting injured, which usually leads to negative consequences for the animal as well.

A really good trick I learned was to use your thumb to check your distance. Hold out your hand and if you can cover the entire animal with your thumb, then you should be safe. If you can’t, back away slowly. Obviously the safe distance depends on the animal: deer need less, bears need more, etc.

Don’t touch.

If you’re lucky enough that an animal approaches you of their own free will, please don’t try to pat them. They’re not pets, they don’t enjoy it and it can spook them into doing something aggressive. Your touch can also be dangerous to some animals, particularly marine wildlife who have very sensitive skin. Whales, dolphins and sea turtles can be harmed by the chemicals often found on our skin from lotions, suncream and insect repellent.

Always be aware of your surroundings.

Many wildlife encounters become dangerous simply because the human wasn’t paying attention. When out in nature, always listen out for wildlife, don’t wear headphones, make noise and travel in groups if possible. Many animals are usually only aggressive when surprised, so giving them a chance to hear you coming and move away is always a good idea.

Stay calm.

Always important. If you’re surprised by wildlife, remain calm and don’t run. While the original intention of the animal is probably not to hunt, suddenly running or moving away may cause their chase instincts to kick in. Stay facing them and back away slowly.

Want to know more about ethical wildlife tourism? Remember you can get your FREE guide simply by entering your email below!