CNSC Learning Vacations
Winter Skies: Aurora and Astronomy (top)  February 10 - 15, 2011 * SOLD-OUT *
March 3-8, 2011 * SPACE AVAILABLE *
Instructor: Roger 'Starman' Woloshyn
Cost: $1015 CDN
Participants: 16
Churchill, Manitoba is one of the best spots on Earth to view the Aurora borealis, the spectacular atmospheric phenomenon better known as the Northern Lights. For more than 240 years, astronomers and physicists have journeyed to Churchill, situated directly beneath the aurora oval, to probe the upper atmosphere with cameras, balloons, and even rockets. Now you can learn more about this stunning lightshow, from traditional folklore to the latest scientific findings. View the aurora from the comfort of our heated viewing dome by night and explore the Churchill area by day. Local tours, cultural presentations and an afternoon of dog mushing offer a taste of life in the subarctic. The Churchill Northern Studies Centre, your home for five days, sits in the shadow of massive 1950’s era rocket launch towers. As the lights arc overhead in curtains of white, green and red, you’ll swear you can hear the countdown.Visit our Churchill Attractions: Northern Lights page! North of 58˚: The Subarctic in Winter (top)  March 18 - 23, 2010
Instructor: Michael Goodyear
$ 900 CDN
Participants: 10
Journey beneath the snow into a secret world where shrews weighing less than a dime forage for insects and lemmings scurry along vast tunnel systems. Explore an amazing landscape where grey jays lay their eggs at 40 below zero and wood frogs freeze solid, only to thaw with the coming of spring. Rethink the popular misconception that only the largest and hardiest animals survive the brutal subarctic winter. Learn how local cultures adapted to such an unforgiving environment by sleeping OUTSIDE (if you like...) in an igloo or quinzhee built with your own hands. If that’s not your thing, you can always relax in a nice warm bed while the northern lights shimmer out your window. A traditional dog sled ride through the forest, snow sampling with CNSC research staff and a trip onto the sea ice of Hudson Bay by snowmobile round out this truly unique experience. Spring's Wings: Birding in Churchill (top)  June 3 - 10, 2010 * ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT! *
Instructor: Rudolf Koes
Cost: $950 CDN
Participants: 9
After nearly 8 months of snow and cold, Churchill comes alive with the carillon cry of returning snow geese – by the hundreds of thousands – and the ice in the river begins to move. Join the migration and explore the excellent birding opportunities to be found in Churchill, Manitoba, a well-known birding "hotspot" that you’ll have to experience to believe. Daily guided tours and field trips allow you to see a wide variety of bird species and to search for such rarities as the Ross's gull, bohemian waxwing and Harris' sparrow. Some unique birds common to Churchill include the Pacific loon, jaegers, willow ptarmigan and Smith's longspur. Our programs are led by birding experts with decades of experience and group sizes are kept to a minimum. There is also ample opportunity to explore town and the world-famous Eskimo Museum with its renowned collection of historic and contemporary Inuit art and artefacts. Visit our Churchill Attractions: Birding page! Belugas In The Bay: Biology of the Beluga Whale (top)  July 15 – 20, 2010 * ONLY FOUR SPOTS LEFT! *
Instructor: Dr. Chris Malcolm
Cost: $1125 CDN
Participants: 16
The Churchill River estuary is the summering grounds for one of the largest populations of beluga whales in the Arctic. Nowhere else in the world can you get as up close and personal with these charming and highly vocal whales. While other beluga populations deal with the threats of pollution and population decline (or both), Churchill’s whales migrate to the river to feed, give birth and moult their skin. As a participant in Belugas in the Bay, you will have three opportunities to view beluga whales on the Churchill River - once by large jet boat, once by zodiac and finally, under your own power by river kayak. Whales are only one part of the experience. You will also enjoy a walking tour of Prince of Wales Fort and Cape Merry National Historic Site. Evening lectures by whale biologists and local cultural presenters help round out this truly educational experience.Visit our Churchill Attractions: Beluga Whales page! Lords of the Arctic: Hudson Bay's Polar Bears (top)  Session I: October 26 – November 2, 2010 * SPACE AVAILABLE *
Session II: November 9 – 16, 2010 * SPACE AVAILABLE *
Instructor: Rupert Pilkington
Cost: $2525 CDN
Participants: 34
Witness the annual migration of Churchill's polar bears. Every October and November, polar bears congregate in the Churchill area to await the return of the sea ice and access to the seal hunting grounds. Spend two full days touring the Churchill Wildlife Management Area aboard a custom-built tundra vehicle for an excellent firsthand view of polar bears in their natural habitat. Each evening, in-depth presentations by bear biologists explore this remarkable animal and the challenges they are facing in a warming climate. And if that were not enough, this program also includes a 45 minute helitour along the rugged coastline of Hudson Bay, an afternoon of dog sledding and a tour of the community, including the world-famous Eskimo Museum and its renowned collection of historic and contemporary Inuit art and artefacts. What more can we say? This is our most popular program and truly a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience – book early. Our most popular program just got better! For 2010, we’ve extended our Lords of the Arctic program to seven days allowing even more time to interact with your instructor and visiting scientists. Each program will now feature participation in an actual observational research study on polar bears. Not only will you get to observe polar bears in their natural environment, but as a “researcher for a day” you will contribute directly to our understanding of these magnificent animals.
Visit our Churchill Attractions: Polar Bears page!
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