Carol Strachan Photography

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Carol Strachan Photography

Wildlife and underwater photography. Landscapes, cities and towns.

09/14/2026

The Churchill region is unique with the number of bears that summer in the area and how accessible they are to view. Tourism plays a big role in the local economy and the safety of visitors and bears is essential both from an economic and a conservation perspective. Churchill has implemented a Polar Bear Alert system where trained bear guards take measures to haze bears that get too close to town.

On our first day on the water looking for belugas we found this bear feeding on shore. In the background is the Prince of Wales fort and in the middle image you can see one of the local bear guides in the background. With tours running regularly to the fort, the bear guard would be watching the bear's movements and communicating with Canada Parks and Natural Resources staff.

09/11/2026

Unlike snorkeling, with beluga boarding only your face and arms are in the water as you lay flat on a dense foam mat. The mats can hold two people at a time as you scan the water for approaching whales. There is no form of baiting or attempting to attract the whales unless you could the odd excited giggle when the whales do something particularly cute! The beluga's are entirely in charge of any interaction and can approach or swim by at their own choice.

Today's image features a mother and her very young calf. Calves are born with very little body fat and If you look closely you can see the wrinkles or fetal folds on its side. This calf will round out soon thanks to its mothers milk.

Eli Martinez is the photographer beside me who got a lovely image of the mother and calf from the front.

09/09/2026

Belugas have been coming to the waters around Churchill since the last ice age when the retreating glaciers created Hudson's Bay and sub-arctic conditions of the surrounding area. Indigenous Inuit histories indicate the whales have always come to this area and written records from the Hudson's Bay company as far back as the 1600's indicate the presence of thousands of white whales.

Belugas come to this area to give birth and give the babies time to grow and gain strength before returning to the colder waters and ice farther north. Belugas start out dark grey turning white as they age. Here is a young calf tucked safely on its mother's back.

09/07/2026

Beluga whales make their way into the Churchill area beginning in June, to take advantage of the shallow, calm waters of the river and nearby coves to give birth and provide a safe location for newborn calves to get a good start on life. They remain in the area through July and August feeding on fish like capelin, herring and smelt.

Beluga whales are highly social and typically live in small pods which will come together to form large herds during migrations. While belugas are often described as being curious, it is something else to experience it personally. The first three images are of a pair of belugas who slowly came closer and closer to my camera. The last image was taken by showing the interaction from a few feet away. I will never forget this!

09/04/2026

On the other side of the Churchill River is the Caper Merry Battery which was constructed in 1744 to guard the river and the fort. It was a damp day when I visited the Cape Merry Battery and somehow the mist and fog seemed fitting. This is a popular area for viewing wildlife and you always have to remember that you are in polar bear country. The summer wildflowers are beautiful considering how short the growing season is.

09/03/2026

Who hasn't seen videos of beluga whales and been captivated by their cute expressions, the sounds they make underwater or their strong social connections? Prior to this trip in 2026, I had twice been booked on trips far into the Canadian Arctic to see belugas only to have a summer snow storm and a global pandemic bring those plans to a halt. The opportunity to see belugas in the water, polar bears and other arctic wildlife in my own country was too good to pass by.

I will include some background on Churchill over the next few weeks along with a collection of wildlife images.

Located on the western shore of Hudson's Bay, the earliest record of occupants in the area dates back to 1700 BC and the Pre-Dorset people. While the Pre-Dorset culture was spread across the arctic, there is evidence of their encampments found as far south as Churchill. Fast forward a little less than 3,400 years and the Hudson's Bay company established a post in the area choosing to name it "Churchill" to honor John Churchill, the company's third governor. Construction of the Prince of Wales fort spanned 40 years beginning in 1731.

The Prince of Wales Fort sits on a peninsula across the Churchill River from the town of Churchill and was the background for many of my polar bear images. The fort has undergone repairs over the years to offset the impact of demanding weather conditions. The canons are the originals on new wooden bases.

08/31/2026

Home to the second tallest waterfall in Ontario, Kakabecka Falls Provincial park is located just west of Thunder Bay. The falls and gorge are easy to view from boardwalks along both sides. The Kaministiquia River was an important route for the fur trade taking traders from Fort William into Manitoba and Athabaska territory. The river has cut deep into the rock exposing fossils estimated at 1.5M years old.

The park has three campgrounds, hiking trails and cross country ski trails in the winter. It was the perfect spot to stop on my route from Marathon to Kenora.

08/28/2026

I have just returned from four weeks traveling through northwestern Ontario and Manitoba including a week in Churchill photographing belugas and polar bears. The original plan was to fly to Churchill via Winnipeg and instead I decided to drive and car camp along the way. It had been years since I last drove that far west and I was ready for the chance of some slow (er?) travel.

Neys Provincial Park is on the north shore of Lake Superior, west of the town of Marathon. With a two kilometer sandy beach and hiking trails, it is also forms part of the history of the Group of Seven. Lawren Harris was inspired by this area with Pic Island being the subject of one of his more notable paintings.

Here are some views from the Look Out trail including a Ruffed Grouse that is perfectly camouflaged. Check out today's stories for uncropped verticals.

08/17/2026

Headed out a dark o'clock to be able to photograph this bison herd in the early morning light. The weather cooperated and rewarded me with a couple of misty, sun filled mornings with these beauties.

08/15/2026

My next stop after visiting Churchill was Riding Mountain National park in Manitoba. Ended up spending a week there checking out the wildlife and amazing scenery. Also changing from belugas and polar bears to bison and black bears. I'm still making my way back home and will share more pics along the way.

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