Rareș Beșliu, a photographer in love with nature and animal life, starts the photographic project North of words, a parallel between the Arctic regions and the impact of climate change felt in Romania. He went on a series of expeditions to the coldest areas of the Planet – Svalbard, Greenland, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago – and his stories and photos, collected under the Jurnal de Nord hat, will be constantly published on ertudin.ro and in ” Weekend Truth”.
Family portrait. PHOTO: Rareș Beșliu
As free as yesterday was, today was as full as it was. I don't even know where to start…
I feel like in the army that I didn't do. Departure to the field is always at 8 in the morning, which means I get out of bed at 7, at best. I woke up many times a night, and by 5 or so I was already in the mood. I didn't sleep well in Iceland either, and I see that I'm still in the habit here, and the melatonin pills don't seem to work in Canada. The good part is that, whatever time I wake up, it's daytime in Romania. So I can send emails and messages without disturbing anyone.
Breakfast has already started to be even more specific to the place. Today I had bacon with pancakes. It's a long day, so I eat anything and enjoy all the fat and calories.
Yesterday I froze, which is why today I barricaded my body with stickers from heat needles. It's the first time I've used them, but I hope they're good for something and I don't regret carrying so many kilos behind me.
If yesterday we ended the day with a ptarmigan, today we started it with 7 or 8. It seems that together they have more fun, because they didn't really stay still for a moment. I did not imagine that they are so lively and fast, but it is clear that in the morning they feel more at ease, like any morning chirper. I didn't stay long with them, because it was just dawn, and the light was too weak for photography. I left them with the gang and went after the bears. That's when they also left (in flight, although I thought they were more chickens that have no idea how to flap their wings).
We don't leave the village well, because we see the first bear, hidden from the wind in the shelter of the bushes. He was more sleepy than yesterday, he didn't even look up at us. Not even half an hour away, a mother was strolling along with her baby in tow. It's the first time I've seen such a small teddy bear, only a few months old. I get emotional and Cezar Petrescu's stories about how the mother bear lets the cub walk in front of her, to protect its back from malicious males, come to mind. I read many inconsistencies in the book, but I smiled at each one. Considering how little was known a hundred years ago about the North Pole and the wild life there, Cezar Petrescu managed a masterpiece that would make any child dream of being an explorer in the “land of eternal ice” (a wonderful expression, from the time when the warming global warming was not one of humanity's biggest problems).
Fram the gentle. PHOTO: Rareș Beșliu
Trying to remember every moment of the day, I realized that I had already exceeded the number of bears seen in Svalbard. If there were 6 in 10 days, here today alone I counted 13 bears (with luck, this time). I see this and think that I would love to go around the schools and tell the kids about what I live here, about this big and frail Planet and how the polar bears are not at the North Pole, but rather in Canada. The world is changing every minute, and we are falling behind at the same speed, not to mention school subjects. I think I have a new goal! Would these stories move something in the children, today when the phone impresses them more than anything?
And not only did we see 13 bears, but at one point we were surrounded by them. One was walking on the beach and crossing the bay from one side to the other, another was pecking at a rock, the other was studying the terrain and as if sniffing the ice from afar, to figure out how long it was until the big moment. Then he also sat down with his muzzle on his paws. I was running from one to the other, not to miss a beat (and to get the blood moving a little more). I left my tripod and 600mm lens (the cannon, as I call it) pointed at the sleepy and went to the other Fram with the 100-500mm lens, which is much more versatile and I can have a wide, complex frame, both with the bear and the landscape. It's the kind of photography I started to prefer over close-ups, with the first Nordic expedition. Then I realized that there are places I don't go every day and it would be good to better capture the context, the wild life in all its natural environment, to talk about the emotion, but also about its home and the place where it was created. The only regret I have here is that I can't use the drone because of the wind and the far too short distance from the airport, but I would anger God if I said that my Canon cameras and lenses are not enough. Couldn't ask for more tech-wise, plus they handle the cold better than I do. I'm full of warm patches to last, while the batteries don't even feel like it's -20 degrees outside (real feel).
Rareș Beșliu, photographer on duty
Among today's 13 bears was also one from yesterday – no, they repeat themselves. I was watching him confused, because I didn't understand how the wind could blow his fur like yesterday's waltzer. I zoomed in on the picture and then I realized that the small groove behind the ear is not the effect of the wind, but of an operation. Unfortunately, I was not able to find out his story, but you can see his suture in the photo.
The fox and the squirrel
Also today I saw a premiere. We stopped to photograph a “cross fox”, somewhere near the edge of the main street. He was sitting at the foot of a tree and moving nervously. Before we could understand what was happening, we saw the tree moving, and at the top of it a squirrel. I thought it was a chipmunk, but found out it was a pine squirrel. Either way, the fox was clearly following her. I was photographing one, sometimes the other, and I only see that the fox goes on the attack and climbs the tree! But my heart didn't even have time to jump, your squirrel disappeared. I breathed a sigh of relief and left. Who knew foxes climbed trees? It seems that this is more stupid.
Arctic fox in action. PHOTO: Rareș Beșliu
The day ended with a sunset after which I ran away by car. We saw the clouds and realized there was a show in the sky, so we quickly left for Churchill's best spot for sunset lovers. And as we were sitting quietly waiting for the colors to light up, we suddenly heard bangs and a big noise made by some cars. I then see the bear running off into the sunset, not to admire it, but to find peace. It seems he got too close to the city, and now the conservation team is scaring him away. I understand the situation, but it seems to me that he is exaggerating. The bear seems panicked enough, and they still don't stop. And I say this because I've seen what it's like to be 15 meters from a bear and scare it with the noise two rocks make when they collide. It also happened to us today, when a curious Fram got too close to us. He was simply coming towards the car, without a trace of fear. With shouts and that sound of stones, like in prehistoric times, we managed to drive him away. That's when we found out that our guide is the only one defending us with stones, while the other two are armed. One with a vuvuzea like in the stadium, and the other with a rifle. I think I need to learn how to get into the car faster with all the scumbags after me. Without getting in the way!
Polar bear in the habitat. PHOTO: Rareș Beșliu
PS: Before good night, I leave written here what it was like to die. I was somewhere high up, close to the city dump, from where I was photographing with the “cannon” a bear and her cub being tranquilized and prepared to be taken to jail. Everything was happening somewhere far away, down the hill. I was engrossed in the moment and oblivious to anything moving around. Suddenly I hear people screaming and cars honking deafeningly. I didn't realize what was happening, I just quickly ran to the car. I took a few steps and was already inside, safe. Then our colleagues told us that we were lucky to be alive (apparently Bill was next to me too), because we had been within 3 meters of a bear that had come out on the table from behind the hill. The rangers saw everything from below, so they rushed towards us to warn us and scare him off. That's when we learned that we shouldn't run if we see the bear… Well, I didn't see it, so how was I supposed to proceed?! Even now I didn't get to process the information well and I don't think I was aware of the danger for a second. And now, as then, I'm just thinking how to get a video recording of the moment. I would really like to keep this memory alive, lol. Plus, without a record, I'm afraid the world will consider me a liar and a half, as I say about other people with similar stories.
In the evening we returned to the place where we were supposed to die to take a picture. We made sure there were no “well-wishers” around and went down to the rock. We took pictures and celebrated life with a big smile on our faces.
PPS: Santa Claus is coming tonight. I hope those whose views I am now writing have cleaned their boots well. My polar bear pen bought in Svalbard is still holding up. I, on the other hand, am tired. But I know it's worth the effort, and the recipients will be happy to see the stamp that says “Churchill – the polar bear capital of the world” (I have it on my passport).
