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Article: Polar Energy Near the Circle; Just Below the Arctic Ice, Canada's Wager Bay Is Way Cool
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- June 25, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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We spotted the polar bear right away, swimming easily in the
frigid water about a quarter-mile from our boat. Vaulting onto an ice
floe in a welter of spray, he turned to watch us. Then he leapt,
hitting the water with a glorious belly-flopper. At the next floe, he
dived underneath to emerge on the other side. In a rush, he clambered
onto the ice again and stood while gallons of water sluiced from his
white pelt.
"Gotta go with the floe," shouted a woman in our group, delirious
with joy.
She was warned. According to an old Eskimo legend, bears are
enraged by puns.
Wearing parkas, gloves and knit caps on a cold July afternoon, we
had set out with an Inuit guide in an aluminum launch along the ...