Seal River, Manitoba

The Seal River in Manitoba gets it name from the occurrence of the harbour seals, sometime 150 mile upstream of Hudson’s Bay, Manitoba. Normally these marine mammals are associated with the prolific waters of the ocean, but on the Seal River, they are routinely seen basking on the shoreline and the rocky outcrops. The Seal River winds and roars its way through Manitoba’s northern spruce forest, interrupted periodically by magnificent sandy eskers that appear to start, or stop, at the rivers edge. These eskers meander throughout the timber for miles and provide a wonderful hiking opportunity that offers an above the forest canopy view of the world beyond. The Satsi Dene and their descendants traveled these eskers in search of the game that you will find evidence of today: moose, bear and caribou. Too rugged for the early fur traders and early explorers, only very occasional evidence of their presence exists. The remoteness of the vast Seal River system made settlement virtually impossible.

Seal River Geography:

Of the four major river systems in Manitoba, the Seal River remains undeveloped. Our trip begins at Shethanei Lake, located approximately 1000 km north of Winnipeg as the crow flies and approximately 250 river kilometers from the coast of Hudson’s Bay. Shethanei Lake (sheth-than-nee) marks the beginning of the many eskers that occur along the Seal River route. Eskers are believed to be the result of deposits from glacial streams that ran through tunnels beneath stagnant ice and once the ice melted, these elevated stream beds were laid down on the exposed surface. The name, Shethanei is from the Dene people which translates to “the hill going into the lake”.

The Seal River in Manitoba gets its name from the occurrence of the harbour. Downstream of the lake, the Seal River cuts through an area of glacial till and then in and out of areas of exposed Precambrian bedrock and glacial till, until it approaches the sparsely treed transitional sub artic tundra or as the Dene called it, the “land of little sticks”. The tundra is characterized by dwarf birch, stunted willows and sedge meadows. Lichens and mosses fill in as ground cover. The Seal River courses through areas of alluvial flood plains, the occasional boulder strewn area , and plenty of rapids on it way to a beautiful estuary and finally the Hudson’s Bay.

The Seal River itself can have many changing faces. In years of average run-off and precipitation, most of the rapids are quite manageable ( class 2-3) with a number of others demanding considerably more respect. In years with higher than normal snow fall, run-off and rains, boulder field can turn into turbulent rollers that must either be avoided or challenged and rapids escalate to class 4 and 5.

Seal River Facts:

• The Seal River is the largest remaining river in northern Manitoba that does not have a hydro electric project within its natural course.
• The Seal River valley contains excellent representation of the sub arctic boreal forest, the Precambrian Shield, and the arctic tundra of the Hudson’s Bay Lowlands.
• The Seal River valley provides habitat for 33 species of plants which are rare in Manitoba and supports some unusually large white spruce and Tamarack. Glacial features include eskers, sometimes as peninsulas or submerged landforms, drumlins and extensive boulder fields.
• The estuary at Hudson’s Bay Manitoba is still rebounding from the receding glaciers of the Pleistocene at a rate of 53 cm per century.
• The Seal River is home to a wide variety of wildlife including: moose, Black Bear, wolf, wolverine, fox, fisher, snowshoe hare, otter, beaver and Polar Bear to name a few.
• Avian residents include the Canada goose, bald and golden eagles, osprey, a variety of ducks, ptarmigan, gray jays, a variety of warblers, sparrows, and many others.
• Fish are plentiful including lake trout in Shethanei Lake, arctic grayling, pickerel and northern pike.
• The estuary is the feeding and calving grounds for 3000 Beluga whales and the wintering range for the Kamanuriak caribou, numbering over 400,000 strong.

Seal River History:

The Seal River and its shores harbor a rich and diverse history. Evidence from prehistoric artifacts along the

Seal River bears witness to the Paleo-Indian peoples of 7000 years ago and to the Taltheili Tradition of 1 A.D. to 1700 A.D. In more recent history, fire rings, discarded stone implements and rolls of birch bark intended for use in canoe construction indicate the historic presence of the Chipewan Indians. Noted explorer, Samuel Hearne of the Hudson’s Bay Company is said to have traveled the Seal River upstream from Hudson’s Bay Manitoba on foot to Shethanei Lake, then back tracked to the Wolverine River heading north to the Arctic Ocean in search of the fabled copper fields which the Indians said bordered the ocean. Hearne became the first white man to discover the Arctic Ocean and map much of this area.

The only evidence of white man's attempt to settle in the cold, isolated and formidable area is an abandoned mining camp located on the downstream end of the Great Island. The camp, operated by the Great Seal Prospecting and Developing syndicate operated between 1953 and 1958. Only remnants of a few log buildings, a drilling platform, dynamite shack and debris remain at the site. Other evidence of European presence is found in occasional old dilapidated trappers cabins and a few old grave sites marked by picket fences on eskers.

Recreation on the Seal River:

The Seal River is an outstanding white water wilderness river trip. Your experience begins at Shethanei Lake where you can enjoy fishing for huge Lake Trout and hiking the spectacular eskers, the most significant of which is the esker at the midpoint of Shethanei Lake and the esker just down stream of the junction of the Seal River and the Wolverine River. These esker run for miles and offer endless opportunity to explore their length and discover their secrets. There are some great campsites on the lake shore, so, if the wind keeps you stranded on shore as its too rough to paddle, take advantage of the sights but don’t leave the lake until you’ve caught a lake trout.

The major attraction is the Seal River rapids. After leaving Shethanei Lake you hit the first rapids and then a strong current (10-12 knots) carries you to the junction of the Wolverine River. Check out the esker a few miles down stream and explore. The Seal River continues through swifts, a gorge, a series of class 2 and 3 rapids and then to the Great Island, more gorges and at the end of the island, the nine bar rapids and the old mining camp. A little down stream, you’ll encounter the beginning of the first open tundra, great scenery and relaxing beaches. After paddling through a series of small islands in swift current, watch for exposed bedrock and stop for lunch beside a deep pool on the left. Just down stream are rapids that require a check out before entry and after that experience, there’s a series of wild rapid that run for 4 kilometers and 2 kilometers respectively. Then quiet water for a while and seal sightings, a possible lift-over a great beach. Get ready for more white water all the way to the coast, but beware! Deaf Rapids (adjacent to the knoll) must be checked out from terra ferma. Finally, you’re at Hudson's Bay Manitoba and there is the shack!

Seal River Access:

It is about an 8 hour drive from Winnipeg Manitoba to Thompson Manitoba and the Venture Air Float Plane Base. Take what time you have left to stock up on supplies and last minute gear.You are welcome to camp on the Venture Air site ( washroom and shower available) or to spend you last night for a while between white sheets in a hotel / motel ( call a few days ahead to ensure rooms are available). We load the canoes first thing in the morning and, weather permitting, depart for Shethanei Lake.

Egress requires some planning. Canoeists and kayakers cannot travel the 45 kilomiters from the mouth of the Seal River to the town Churchill Manitoba, it is just not safe! All are advised to arrange for water taxi or aircraft pick-up from the Seal Estuary.

Seal River Services:

There are no services of any kind along the Seal River canoe trip route. Thompson Manitoba is the last service centre with support facilities and accommodation. Be prepared!

Seal River Hazards:

This trip is not for the fool hardy, the Seal River is fast, the rapids are continuous: they range from class 1 upward to class 6 and the water is cold! Capsizing is a very real possibility and hypothermia a possible consequence. Portage paths are vague if existent and caution should always be exercised when approaching rapids on an unfamiliar river. Tides influence the estuary and as a result your passage to the coast, so take advantage of the high tide for travel. In addition, bears, although usually frightened of man, are not accustomed to seeing very many in this isolated part of Manitoba. Both the Black Bear and especially the Polar Bear demand a lot of respect. Take the necessary precautions and be aware of what to do if you encounter a bear.

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