Few of nature's marvels match the intense aliveness of an Arctic summer. In a region that's frozen, still and dark much of the year, the Canadian Northland awakens with a frenzy of energy during long days when the tundra turns green, wildflowers burst with color, animals come forth in great flocks and herds, and belugas return for their summer feasting. More than 3,000 of these amiable white whales congregate at the mouth of the Churchill River, and our motorized rafts and kayaks put us at eye level with them. On the surrounding tundra, look for terrestrial wildlife—we often spot caribou, Arctic fox, ptarmigan and roving polar bears, their creamy coats contrasting with the rocky shoreline and dark boreal forest. From the remote village of Churchill as our base on Hudson Bay, we are surrounded by the flurry of natural wonders a northern summer provides.