Swimming Polar bear

While out on the water in a zodiac I was driving with a small group of guests in Hudson Bay, we had one of those encounters that stays with you forever. A mother polar bear and her cub were swimming toward us, steadily and directly. At first, we thought they might veer off—but instead, the mother brought her cub right up to us, clearly curious. We cut the engine and sat in silence as they approached. She never showed aggression—just calm, focused interest. Her cub stayed close, mirroring her movements. It felt like she was introducing us.

We slowly backed away to give them space, not wanting to intrude further, but the moment was unforgettable: a wild, intimate meeting on the open sea.

Polar bears are powerful swimmers, perfectly adapted for life in the Arctic. With large, paddle-like paws and a thick layer of insulating fat, they can swim for hours in icy waters. They've even been recorded swimming over 100 km without stopping. That’s why they’re officially classified as marine mammals—the only bear species with that designation.

To see one in its element, moving so effortlessly through its vast ocean home, is a profound reminder of both their strength and vulnerability in a changing Arctic.