Miss Piggy Plane Wreck

Miss Piggy is the nickname of a Curtiss C-46 freight aeroplane that now rests on the rocky shore of Hudson Bay near Churchill, and it has become one of the town's best-loved curiosities. The plane was owned by Lamb Air and, on a flight in 1979, it lost engine power while on approach and came down among the rocks. Nobody was killed. The aircraft was never removed, and over the years it has weathered into a rust-streaked landmark that sits in a landscape of low tundra, stones and open sky. The name comes from its generous cargo capacity, and the story goes that it once carried pigs. Travel Manitoba describes the site as reached by a scenic back road along the bay, so the drive is part of the interest, with views over the water and a chance to spot birds and other wildlife on the way. There is no ticket and no gate, which makes it an easy stop for anyone with a few spare hours.

Getting there is the main practical question. Churchill has few taxis and no public transport, so most visitors reach the wreck as part of a town and area tour, which commonly also takes in the polar bear holding facility, the rocket range and Cape Merry. If you prefer to go independently, you need a vehicle, and commercial companies in town offer rentals. Ask at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre or at your accommodation for current directions and for road conditions, because the back roads can be rough and weather changes quickly.

Staying safe matters more here than at most photo stops. Churchill is polar bear country, and the shore is exactly the sort of place where bears walk. Stay in or near your vehicle, look carefully before you get out, never walk away from the road on your own, and follow local guidance, especially in autumn when bears are on the coast. The wreck is metal and rock, and the wreck itself should be treated as unstable, so look from the outside rather than climbing on or around it.

The best light is often in the early morning or the evening, when low sun picks out the shape of the plane against the bay. In winter the whole scene is stark white, and photographers sometimes combine the wreck with an aurora evening if conditions are clear. In summer, wildflowers and birds add colour. Allow about an hour, including time for photographs, and combine it with the Cape Merry tour, the Inukshuk behind the town complex or the MV Ithaca shipwreck for a half day of the coast's odder sights.

It helps to know what you are looking at. The C-46 was a workhorse of mid-twentieth-century freight flying, and planes like it carried supplies, food and equipment to northern communities that had no road. That is the context for Miss Piggy: a working aircraft doing ordinary cargo work on a route that mattered, brought down by an engine failure rather than by any dramatic accident.

Visitors often find it more moving than they expect, because the plane is large and quiet and has been left where it came to rest, and the surrounding landscape gives a sense of how small Churchill is in a very big land. Take a moment to look at the rocks, the tidal flats and the sky before you leave.