James Bay is calling you!
James Bay has been home to Cree communities for millenia! Today, the people and this land are calling you to an adventure of a lifetime. Come and experience this magnificent, beautiful, wild and dangerous land and waters guided by those whose expertise is based in the wisdom of countless generations on how to live and travel her. Your guides will keep you safe, while you get to be amazed by the huge vistas, northern lights, and the creatures of this remote and unique region.
Select the season you prefer for the customized experience we will create together. It is one of the unique features of James Bay Adventures, is that during each season there will at least one expedition combining elements that just cannot be found anywhere else.
Cree Lunar Calendar – Some of the text here is drawn from Tawich is Where I Belong, p. 17 – a feasibility study authored by the Mushkegowuk Council National Marine Conservation Area project in Moose River/James Bay. Tawich is an Indigenous term referring to the coastal zone and offshore waters of Washaybeyoh (Hudson’s Bay) and Weeneebeg (James Bay), including the rivers and estuaries, coastal wetlands, tidal flats, beach ridges and more. The rest of what follows is from the lived experience of Kyle, Paige and their people, and forms the basis of their offered authentic Cree adventures.
Siikwan Eagle Moon, Goose Moon: Canada Geese and Snow Geese arrive on Tawich; Omushkego Cree communities bustle with excitement in anticipation of Goose camp (harvesting).
March-April is the first season of the year, because first the Eagles return in March and then the Geese in April. The big community events are “Break Up” and Harvesting Geese. Everyone gathers on the shore during Break Up because the thunderous cacophony of the breaking ice is truly amazing; Every able-bodied person is out for much of the month of April gathering geese and other waterfowl and even more of the community is involved with their processing. During Siikwan there are stories to be told, songs to be sung, and rituals of life to be celebrated like the "Walking Out" and "First Goose" celebrations.
During Eagle moon (roughly March), the best snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snow cycling is available. Book early!
Snowmobiling*under construction
Cross-Country skiing*under construction
Snowshoeing expedition March 25 Kyle will be retracing his grandmother’s footsteps – 10 days Moosonee to Waskaganish, self-supporting expedition*under construction
Snow Cycling*under construction
Ice-Fishing
Small-game hunting
During Goose Moon no tours can be offered in April due to lack of snow/thin ice conditions, and the fact that everything stops for the harvesting. However, it is possible that in 2025, if you really want to observe a family harvesting geese and experience Break Up, you might be selected for a Goose Moon Expedition. You require considerable conditioning and strength to get out to the hunting camp with your guide as well as the patience for lots of long quiet periods in which nothing much is happening. Visitors may not hunt: but they can share in the life of the hunting camp and so be there for the full process of harvesting, along with wildlife sightings, the Northern Lights, and being present for break-up. This would be a one or two week expedition (otherwise you might miss break-up). Depending how long you want to stay this could cost as much as $5,000 to $10,000/person or small group. Click here to send an email to express interest.
Minoskamin (Blooming Earth) - Frog Moon, Budding Moon (roughly May-June): Songbirds and shorebirds arrive to the peatlands and coast; ice recedes on Washaybeyoh (Hudson’s Bay) and Weeneebeg (James Bay), forcing polar bears to come ashore.
Minoskamin is the time of the earth blooming and the frogs coming out to sing. Shorebirds are migrating onto the tidal flats bird sanctuaries, and fishing season opens for Walleye. This is planting time for gardeners, and foraging for fiddleheads, for those who love them, is truly a bucket list experience. One island can yield 50lbs of fiddleheads and there are a lot of islands! June gets too buggy for most people.
Birding (2025)* Birding Tours also available in September.
Fishing
James Bay Boat Tour
Fiddleheads (2025) *underconstruction – 2025 tours will be posted this fall
Paddling
Cultural Expedition – (2025)* paddling, fiddleheads, fishing, joining in preparation and enjoyment of feasting, campfires hosted by an elder, smudging, northern lights, finishing with boat tour to James Bay for wildlife including whales and seals, walking amongst the shorebirds, fishing, etc.
Nipin Niipin Moulting Moon, Flying Up Moon (Roughly July-August): Geese, waterfowl and ducks find safe, food rich havens to shed their feathers; migratory caribou gather on the tideflats to give birth and escape the bugs.
Since time immemorial Nipin has been the time for gatherings as families and communities from James Bay and the Moose River trek to Moose Factory. This tradition continues with the Moose Cree First Nation’s Gathering of our Peoples -- a five day celebration on the first weekend of August. Popular Local Bands and Visiting Musicians offer up the best of Cree-inspired popular music. In past years the Tragically Hip, Leona Boyd and many others have featured. This is prime time for paddling tours with warm weather and less flies with literally hundreds of kilometres of waterways to explore with guided tours ranging from a part-day to 10 days in length.
Paddling
James Bay Boat Tours
Fishing
Taakwakin (Fall) - Blue Goose Moon, Migrating Moon(roughly Sept/Oct): Berries, sage and other foods and medicines flourish in traditional gathering areas up and down the coast; southbound Canada Geese, Snow Geese and shorebirds land to rest and refuel on Tawich
Foraging tours in September through the local bush, in which elders point out the local fauna and explain its uses as well as: *under construction
Paddling
James Bay Boat Tours
Fishing
Goose harvesting in October as well as Moose and Caribou hunting – Cree Community only, with no tours offered in 2024.
Hunting (Moose 2025) guided moose hunts with tags. *Under construction
Kashkatinisiw (Freezing Up) - Freeze Up Moon, Shedding Needles Moon(Roughly Nov/Dec): Omushkego Cree hunters seek caribou and moose for winter feasts (Nov). Polar bears finally end a four-month fast, venturing offshore on the season’s first ice (Nov/Dec);
Transportation to Moose Factory by boat ceases and is replaced by helicopters until the ice hardens enough for the winter road to open. Festival of Lights on Moose Factory Island, as well as a re-enactment of Christmas Tea at the Staff House.
Freeze-up and snow cover come much earlier in Moosonee. Generally the ice is safe by December 20, but this will vary each year. Cross-Country and Snowshoe tours can be booked in late November or December with the understanding that they may have to be rebooked if the conditions are not favourable. The cold weather during Kashkantinissiw is not as severe as during Pipon although temperatures can still get down to 40°C with strong northerly winds. Tours include opportunities for wild-life and northern lights sightings, campfires and a Cree feast.
Walking the trap lines* under construction
Tamarack gathering and making of Tamarack Geese*
River and James Bay Ice safe by Dec 20*
Cross-country skiing*
Snow mobile*
Snowshoeing*
Family Christmas at Moose Factory*
Pipon Great Shedding Needles Moon, The Great Moon(Roughly Jan/Feb): Omushkego follow traditional trails across the frozen peatlands and coastline to ice-fishing hotspots, including Hawley and Sutton lakes
All over Canada, this is the bitterly cold season, but at James Bay it is very windy with typical temperatures of -50°C. Some hardy souls with the right gear will want to test themselves against this wild and unforgiving environment. We do supply the right gear to ensure the safety of each guest who wants to do James Bay in January. The rest will wait for late February – March under the Eagle Moon.
Sledding
Cross-country skiing
Snow Cycling
Cultural
