The Narrows, Hecla Point, Gimli and finally Birds Hill Provincial Park near Winnipeg, MB

We are on the road at 8 am with The Narrows of Manitoba on our radar for a breakfast stop. Driving out of the national park we comment about not seeing a bear considering the amount of bear scat we saw. All of a sudden there is a black bear in the ditch who scrambled so fast into the trees no photo was taken.

Riding Mountain rising out of the prairie on a smoky day

Leaving Riding Mountain National Park we look back in the distance for a view of the mountain. We think it's a stretch to call this a mountain but...what the heck. 

The Narrows on Lake Manitoba

The Narrows is quite amazing as it creates the only place you can cross Lake Manitoba by bridge. 

We walk out to a point for a view of the bridge. 

Pelicans just off shore. 

It's a big lake with lots of people fishing and pelicans :)

On our way to Hecla Point we are out of the boreal forest and into scrub spruce muskeg between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg.

Scrub spruce trees and gravel roads...yippie

We had hoped we were out of gravel road territory but no such luck. This is creating dessert storm dust behind us...ugh for the bikes on the back of the trailer. 

Hecla Provincial Park Lighthouse

We make it to Hecla Provincial Park Lighthouse and take the skinny causeway across to Hecla Island. 

Can it get any narrower? 

Once on Hecla Island, we are on our way to The Gull Harbor Marina Restaurant for lunch and the hike out to the Gull Harbor Lighthouse. There is construction and the road narrows to where Chris is afraid we are going to nick the side of our RV as there is literally inches on each side. 

The Gull Harbor marina

Gull Harbor Marina Inn and Restaurant

With our rig safely parked in the right parking spot (lots of signs where not to park) we head for lunch on the outdoor patio. It's very nice and the food tastes great...maybe cause it's 2:30 by now 

After lunch we saunter the 5km hike out to the Gull Harbor Lighthouses. It takes us on a nice wooded path and along the beach edge of  Lake Winnipeg...wow, this is one huge lake. 

Gull Harbor Heritage Lighthouses 

The shorter, original wooden lighthouse is from 1898, which was replaced by the taller steel one in 1926. Both are designated as Heritage Lighthouses. 

Lake Winnipeg

Sheila can't believe how big this lake is! 

Gimli Viking Statue

We drive on through the Town of Hecla and notice the large amount of Canadian and Icelandic flags flying side by side. Eventually we come to Gimli, a cute and charming town on the shores of Lake Winnipeg we have heard from many people, including our neighbor, Jeff who was born here, we have to visit.

Established in 1875 as "New Iceland", Gimli is the largest Icelandic community outside of Iceland - who knew? This explains all the Canadian and Icelandic flags. 

Apparently in 1875 a volcano erupted in Iceland covering areas with ash. This combined with other hardships and political unrest led many Icelanders to seek new lives elsewhere...thus Gimli was born. 

We find the local yacht club and it is clear there is a regatta of some sort happening. We pop into the club house and talk with a couple old guys who tell us the 2025 Sail Canada Sail West Championship is happening tomorrow. 

Boats ready for tomorrows racing

Tee pee made out of old sail cloth

Gimli marina

We walk the harbor front and are really impressed. This could be a port on the ocean for all we know. 

The Sea Wall of Murals

Farther along we find The Sea Wall Murals. A wonderful outdoor gallery of over 60 murals from sea life to boats to local history. 

More Pelicans

Air Canada flight 143 - July 23, 1983

Chris's mom had mentioned about a plane crash Gimli was famous for and sure enough there is a painting. Back in 1983 an Air Canada flight from Montreal to Edmonton ran out of fuel due to a faulty fuel gauge. The flight crew successfully glided the Boeing 767 form 41,000 feet to a safe emergency landing at the Royal Canadian Air Force  base in Gimli, which had been converted to a racetrack. It landed with no serious injuries to passengers and minor damage to the plane. Amazing piece of history. 

Trimaran coming into Gimli harbor

It is a beautiful evening for a walk out to the breakwater to see the sun getting lower and enjoy the view of Gimli. 

It's almost 8 pm and we still have an hour drive to our campsite at Birdshill Provincial Park so we step up the rest of our walk.

Lake Winnipeg Visitors Center

Directional pointer

On our way out of town we see in the distance the Crown Royal distillery. We knew it was already closed when we arrived in Gimli, but it is still cool to acknowledge it is the sole production site for all Crown Royal whisky sold around the world.

Gimli Crown Royal distillery - already closed so no visit

Manitoba Prairie Sentinel

Back on the road - Manitoba also has Prairie Sentinels and this one is shimmering in the setting sun.

We finally arrive at Birds Hill Provincial Park and get our site. Song Bird #4

Sadly when we head into the trailer we find a window had been jarred open by the rough gravel road and everything is covered in a layer of fine white silt :(

We spend the next 3.5 hours washing every wall and surface...F...... 

Fall into bed exhausted at 1 am....that has to be the last gravel road.