Paddles Up: Canoeing Adventures in the North

Happy Sunday everyone and welcome back to This Darling Adventure! The snow is still falling up here in the North and my husband and I just enjoyed some delicious Harvest Chicken Lentil Chili. I know it sounds fab, but trust me when I say that it tastes even better. And it was absolutely perfect on this chilly November day (pun totally intended).

That all being said, this cold weather has me dreaming already of the warmer days of summer and… canoeing! This summer Andy and I had the opportunity to take the canoe out and explore by water some unique places here in our very own Manitoba.

On a side note, I think Manitoba largely is overlooked by most people traveling to Canada. We can’t really boast about mountains like our provinces to the west and to some we may not be as charming as our neighbors to the east. But we do have plenty of lakes (actually, about 110,000 or so) and that makes this province fantastic for canoeing!

That all being said, here are just a few of our favorite canoeing spots here in the North.

1. 1. Little Limestone Lake

What is not to love about this lake? Its bright turquoise waters may fool you into thinking you are somewhere in the Caribbean. However, the waters are this color due to the calcite in the water, dissolved from its limestone bedrock, chemically reacting with the heat of the sun. It is one of the largest and most outstanding examples of a marl lake in the world. Fascinating, hey? But even if you are not completely wowed by the science behind it, Little Limestone Lake is still one of the most beautiful, yet relatively hidden gems here in the North.

2. Pisew Falls & Kwasitchewan Falls

I know, this one is not technically a lake, but Pisew Falls Provincial Park is still an awesome place for canoe adventures. My beloved husband and I checked this bucket list item off over summer and canoed from Pisew Falls, down the Grass River to Kwasitchewan Falls, which is actually the highest waterfall in Manitoba (fun fact!). We spent the night on a little island across from the waterfall and fell asleep to the lullaby of the rushing waters nearby. It was glorious and I would highly recommend Pisew Falls Provincial Park to anyone up for being a little adventurous.

3. Lower & Upper Ospwagan Lakes

Now these two lakes are right next to each other and always slightly confuse people because upper Ospwagan Lake is in fact to the south of lower Ospwagan Lake. Not to worry though, because both of them are beautiful and make for great canoeing spots as well. In fact, a few weeks back Andy and I wanted to go out for a canoe but it was getting dark. Nevertheless, we tied the canoe to the top of our car and headed for the lake. It was a gloomy day and the sun was slowly hiding behind the horizon, but it was absolutely perfect for an island tea date on Lower Ospwagan Lake.

So, there you have it! Just a few of the 110,000 canoeing adventures to be had here in Manitoba. It is certainly such a blessing and honor to call this beautiful place my home and I look forward to sharing it with anyone who is interested in adventuring up here as well. For now, though, I think it is probably time to put the paddles up for the winter and to put the ice skates down instead.

What is on your canoeing bucket list? Please feel at home to comment below. 🙂