NEWS FEED

• A beautiful day, an even better weekend

  Guestbook/ KatieWilliams/ Jul 5, 2017

  I love Hecla! The lighthouse, the beaches, it all reminds me of the east coast but only a few hours from Winnipeg! There is a hotel and there are ample spaces available at campgrounds nearby should you choose to spend the night (or two). It is a tranquil place, and if you're a golfer you can get in a few rounds too!

• Hecla Islands: A Second Home

  Guestbook/ roxannetipan/ Feb 16, 2015

  Hecla Islands, located between the east and west shores of Lake Winnipeg (Manitoba), has instilled many values within me as a human being, and has taught me to appreciate all of the little aspects that life has to offer. As a young girl, my family and I would have our annual summer camping trips where we were able to escape from the city and embrace the raw, natural, environment of Canada. These trips were able to teach me that a breath of fresh air was all that was needed to clear your mind from the stress and anxiety of the world, and that nature was a living entity that should not be taken for granted.
  The entire environment was an abstract work of art. The skies (on bright days) were a variety of pearlescent blues, merging together to create a smooth gradient of different hues. The ivory clouds were a combination of puffs and strands, depending upon how the wind was feeling on that particular day. On gloomy days, the skies were a rich, ash grey colour, and the speckles of rain would refresh the earth with a musk scent. Each day, nature would sing an entire new melody unlike any other it had in the past, and would in the future. It was a tune that only nature would know; a tune that was not fixated or practiced to perfection. Hecla Islands wasn’t a normal setting, it was as though the scenery was taken right out of a fairy tale book, but the ways in which it welcomed all individuals exceeded any sort of doubt.
  There were countless activities that my family and I pursued in the outdoors, each of them a joyous memory that I savour. We would explore the depths of the wilderness while soaking in all of the vitamins the environment gifted us with, and admired the different creatures of the earth. In the midst of the searing summer heat, we would treat ourselves to a soothing swim at the beach, and scope the land for rocks and seashells. The sunlight would hit the waves at all of the right angles, creating a shimmering spectrum of colourless light, and the soft sand would hug our toes inviting us to continue exploring its worth. On rainy days we would enjoy the comforting sound of the water pounding against our humble tent, while reminiscing about everything and nothing for hours on end. The cool evenings were spent warming up and roasting marshmallows over a golden fire, while sharing all sorts of crazy, embarrassing stories. Each day carried a small surprise and a new adventure, and no one ever complained about our unpredictable course.
  Not only has Hecla Islands allowed me to savour the outdoors and wilderness of Canada, it has also connected me with my Filipino heritage. Fishing is a passion that is strongly embraced within the Filipino community; my mother and father both grew up in families that honoured this passion, and they passed it down to my family as a result. Hecla Islands was able to grant us a wonderful opportunity to exercise both our Filipino and Canadian culture, and that was something we embraced wholeheartedly. We would spend the entire day fishing on the dock while relishing in the time we were able to spend with one another. Nothing was more soothing than the sound of the waves hitting the shore, and the soft mumble of chatter that would last for hours. The importance of unity and love was exercised each second of each day, and has strengthened the bond my family and I have with one another. At Hecla Islands, I was able to strengthen my character and learn to appreciate all of the little aspects of life that created a beautiful picture.
  I am eighteen years old to this day, and Hecla Islands has taught me countless lessons in life that I will carry with me into the future. The young girl on the left side of the picture is me, followed my older sister and two younger cousins. I am eternally thankful to have experienced years of bliss and euphoria within this beautiful environment, even if it was only for a few days each year. Throughout all of our camping trips, I have been inspired to further delve into the adventures awaiting for my family and I in the depths of Canada’s natural universe. Hecla Islands is a book that I will always turn back to, a story that holds sentimental value, and a gift that has helped shaped who I am in the present day.