GULL HARBOUR MARINA

The western shore of Lake Winnipeg, in south-central Manitoba, is a popular destination for tourists from the surrounding region. Visitors can choose from dozens of public campgrounds, thousands of private cabins and more than a few lakefront resorts. Tourists are limited only by their imaginations and the degree to which they’re comfortable “roughing it.” Gull Harbour Marina is one of Lake Winnipeg’s many lakefront resorts. Though it’s not a new property, it changed hands in 2016, ... and new owners David and Lori Janeson have poured substantial resources into refurbishing, modernizing and expanding the place. Gull Harbour Marina: David Janeson’s Hospitality Project Located on beautiful Hecla Island in Lake Winnipeg's narrows, Gull Harbour Marina is a popular destination for boating enthusiasts, outdoorsy types and city folks who simply want to get away for a few days. The property has three principal components: a modern marina with a machine shop and winter storage options; the Lighthouse Inn, a family-style restaurant with an authentic menu and seating for up to 120 guests; and a 13-room resort with a variety of accommodation options. What Guests See and Do at Gull Harbour Marina Gull Harbour Marina’s location near the northeastern tip of Hecla Island makes it an ideal starting point for boat trips and open-water fishing expeditions around the southern part of Lake Winnipeg. Those who prefer to stay on dry land can take advantage of the island’s ample hiking and mountain biking trail network. Though Gull Harbour Marina itself isn’t yet open during the winter, visitors who pass through during the cold season or stay elsewhere on the island avail themselves of a seemingly endless Nordic ski trail network. New Iceland and Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park: Gull Harbour’s Hidden Heritage Gull Harbour is just one small part of a vast wilderness area that’s popular with tourists from Winnipeg, smaller Manitoba communities and the northern tier of the United States. Most visitors know about Hecla Island, the popular tract in which Gull Harbour Marina is located. Together with Grindstone Black Island, it forms the core of Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park, one of Manitoba’s most popular provincial parks. Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park includes thousands of acres of pristine forests, clear waters ideal for fishing and boating and ample accommodations for tourists. Fewer Gull Harbour visitors know about New Iceland, the historic region that surrounds Gull Harbour and encompasses much of the southern half of Lake Winnipeg. New Iceland is one of the most important nodes in the modest but eclectic Icelandic diaspora. Were they citizens of Iceland itself, New Iceland’s 26,000 or so residents of Icelandic descent would add approximately 10 percent to their ancestral country’s population. Gull Harbour Marina owner David Janeson, who’s of Icelandic descent himself, supports those aiming to raise awareness for this little-known slice of Manitoba. He envisions a future in which many visitors to Gull Harbour Marina come in part because of the region’s distinct heritage, which includes a stint as a quasi-independent Icelandic enclave within Canada and lives on today with the annual Icelandic Festival, held in Gimli, Manitoba, each August.More