Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/514227
68 Discoveries E x p l o r e o u r h i d d e n a d v e n t u r e s Shaped by receding mountains of glacial ice, Manitoba's landscape is awash in natural wonders, from shark fossils to desert sands and sheer limestone cliffs chiseled from wind and water. Discover some of nature's most incredible marvels. Wacth the video at travelmanitoba.com/suprising-discoveries. SUPRISING suprising CLIFF-FRONT Views Eroded by winds and waves, limestone cliffs rise up to 10 metres above the waterline at Steep Rock, on the eastern shore of Lake Manitoba about 215 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Rent a canoe or kayak for the best views from the water, or hike along a network of trails at Steep Rock Beach Park. > steeprockbeach.ca TUNNEL Vision Rent a kayak or canoe and paddle through hidden pathways at the Caddy Lake Tunnels in the Whiteshell. Created when the Canadian Pacific Railway blasted holes through rock hills to allow water to flow freely between Caddy, South Cross and North Cross lakes, the tunnels are accessible from all three lakes. Camp on the shore or hole up Falcon Trails Resort and take a canoe tour — your guide will fill you in on local history and trapper tales along the way. > falcontrails.mb.ca SHARKS and SEA MONSTERS Amazing as it seems, sharks were one of the most common species in Manitoba's ancient seas, and there's a jaw-dropping example at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden. An intact three-metre (9.8-foot) crow shark estimated to be 80 or 90 million years old is believed to be the largest fossil of its kind in the world. A Guinness World Record-holding 13-metre-long marine reptile named Bruce is the centre's most famous resident. But this mossasaur needs to get used to sharing the spotlight, as Suzy, a nine- metre mosasaur fossil is now on display right across from Bruce. These two giants would have ruled the waves 100 million years ago. Soak up ancient history as you peruse the centre's extensive fossil collection, and pick up a trowel to play palaeontologist for a few hours or a few days: The Fossil Dig Adventure Tour offers several hands- on experience options at excavation sites. > discoverfossils.com Wonderful WATERWAYS Caves, sinkholes and turquoise water are hallmarks of one of the world's largest marl lakes, Little Limestone Lake, 65 kilometres north of Grand Rapids. Little Limestone's mineral-rich water changes colour when dissolved limestone bedrock reacts to the heat of the sun. Head to The Pas to see clear to the bottom of one of the world's few true blue lakes at Clearwater Lake Provincial Park. Fish, camp it up and follow a self-guided trail to the park's caves, deep crevices that are often cold enough to hold ice in midsummer. BRUCE THE MOSASAUR CANADIAN FOSSIL DISCOVERY CENTRE 68