Geologists have an explanation for the origin of the striking landform that stretches into Lake Superior from the Sibley Peninsula.  The Ojibway have one too.  In theirs it is no coincidence that this rocky formation resembles a giant sleeping on his back, arms folded on his chest.  This is Nanabijou, son of the west wind, turned to stone by the Great Spirit, Kitche Manitou.
    Everyone who has lived on Thunder Bay throughout the centuries must have experienced a sense of awe at the sight of the giant dominating the eastern horizon - but that did not exempt the peninsula from development.  Most of it had been logged by 1944, when residents of the region succeeded in establishing the 24,500 hectare Sibley Provincial Park (renamed Sleeping Giant Provincial Park in 1988).
    Now, in the regenerated forests, I can explore old logging roads and narrow, needle-strewn paths, past rushing streams and miniature waterfalls.  I cool my feet on the flat rocks in Lake Superior, glimpse porcupine, moose and beaver, and enjoy panoramic views from the highest cliffs in Ontario.  In the city, I see the giant across the bay, and I know there are places where nature's patterns prevail, and I hope they will remain for centuries to come.

This article was published in the Nature Conservancy of Canada's supplement to The Globe and Mail, May 30, 2001.