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Williams
River Dunes
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In
many places, the dunes march up to the shores of
the Williams River with a vengence. Cliffs of sand
tower above the paddler.
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The
first glimpse of the dunes on the Williams River is
spectacular. Going around an otherwise normal bend
in the river, you're suddenly presented with a wall
of sand.
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The
shifting winds are clealy in evidence here as dunes
engulf on a jackpine forest from two
directions.
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Returning
from a long hike to some of the larger dunes, we
were pelted by a brief storm. After the storm, we
were treated to a spectacular sunest.
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The
boys take a quiet moment to enjoy their first
glimpse of tmassive Williams River Dunes
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After
hiking for hours in a sea of sand, it's hard to
remember that you're on a canoe trip in northern
Canada, not a trek in the Sahara
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In
the centre of the Williams River Dunes, there are
some massive giants that tower hundreds of feet
above their surroundings.
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The
boys discovered a small pocket of quicksand. With
some vigourous wiggling, their feet would sink into
the sand. After letting the sand settle, it would
support their weight for quite a while.
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The
constant wind coming off Lake Athabasca provides a
perfect breeze for flying a kite. We brought along
a couple of the small kites. We'd hoped to use them
as a sail on the lake, but the waves were too rough
anytime the wind picked up. The kites could also
serve as a signal if we were seperated on a
hike.
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