Jun 17 & 18. Fort McMurray where we stayed overnight in a hotel. Arrived after lunch and toured the Oil Sands Discovery Centre to learn about equipment and processes. The oil sands are literally that – very fine grains of sand (hydrophilic = absorb water) coated with a micro layer of water and one of oil. By adding hot water and stirring, the bitumen separates and can be removed. Two barrels of hot water to make one barrel of oil; 90% of the water is recycled. The sand that remains is incredibly fine and is used in the tailing pond reclamation process. Interestingly, Suncor announced when we were there that no new tailing ponds will be built and the current number will be reduced. We saw their facility on a bus tour the following day, and I hope we can post some pictures for you to see as you read this. The two days were extremely interesting and well worth the long drive.
Correction to the last posting – Fort McMurray is at 56.5 deg. latitude. We shall be much further north when we reach Yellowknife; the border between Alberta and NWT is at latitude 60.

Jun 19. We left our campground in Plamondon and drove to Joussard at the west end of Lesser Slave Lake, which is only 78 km long. Terry and Debbie who manages the Lakeshore Campground are super friendly. The following morning was Father’s day and we were invited to a great local community breakfast. Then on a fishing trip and caught 4 walleye. Anne-Grethe caught the first one and our two fishing partners donated the other three. The weather is fantastic and we chose to stay an extra day and relax.
I mounted a big sheet of plywood as an extra stone guard at the front of the trailer and Terry gave me some silver paint, insisting that I paint it to match the trailer!

June 21. 470 km north to High Level. We are within 200 km of Northwest Territories and have decided to visit Hay River and then on to Yellowknife. We got our fishing licenses for NWT today so we hope to try Great Slave Lake for a few days.