The sand has been dredged by boat from a sandbank 20 miles (32km) out to sea, then pumped onto Colwyn Bay beach through a pipeline.

BBC: Colwyn Bay beach

Later came intensive memorising of the star-compass, a circle of coral pebbles, each pebble a star, laid out in the sand round a palm-frond boat.

ECONOMIST: Mau Piailug

The council is pursuing an insurance claim for damages after two of the reef's sand-filled bags were struck by a boat propeller in May 2011.

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But just as his head dropped below the surface, and the boat tugged against his grip, his feet found the sand, and he stood.

NEWYORKER: Max at Sea

You can charter a local boat from Labuanbajo for two or three day cruises in park waters, snorkel over pristine reefs, lounge on pink sand beaches and hike on Rinca and Komodo (one and a half and three hours by boat from Labuanbajo respectively).

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The shipping scion piped in utilities, imported sand, planted forests, and built a family compound that includes three residences, a helicopter pad and a boat quay.

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