Two Royals in a boat: Canoe-dling Kate and William wow Canada's Northwest Territories with their paddling partnership in a kayak

By REBECCA ENGLISH

Water babe: Prince William and wife Kate take a canoe ride at Lake Blatchford, Canada, lodge in the Northwest Territories


Royal couple fly to Yellowknife on sixth day of Canada tour to experience traditions of native people

Prince tries his hand at a game of shinty - street hockey

Vast North Western Territories are home to only 48,000 people

Kate and Wills presented with hockey jerseys with Cambridge on the back

Duke and Duchess will then travel on to Calgary


Bonding: Prince William and Kate take a canoe ride with elder Francois Paulette, left, from the Fort Smith area at Lake Blatchford, Canada


Scenic paddle: The young royals enjoy a turn past the pines, in blue water. They both show great paddling form


Lunch: Prince William and Kate enjoy some arctic char with Defense Minister Peter McKay and Canadian Rangers at Lake Blatchford, Canada on Tuesday


The couple will tour the region before flying to Calgary on Wednesday.

Yesterday, the Duchess of Cambridge got another royal first under her belt when she started a game of 'shinny' or street hockey.

Kate, who was a formidable hockey player herself at school, laughingly shrugged off calls from the crowd to take part herself – especially after she was handed a red sports shirt with her name – Cambridge – emblazoned on it.


Red: William and Kate pose wearing the sweaters of the Canadian Rangers after being made honorary members during a visit to Blatchford Lake


'I would have taken a shot if I wasn't in heels,' she told Gloria Francis, 16, from Yellowknife as she gestured to her cream £175 LK Bennett stilettoes. But she did throw the bright orange ball onto the floor to start the game.

The Duke was facing 6'3" goalie Calvin Lomen, as he failed to hit to hit the target with any of his three shots. He even begged 20-year-old Mr Lomen 'You realise you've got to let one in!' before trying to outfox the goalie by telling him “top left corner' before going for the right.


Teepee time: The young royals exit a traditional teepee at Blatchford Lodge, where they learned something about ancient ways of life



Pitching in: The royals help carry a caribou skin to a tent to be smoked while visiting Blatchford Lake. It's an authentic experience


Natural fabric: William and Kate learn about the craft of leathermaking from First Nations people, who smoke caribou hides


Quiet moment: Prince William and his wife Kate enjoy the serene beauty of the far north. It's wilderness not that many people ever see


But all three shots were either saved or went wide.

After he and his wife were presented with red Canada ice hockey tops with “Cambridge' and the numbers 1 for the Duchess and 2 for the Duke.

The royal couple were spending the morning experiencing the sights, sounds and traditions of Canada's native peoples after arriving in Yellowknife on the sixth day of their tour of the Commonwealth realm.

Around half of the region's population has Aboriginal heritage, and members of the Inuktitut and Chipewyan tribes were among those who welcomed the royal couple to the regional capital.


Yummy: The young royals watch an elder woman prepare caribou meat for smoking while visiting Blatchford Lake


Fragrant: William and Kate smell aboriginal herbal medicines, which have been used for thousands of years by resourceful people in the north country


A group of drummers performed a prayer song for the couple on caribou-skin drums, considered sacred objects by the native people, dancers from the Inuvialuit tribe danced for their royal guests.

Then local teenagers demonstrated their skills in Arctic sports including the Alaskan High Kick, which involves balancing on one hand and kicking a target, and the “airplane', a show of strength in which the contestants hold their bodies in a cross shape and are carried horizontally for as long as they can hold the position.

Although the Duke did not fancy his chances at the high kicking, he happily joined in a game of street hockey, or “shinny', taking penalty shots against the goalkeeper in a pause in the game taking place at the Somba K'e civic plaza, a recreation area overlooking Frame Lake.


Helping hand: After a quick change, William and Kate make their way onto a water plane on their way to Blachford Lake


Bear essentials: Seated around a bear rug the Duke and Duchess took part in a sitting of the Legislative Assembly in Yellowknife


Prince William took a shot with a hockey stick in a game of 'shinny' to the delight of onlookers (including Kate) and they were treated to some of the Arctic sports


They met the Yellowknife hockey team which claims to be the birthplace of the sport in Canada


William and Kate follow a bagpiper as they arrive at the Somba K'e Civic Plaza in the Northwest Territories


Meeting: William and Kate look on during an official welcome ceremony at the Somba K'e Civic Plaza in Yellowknife, Canada


Their day in Yellowknife is a real mix of tradition and modernity with these residents dressed in traditional native clothing


Prince William and Kate in a Canoe and Fur shoes Blachford Lake NWT Canada July 5,2011



source : dailymail

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