Witsand Nature Reserve: The Witsand (White
Sands) Nature Reserve is a 2 500 hectares island of brilliant white sands surrounded
by a sea of regular Red Kalahari sand. Also known as Brulsand, or Roaring Sands.
Geologists who have studied the region claim that the white sand owes its existence to an
isolated range of hillocks that lie buried beneath the dunes. Ordinary Kalahari sand was
caught by the koppies (hillocks) and the action of water springing from the rock below
(the white sand overlies a natural reservoir) gradually removed the red coating of iron
oxide from the grains. The dunes are up to 100m high and 10km long, and emit eerie roaring
sounds when disturbed by man or wind, especially in hot dry weather. The dunes generally
only roar in the months from September to April because of the hot and dry conditions at
that time of the year. Rain mutes the dunes for several days but increased moisture is not
thought to be the only reason.