The community consists of two parts the Northern Village of Sandy Bay and the Wapaskokimaw 202 reserve of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.

It was initially situated further downstream on the Churchill River, but the residents were encouraged to relocate near the proposed site of the Island Falls Generating Station to provide a source of labour for its construction.

There is a local store in the community, but other supplies and groceries can be purchased in Flin Flon, Manitoba, two hours away on gravel and paved highways.

In the winter the average daytime low does not dip below - 25 °C, but is it common to get cold fronts that bring the air temperature to -40 °C.

During the summer months it is common for the rain to fall in large amounts during short periods of time.

In the summer of 2011 the Sandy Bay and Pelican Narrows region received a large amount of rain over a three-day period.

The beach provides a controlled swimming environment and some of the safety features are floating docks, buoys, and an emergency access ramp which are not common in Aboriginal northern communities.

The community is planning on having lifeguards working in the summer months and it will be the perfect spot for the whole family to swim.

The Hector Thiboutot School joined the project to teach the students about water safety and about playing near frozen rivers/lakes in the winter.