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the Degree Confluence Project
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Botswana : Kgalagadi

37.3 km (23.2 miles) WSW of Lehwerane, Kgalagadi, Botswana
Approx. altitude: 981 m (3218 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 26°N 158°W

Accuracy: 2 m (6 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: Looking South #3: Looking West #4: Looking North #5: Looking East #6: The GPS at 26S 22E #7: The group that visited the Confluence. FLTR: Anton, Astrid, Willie, Carl, Kobus, Michal #8: Lion #9: On route #10: Camp microwave being prepared #11: Selecting dinner

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  26°S 22°E  

#1: General area of 26S 22E confluence.

(visited by Anton Matthee, Kobus Potgieter, Michal Potgieter, Carl Kies, Willie Solomon and Astrid Solomon)

24-Apr-2009 -- On our way to the starting point of our Kalahari Threesome trip (so called because we visit the Kalahari in three countries namely Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia), we decided to try and reach the unvisited 26S 22E confluence. The Kalahari is the largest continuous sand mass in the world and we traversed a part of it from Mabuasehube camp in Botswana, via Nossob in South Africa to the Kalahari Lodge in Namibia.

Roads are extremely sandy in the area and the desolation of this Confluence increased our anxiety just enough to mobilise a part of the group to actually do it. The close proximity of the unfenced Mabuasehube Nature Reserve with its large lion population was constantly in the back of our minds (One of the Kalahari Lions with its black mane. This photo was taken by Kobus Potgieter at the Kalahari Lodge during the same trip).

We took a dirt track just north of Tsabong in the direction of the Confluence. The expedition started at 12:00 and had to cover 40 km to the Confluence. After about four hours' driving the Confluence was reached. There was an air of achievement in the air and all participated in a photo shoot whilst looking around for any predators.

The road back from the Confluence proofed even more challenging and slow progress were made (A picture of what the route looked like). At 17:00 we decided to camp in the bush as we would never reach our intended destination before nightfall. A beautiful camp fire was lit and we were treated with a perfect sunset as a backdrop. Foods were taken out of the deep freezers in the car and left on the manifold to thaw. This we call our bush microwave. (Anton is preparing the 'microwave', Willie and Astrid are inspecting what they would like to eat). A most enjoyable night was had by all. The meat tasted better and the refreshments colder as the satisfaction filled the souls of the confluence participants.

As we dozed off in our tents, I was sure that I heard the distant roar of a lion, or was it my dreams taking hold of this perfect setting?

After a well deserved rest we started early the next morning in order to reach our intended destination at Mabuasehube where the rest of the group waited on our arrival. After driving out of camp the first car stopped to let the other car fall in behind it. Unfortunately visibility through the windscreen of the second car was bad and a rear end crash resulted. Fortunately nobody was hurt and the cars were still drivable. The irony was that this happened in a place where there were only two cars in approximately 10,000 square kilometers.

Small tracks were followed back to Tsabong where we filled up with Diesel and headed to Mabuasehube which we reached at about 14:00. We met up with the rest of the group and the story of 26S 22E was told around another campfire which made it even more special.


 All pictures
#1: General area of 26S 22E confluence.
#2: Looking South
#3: Looking West
#4: Looking North
#5: Looking East
#6: The GPS at 26S 22E
#7: The group that visited the Confluence. FLTR: Anton, Astrid, Willie, Carl, Kobus, Michal
#8: Lion
#9: On route
#10: Camp microwave being prepared
#11: Selecting dinner
ALL: All pictures on one page