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the Degree Confluence Project
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Ghana

5.5 km (3.4 miles) W of Aiyim, Western, Ghana
Approx. altitude: 78 m (255 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 5°S 178°E

Accuracy: 7 m (22 ft)
Quality: good

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

#2: View to the East #3: View to the South #4: View to the West #5: GPS #6: The village of Nkwanta #7: Turn here! #8: The water-logged track into the forest #9: View of the forest from the track, along the way

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  5°N 2°W (visit #3)  

#1: View to the North

(visited by Phil Boyle)

12-Mar-2009 -- I'd travelled to Ghana to see my great Spanish friends, Rebeca and Nathan, who'd moved from Ṣan`ā' in Yemen to Accra. After a great weekend with them near the Togolese border, I'd set out on my own to explore the Ghanaian coast, visit the old European slaving forts, and to try and snag a Confluence point if I could.

Between Sekondi and Axim is the Agona Junction, and it is here that visitors to this Confluence should turn North, towards Kyekyewere. The nearest village to the point is Nkwanta, which is distinguished from similar settlements along the way only by a small green sign on the right-hand side of the road (coming from Agona). After turning right here, and driving through the village, I got to a small but neat school, and was promptly surrounded by hundreds of small children. They were wildly excited by the presence of a (white) stranger, and it took some time to drive through them (not literally, of course).

Shortly after the school, the dust road ends, and becomes a track into the forest. It was in shocking condition, and rather waterlogged, so I opted to park my hire car and walk the remaining kilometre or so. The track is used by villagers for logging access, and I met quite a few of them carrying their loads back home. All seemed friendly, and not at all bothered by my presence. Ghana's a very friendly place!

After a while, it became necessary to turn right into the forest, and push myself through the brush. There's not much in the way of tracks (and certainly not towards the point), but it was do-able without a machete (good job, as I didn't have one), and my main concern was the poor GPS coverage, as it would have been jolly hard for me to have navigated myself back out of the forest without it...

The point itself is typical Ghanaian forest: pleasant and cool in the mid-afternoon sun. I didn't hang around for too long (I was a bit worried about the car and the children - although for no reason, it turned out) and set back off soon after taking the photographs.

A very enjoyable way for me to get my first Western Hemisphere Confluence.


 All pictures
#1: View to the North
#2: View to the East
#3: View to the South
#4: View to the West
#5: GPS
#6: The village of Nkwanta
#7: Turn here!
#8: The water-logged track into the forest
#9: View of the forest from the track, along the way
ALL: All pictures on one page