06-Feb-2011 --
Background
The Confluence is located in the state of Campeche in an area called The Puuc. It is characterized by small hills separated by savannas which have been turned into farmers fields. There is little or no surface water (lakes, streams, etc.). The local population is primarily Maya with a smaller, thriving Mennonite community. The area is also extremely rich in Maya archaeological sites.
Prior to setting out we did some prep work. We used Google Earth to locate the Confluence. It appeared to be on top of a forested hill. We identified several potential approach points. Finally, we printed out several satellite images of the surrounding area and loaded navigation points on to our GPS unit.
Travel
Our day started in Santa Elena, Yucatan. It was an easy drive on paved roads to the town of Nohalal where we turned south. From there we drove by the archaeological site of the same name. Continuing south the pavement ended and turned into a rock road. Further south we entered flat terrain where the Mennonites have their farms. At this point the road is dirt.
Given it was a Sunday, many of the Mennonites were not working and many were outside. We were flagged down by a group of teenagers and they asked for a ride. We obliged and gave them a ride for several miles when they suddenly requested us to stop. As it turned out we were stopping just out of eyesight from their farm - they did not want the elders to see them getting out of a car. In some ways youth are the same everywhere!
We continued south and stopped to talk with a group of Mennonites that were sitting under a tree. We explained our intentions and asked if we would need permission to enter their fields. They said it would be alright to enter so we thanked them and were on our way. We continued in a south-west direction, then west for a short distance. Finally we entered a farm and drove on several dirt paths in a north-easterly direction. We stopped at the first approach point where we happened to find a pre-classic Maya site. We took a few minutes to explore the site and continued our pursuit of the Confluence.
Confluence Visit
We drove & walked most of the way around the hill where the Confluence is located to identify the best spot to start our hike. We ended up choosing one that was a little further, but with a less steep ascent.
After pulling together our equipment we began our hike to the Confluence. We initially walked through a field to the base of the hill. At this point the vegetation was extremely thick so we cut our way through with the machetes. After breaking through the vegetation we entered the forest and climbed the hill. After a while we came across a nice surprise - a wire fence or property line had been cut into the forest. We followed this to within 80 meters of the Confluence. The final leg we walked through thick forest to find the Confluence.
The confluence itself is in a thick forest on the top of a small hill. The forest appears to be secondary growth as there was an absence of large trees. At this time of year many of the leaves have fallen as it is the middle of the dry season.