#7: [11-Jun-17]

#6: [18-Jan-17]

#4: [04-Oct-09]

#3: [31-Jul-07]

#2: [03-Dec-06]

#1: [26-Aug-01]

28-Dec-2011 -- General information about the tour

This is the first out of 10 confluences that we reached during our trip to Argentina. Starting point was Buenos Aires. After cruising a little bit in Uruguay we took two 18-hour buses to the town Rio Gallegos in South Patagonia, from where we made a 12-day round trip by a rental car. A map and some pictures of the traveled route can be found here.

Only one confluence point had not yet been reported, all other points that we have visited had already been visited previously. In the archipelago Tierra del Fuego still remain a couple points unvisited, but in order to set a step on these islands, one has to find transport by ferry/boat/ship/airplane which might require special arrangements. Note that the density of the road network is small and accessing confluence points in such an environment requires long hikes though wilderness.

Here is an overview of the tour in table form:

DCP	Day	Date	Country / Region	Altitude	Visit No.	Com- plete?	Parking Distance [m]	Mimimal Distance [m]
35°S 59°W	1	28.12.2011	Argentina, Buenos Aires	35	5	y	130	0
35°S 58°W	2	29.12.2011	Uruguay	39	2	y	750	0
43°S 65°W	7	03.01.2012	Argentina, Chubut	33	6	y	3770	0
51°S 71°W	10	06.01.2012	Argentina, Santa Cruz	243	2	y	1780	0
52°S 72°W	14	10.01.2012	Chile, Magallanes y Antártica	164	3	y	99	0
53°S 72°W	14	10.01.2012	Chile, Magallanes y Antártica	288	1	y	8400	0
53°S 71°W	15	11.01.2012	Chile, Magallanes y Antártica	72	3	y	270	0
54°S 68°W	17	13.01.2012	Argentina, Tierra del Fuego	77	2	y	1200	0
53°S 69°W	21	17.01.2012	Chile, Magallanes y Antártica	182	2	y	777	0
52°S 69°W	22	18.01.2012	Argentina, Santa Cruz	94	2	y	6400	0

Information about this confluence

Rainer’s narrative:

Just in the first morning after our arrival to Argentina, we woke up at 4:00 AM in our hotel and half an hour later Sergio picked us up with his car. Our early start had two advantages: firstly, Sergio could be at work at 9:00 AM and secondly the traffic during these early morning hours was favorable for a quick confluence hunt.

The confluence is located less than 65 km beeline from central Buenos Aires. In order to get there, it took us 1.5 hours by car (100 km by the road network in south-western direction). As it is often the case, the first part of the trip was on motorway, followed by an asphalted county road and the last 7 km on a dirt road. We got off the car at the tiny train station “Speratti” which is located only a couple 100 m from the confluence point. Just after we arrived, a train was stopping at the station. The early morning was enjoyable at this location. We had fresh air, singing birds and beautiful morning light in nature. For us a wonderful first impression of Argentina.

The confluence is just 130 m into a mowed field. An overhead power line is running in north-south direction right over the confluence point and I was wondering if they had built the line according to the zero-longitude.

After a short celebration, we had to think about our return to Buenos Aires. Well, we not only had to think about it, we had to return in reality in order to let Sergio arrive on time to work. On our way back we had enough time to have a coffee and talk with Sergio about possible confluence visits for the trip ahead. At 9 AM we were indeed back to downtown Buenos Aires.

Comentario agregado de Sergio:

No voy a contar los detalles de esta captura, ya que Rainer se encargará, pero no quiero dejar de resaltar el placer de haberlo acompañado junto con su esposa a esta inusual visita, con típicas características de la locura de los cazadores de confluencias. Muchas gracias Rainer.

Rainer y su esposa llegaron a Bs As el martes a la tarde, los pasé a buscar al hotel a las 4:30 am del miércoles (yo me levanté a las 3:30 am un día laborable), hicimos casi 100 km de ida para amanecer en el campo en el medio de la nada e inmediatamente nos volvimos otros 100 km para que yo pueda estar en mi trabajo a las 9:00 am. Lo contaba a mis colegas en el trabajo y no podían creer lo que había hecho. Cosas de cazadores de confluencias…

Added Sergio´s comment:

I am not going to tell you the details of this capture, because Rainer has done this work already, but I want to remark my pleasure to share with him and his wife this unusual visit, with typical characteristics of the madness of confluence hunters. Thank you Rainer!!!

Rainer and his wife arrived to Bs As on Tuesday afternoon, I picked them up at their hotel at 4:30 am (I woke up at 3:30 am !! on a labor day), and then we drove 100 km to find the sunrise in the middle of nowhere and we immediately returned driving another 100 km so I could arrive to my job before 9:00 am. I told my colleagues about this visit, but they couldn’t believe it. Things of confluence hunters…

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: 6 km
• Distance to a road: 130 m
• Distance to a track: 130 m
• Distance of parking: 130 m
• Distance to houses: 300 m
• Time starting the visit: 4:30 AM
• Time at the CP: 6:15 AM
• Measured height: 35 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy at the CP: 4 m
• Topography: flat
• Vegetation: mowed wheat field, grass, bushes
• Weather: sunny, 20° C (felt temperature)
• Description of the CP: 65 km beeline south-west of Buenos Aires. In a rural farmland in a fenced area.
• Given Name: Sergio’s Prior Work Confluence

Story continues at 33°S 58°W.