11-Jan-2012 -- This is the 7th out of ten confluences that we visited during our trip to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. The story begins at 35°S 59°W. The previous confluence visit is 53°S 72°W.
In the night before we drove past this confluence point, but the images would have been darkish and a visit would have counted as incomplete. So we decided to visit the confluence the day after from the town Punta Arenas (which is the southernmost town on the American continent). We started the little trip in the afternoon at 6:15 PM. After driving 22 km northwards to the airport, we turned into an unsealed road and stayed 13 km on it until we reached the confluence point. We parked at a distance of 270 m (minimal distance of the road is 214 m) and had an easy stroll to the exact location down in a little canyon. A little swamp had to be avoided, but otherwise the grass cover with scattered bushes and trees can be easily managed on foot. An interesting feature are some bearded trees.
A strong storm was blowing at temperatures around 9° C, so we skipped our original intention of visiting the penguins at Seno Otway and continued sightseeing in Punta Arenas.
CP Visit Details:
- Distance to an asphalt road: 8.6 km (Airport Punta Arenas)
- Distance to a road: 214 m
- Distance to a track: 214 m
- Distance of parking: 270 m
- Distance to houses: 2.3 km
- Time starting the visit in Punta Arenas: 6:15 PM
- Time at the CP: 7:00 PM
- Measured height: 72 m
- Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
- Position accuracy at the CP: 3 m
- Topography: slightly hilly, location in a little valley.
- Vegetation: grass, white & yellow flowers, bushes and trees with beards.
- Weather: overcast, strong wind, 9° C (felt temperature)
- Description of the CP: In southern Chile, in the Province Magallanes y la Antartica Chilena about 20 km north of Punta Arenas. In an area with mainly grassland.
- Given Name: The Bearded Tree Confluence
Story continues at 54°S 68°W.