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the Degree Confluence Project
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Mali : Gao

43.8 km (27.2 miles) WNW of Ménaka, Gao, Mali
Approx. altitude: 342 m (1122 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 16°S 178°W

Quality: good

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

#2: The track of the Piper as we descended towards Ménaka #3: An aerial view of the town of Ménaka

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  16°N 2°E (visit #1) (incomplete) 

#1: The Confluence is approximately in the center of this barren spot of Sahara desert

(visited by J. Baker Hill, Gail Hill, Mark Ledlow and Dan Germaine)

08-Feb-2001 -- I realize that fly-overs are not official Confluences, but considering the isolation of this one and the remote possibility of anyone else ever visiting it, I decided to send a picture at least.

We were flying in a Piper Saratoga SP from Gao, Mali, eastward to the town of Ménaka, where the Tuareg rebellion of 1990 had started. I knew there was a Confluence about 40 kilometers out in the desert from Ménaka and had marked it on my GPS just for kicks, not realizing that our route would take us within sight of it. I followed the trip on the GPS, remarking our crossing of dry riverbeds and not much else in this part of the desert.

I saw the Confluence come on the screen just after we had started our descent from 8500 feet towards Ménaka. We passed about 2 kilometers to the south of it and I got off a shot of the nothing that was below. I may go back later on a camel and make it official. It would be a good day trip from Ménaka.


 All pictures
#1: The Confluence is approximately in the center of this barren spot of Sahara desert
#2: The track of the Piper as we descended towards Ménaka
#3: An aerial view of the town of Ménaka
ALL: All pictures on one page