27-Jan-2018 -- This is the 2nd out of 2 reports reaching new confluence points during our one-week trip through the Maldives archipelago. The itinerary and additional pictures can be found here. The story continues from 4°N 73°E.
We spent the second part of our short vacation in the very north of the country: On Manafaru Island located in the Haa Alif Atoll.
We spent four days on the tourist island Manafaru in only 6.5 km distance from the confluence. On the last day of our stay, a so-called “Local Island Tour” was offered from the hotel. The organizer had no problem to make one kilometre deviation to the special point.
On this cloudless and windless day with absolutely calm sea, it took us less than 10 minutes to reach the confluence point. On the first attempt, we missed the confluence by 61 m. After a 180° turn, we chugged slowly a second time to the confluence, missing it by 24 m. This was good enough such that we could start the normal island tour.
From the confluence, the beach of Mulhadhoo Island is just 470 m to the north and is clearly visible. The island is covered with coconut-palms and has a village of about 300 people. As it is located very remotely, it has been preserved in tradition. An elderly lady showed us how to make cord from palm tree leaves.
With this visit, the Maldives are officially completed according to the assignment of confluences on this website. But I think that the confluence points 6°N 73°E (6 km from an island) and 5°N 73°E (3 km from land) might have view to land on a clear day.
CP Visit Details:
- Distance from Manafaru: 6.5 km
- Time to reach the CP from Manafaru: 10 minutes
- Time at the CP: 10:11 AM
- Measured height: -2 m
- Minimal distance according to GPS: 24 m
- Position accuracy: 3 m
- Topography: water, with the view of land
- Vegetation: most likely algae and corals (which are actually animals)
- Weather: sunny, 26° C (felt temperature)
- Given Name: The Cordmaker Confluence