08-Apr-2008 -- We consider this to be the first actual visit to the CP.

This point was first documented in May 2000 with a GPS photo showing more than 400 meters to the CP. The narrative then describes a shoeless walk across a wet field in someone’s backyard to the CP, sans GPS or camera.

However, Google earth shows that the CP lies 330 meters (straight line) past the back limit of that backyard’s open space, across swamps that caused us triple that distance hopping from tree root to fallen tree to avoid sinking into the mud, and which gave us both a few nasty cuts on arms and legs from the long thorns on the woody vines. Perhaps the swamps were different in 2000, but I sure wouldn’t have been able to do 900 meters in and 900 meters out barefoot.

We stopped at the previously-described 2900 Love Street, but the owners were not home so we continued westward house-by-house until our knock on the door was answered four homes down. The owner there was in the process of moving and told us we could go wherever we wanted. The back edge of the open part of his backyard was about 315 meters SSW of the CP at 42.99718N-79.00059W. Meandering through the swampy woods beyond, we reached the CP about 45 minutes later, thankful that our new hiking boots were as waterproof as advertised.

The CP lies in a slightly elevated portion of the swamp, and so was relatively dry. Otherwise, it is pretty unremarkable: flat, and wooded by mostly short trees, dense underbrush and thorny vines everywhere.

From the CP the westward exit looked a little easier, so we headed out that way eventually emerging at 42.99776N-79.00127W on the NE corner of the back lawn of the next house west from where we went in. We stayed on the edge of the woods trying stay off the grass and being as conspicuous as possible, calling out to see if anyone was home. After a few minutes the owner appeared and we asked if we could continue across his property. He said yes, so we introduced ourselves and The Confluence Project. I had left all my business cards in the car, but when I drove back to his home to give him my card, he and his wife came out and said they already checked out Confluence.org and a few of our prior visits here in China. Really lovely people and a stunning home, set way back from the road.

Future hunters to this point might be better served by coming in from north of the point rather than from the south as we did. There appears to be an east-west utility road running parallel to love Street which comes to within 110 meters of the CP. Maybe you can even hit it without getting out of your car at 43.000803N-78999482E if you drive it into the woods a bit.