#8: [02-May-15]

#6: [26-Dec-13]

#4: [22-May-07]

#3: [06-Apr-07]

#2: [14-Apr-02]

#1: [08-Oct-01]

#7: [13-Jun-13] (incomplete)

23-Aug-2013 -- The trip to my holiday location brought me to the Italian city of Livorno. This was a good opportunity to visit my remaining land based Italian Confluence Points on my home longitude 12°E: 42°N (this), 43°N and 44°N.

On Confluence day I drove on the four lane highway SS1 and later on the motorway A12 from Livorno along the coast. Left the motorway in Santa Severa and drove the remaining few kilometres until a junction to a small driveway. This driveway led to an Italian Air Force base and passed the Confluence Point in about 480 metres.

When I arrived I saw that the Confluence field is fenced in with a barbed wire fence and in front of the fence there was thick blackberry bush. Both made it impossible to enter the field and to reach the Point. Drove along the drive way until the Air Force gate, saw only a locked gate also armed with barbed wire. Stepped out of my car to check if I could squeeze through the ditches, but no way. Walked along the fence in western direction to check if the fence ends soon, but in vain. I also double checked the reports of the previous visitors and read that Herr Augdoppler discovered a gap in the fence, but he did not mention where exactly it was and presumably in the past 11 years since his visit the hedge filled the gap.

In addition I spotted a plate, which said that this is a bird sanctuary, entrance is prohibited and I would be fined up to 2500 Euros.

I finally had to accept that I could not reach the Point without violating the law and even if I would ignore it I would not be able to overcome the thorny thicket and the fence without proper equipment.

Although I was a bit disappointed I appreciated that I could see the actual Point and it is much better to experience the vicinity of the Point than to only watch the photos.

As it was late afternoon I drove some kilometres to the Lake Bracciano and pitched up my tent there.

Only about 690 m inland from the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea.