15-Sep-2001 -- 65N 18E was destined to be the first of four confluences visited on our three-day tour of Västerbottens län. We left Umeå in the rainy evening of Friday, September 14, 2001, heading north-west for Lycksele and Blåvikssjön. After a late night in the caravan at Blåvikssjön we started our search for 65N 18E at about 10 AM, Saturday the 15th.

According to our map 65N 18E was located in the forest about 40 meters off a small road. This turned out to be accurate. After passing the confluence once in our car and after having explained to an elk-hunter what we were up to (and making sure that the woods were safe to walk in!), we turned back and parked as close to the confluence as we could.

We then made what is perhaps best described as a short detour in the woods and reached the confluence at about 11.20. (The picture facing east shows how close we were to the road. The road can be seen as a bright streak in the left of the picture.)

65N 18E is located in a fairly young pine forest. North of the confluence is a small clearing with a marsh. Other than that, the pictures tell it all. Since most of Västerbotten consists of forests the place looked pretty much like one could expect. Our fear was that all of the confluences we were to visit would look like this.

Before moving on to our next ”international” confluence, 65N 17E, we made an attempt to reach 72N 16E in the Swedish Grid/RT90. This was done as a part of the Swedish nationwide equivalent to The Degree Confluence Project, Korspunktsjakten. (For more information on Korspunktsjakten, see http://www.utsidan.se/gps/rt90/index.htm) This time, however, we learned, that maps aren’t always to be trusted. According to our map the confluence was supposed to be located next to a largre river, but in reality is was located in the middle of the river. Lacking both a boat and the willingness to swim, we failed to reach this confluence.