31-Aug-2002 -- Guelph, 10:30pm: Paul Nicholson and Jeff Brown spontaneously decided to attempt the 45 N 81 W confluence. With nothing to do during the weekend, and Paul becoming immediately excited learning about the confluence project, a plan was hatched. After a massive planning process, it was determined that the confluence did indeed lie approximately 3.5 km off the shore of Cape Croker.

With the canoe on the roof, the adventurers headed north through Ontario. It turned out that it was very possible to avoid cottage traffic when on the roads after midnight.

Wiarton, 3:30 am: Paul and Jeff searched for a place to set up their tent. Jeff headed left with his headlamp, while Paul headed right with no lights. While walking slowly, Paul exclaimed, "Hey Jeff, bring the light over here, I think I see a path". Jeff hurried over and when he shone the lamp on the 'path' , it revealed a 30 foot drop-off ... directly in front of Paul.

Cape Croker, 11:00 am: After a few hours of driving and searching, an adequate parking spot and launching area was discovered. With a bit of hard paddling, the two arrived at the confluence 4.46 km later. After the photos were taken, a celebratory bottle of wine was opened. During the celebration, the GPS kindly noted that the canoe had drifted 600 metres further away from shore. So after more hard paddling, and one and a half hours later, the two were once again on shore after another great confluence adventure.

Note: It turns out that this confluence spontaneity was actually amazingly timely. The Toronto Star ran a half-page story on the degree confluence project in their Saturday edition. If we had not gone at 3:30 in the morning on Saturday, there is a very good chance that the confluence would have been nabbed by another confluence hunter.

In the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, about 3 km from land.