13-Jan-2012 -- This is the 8th out of ten confluences that we visited during our trip to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. The story begins at 35°S 59°W. The previous confluence visit is 53°S 71°W.
After spending a lazy morning in the town Rio Grande (30 km beeline from the confluence point), we got started at noon time. Leaving the town towards the south, we turned eastwards into an unsealed road shortly after passing a police control point. The police warned us that we should drive slowly, because the strong wind could blow cars from the road. We followed road “B” for a while, turned into “E” and parked at a distance of 1.2 km (940 m would have been the minimal distance between CP and the road). Although the wind was strong, it was a pleasant walk to the confluence point over meadows with a soft ground cover consisting of peat. Directly at the confluence point, we spotted Guanacos and Black-faced Ibises.
On the drive back to the main road, a young Gaucho overtook us riding in gallop.
According to the counter reading at the confluence website, this is my 300th successful confluence point. A recent statistic of those visits can be found here.
CP Visit Details:
- Distance to an asphalt road: 22 km (Road No.3)
- Distance to a road: 940 m
- Distance to a track: 940 m
- Distance of parking: 1200 m
- Distance to houses: 2 km
- Time starting the visit in Rio Grande: 12:00 noon
- Time at the CP: 1:15 PM
- Measured height: 77 m
- Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
- Position accuracy at the CP: 3 m
- Topography: slightly rolling hills.
- Vegetation: grass with seeds, moss, peat soil
- Weather: sunny, 23° C (felt temperature)
- Description of the CP: In southern Argentina on Tierra del Fuego, but not the southernmost confluence of the country. In an area with mainly pasture grasslands.
- Given Name: The Young Gaucho Confluence
Story continues at 53°S 69°W.