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44°N 69°WA Confluence visit by Sea Kayak. |
 Checking the chart before heading out into the fog. |
31-Jul-2003 -- We left at 4:45 AM for the 30 mile drive from Belfast, Maine to Owls Head, Maine. At Owls Head, we put our sea kayaks in at Ash Point and paddled through dense fog out to Ash Island and then took a compass bearing south across the Muscle Ridge Channel (dodging lobster boats in the low visibility soup) toward Otter Island. We continued past High Island and Andrews Island, and then followed a GPS bearing another 1.9 nautical miles to the confluence spot. As we left the Muscle Ridge archipelago, we paddled out of the fog and into brilliant sunlight and gentle swells. Harbor porpoises played beside our kayaks as we stopped at the confluence to take photos. Two Bush lighthouse, Andrews Island, Green Island, and Matinicus Island were all visible from the Confluence. The mainland about 4 miles away was still shrouded in fog. On our return trip -- with the fog lifting -- we saw harbor seals, blue heron, loons, and guillemots. We returned to our launch site by 9:30 AM feeling we had seen a lot in a few short hours. |
 Roland Wirth heading from Andrews Island out to the
confluence spot in a QCC Q600X. Looking west from the confluence spot. |
 Ray Wirth heading out the the confluence spot in a QCC Q700X.  Oops! A failed Eskimo roll at the confluence. (Depth apx. 100 feet, nearest land 1.9 miles distant). Stayed in the boat and rolled up on the next one though. |
| The goal of the
Degree Confluence project
is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in
the world, and to take pictures at each location. The pictures, along with a
narrative describing the adventures it took to get there are then posted on the
Degree Confluence website. This creates an organized sampling of the world.
Another goal is to document the changes at these locations over time. Although
we initially want to visit as many different locations as possible, don't
hesitate to revisit a confluence if you're in the area. You're invited to help.
There is a confluence within 49 miles (79 km) of you if you are on the surface
of Earth. For more information on the Degree Confluence project, please see
www.confluence.org If you visit a Confluence spot by sea kayak or other hand-powered boat, please consider submitting your description and photos to Waterways as well as directly to the Degree Confluence website. |
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Water Walker Sea Kayaks, Belfast, Maine
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