Wednesday, April 05, 2006

True Source of the Nile Discovered

Three explorers from Britain and New Zealand claim to be the first to have traveled the Nile from its mouth to its "true source" deep in Rwanda's lush Nyungwe rainforest.

The expedition called "Ascend the Nile" traveled over 4,163 miles in three boats, tracing the Nile from the Mediterranean through 5 countries to what they claim is its origin.

Neil McGrigor from Scotland and Cam McLeay and Garth MacIntyre from New Zealand suffered a rebel attack in northern Uganda which killed one of the team and overcame massive rapids, crocodile charges and incredible heat and humidity before reaching their final destination. McGrigor told reporters "This is the end of an 80 day amazing and exhausting journey."

They abandoned their tiny boats on the last leg of the journey and trekked some 43 miles for seven days through thick forest, sometimes forced to wade in the fast-running Nile waters. The team believes the Nile is at least 66 miles longer than preiously thought.

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