Great Once in a Lifetime Sea Story

[sheldon957]

GREAT SEA STORY

The passenger steamer SS Warrimoo was quietly knifing its way through the waters of the mid-Pacific on its way from Vancouver to Australia. The navigator had just finished working out a star fix and brought Captain John DS. Phillips, the result.

The Warrimoo's position was LAT 0º 31' N and LONG 179 30' W. The date was 31 December 1899. "Know what this means?" First Mate Payton broke in, "We're only a few miles from the intersection of the Equator and the International Date Line".

Captain Phillips was prankish enough to take full advantage of the opportunity for achieving the navigational freak of a lifetime. He called his navigators to the bridge to check & double check the ship's position. He changed course slightly so as to bear directly on his mark. Then he adjusted the engine speed.

The calm weather & clear night worked in his favor. At mid-night the SS Warrimoo lay on the Equator at exactly the point where it crossed the International Date Line at a 45 degree angle! The consequences of this bizarre position were many:

The forward part (bow) of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere & in the middle of summer.

The rear (stern) was in the Northern Hemisphere & in the middle of winter.

The date in the aft part of the ship was 31 December 1899.

In the bow (forward) part it was 1 January 1900.

This ship was therefore not only in:

Two different days,

Two different months,

Two different years,

Two different seasons

But in two different centuries - all at the same time!

(I believe the picture has the ship pointing the wrong way. The bow should be at the 7:00 position instead of the 5:00)

[Clamdigger]

Cool story! Way to make history at Sea! Wished I were aboard her for that! Thanks for posting it.

[Wotname]

Yes, this makes an appearance every so often BUT it is not in different centuries - sorry!

Both 1899 and 1900 is in the 19th century, the 20th century began at 0000hrs on the Jan 1, 1901.

[Clamdigger]

I should have read for comprehension, rather than speed read it for entertainment. But still cool none the less. Wonder how many, if any, sailors were ar Sea during the turn of the Millennium, and did such a thing aboard their vessels?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Clamdigger

I should have read for comprehension, rather than speed read it for entertainment. But still cool none the less. Wonder how many, if any, sailors were ar Sea during the turn of the Millennium, and did such a thing aboard their vessels?

If any more than one did it, that spot would get a bit crowded

[SeanPatrick]

This story has appeared on NavList several times. One member thinks it is "modeled on a yarn by Mark Twain."

Originally Posted by Mark Twain

While we were crossing the 180th meridian it was Sunday in the stern of the ship where my family were, and Tuesday in the bow where I was. They were there eating the half of a fresh apple on the 8th, and I was at the same time eating the other half of it on the 10th and I could notice how stale it was, already.

NavList Message Index: January, 2014 to December, 2019

[Viking Sailor]

In 1900 their position could have been more the +/- 5nm from intersection of the dateline and the equator. Navigation at the time was not all that accurate.

[redhead]

People can pick it apart all they like, it's a very cool story that made me smile. Thanks!

[donahue62]

Great story. Good post thanks.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by redhead

People can pick it apart all they like, it's a very cool story that made me smile. Thanks!

Me too, because it is a good story.
The SS Warrimoo was the boat that Mark Twain took on his 'speaking tour of the British Empire'. In his book Following The Equator, published 1897 he describes the problem of which birthday after birth of a little girl at the equator, at the international date line.
Today there are actually three points where this could occur because the line now wraps around Kiribati (since its independence in 1994).

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by StuM

If any more than one did it, that spot would get a bit crowded

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

In 1900 their position could have been more the +/- 5nm from intersection of the dateline and the equator. Navigation at the time was not all that accurate.

Ahh, so there would be room for quite a few vessels then - each one at the same time and place but dependant on the observer - starting to sound like the beginning of some Quantum theory.

[Maka]

Originally Posted by Viking Sailor

In 1900 their position could have been more the +/- 5nm from intersection of the dateline and the equator. Navigation at the time was not all that accurate.

Never ruin a good story with facts.