A Sea Story

This is a very interesting story. A very short read.



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

the master, Captain John Phillips, the result. The Warrimoo's position was LAT 0º 31' N and LON 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 ships 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!

The consequences of this bizarre position were many:

The bow of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere & in the middle of summer.

The 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, and

two different seasons,

But it was also in two different centuries !


- all at the same time.

Note: snopes says nothing one way or the other when queried, but there are a number of posts on the net so it must be true. :lol: