Thirty Album Blocks

 

December 31 1899, the passenger steamer SS Warrimoo was sailing to Australia from Vancouver. The navigator reported the ship’s position: LAT 0º 31' N and LONG 179 30' W. The first mate observed this put them near the intersection of the equator and the international date line. The captain ordered a slight course correction. He adjusted the engine speed so at midnight, the SS Warrimoo lay on the equator at exactly the point where it crosses the date line. The Warrimoo’s bow was in the southern hemisphere, in summer. The stern was in the northern hemisphere, in winter. In the aft of the ship, it was December 31, 1899. In the bow it was January 1, 1900. So, the SS Warrimoo was briefly in two different days, two different months, two seasons, two years, two centuries, and two hemispheres. Alas, there’s no evidence this actually happened, even if 19th century technology could assure accuracy. Still, what a cool idea!