Was It Repeated In 2000?

[gray_marian]

It all happened on December 30, 1899, when the SS WARRIMOO was half in the Southern Hemisphere (mid-summer) and half in the Northern Hemisphere (mid-winter). The date in the aft part of the ship was December 30, 1899, and in the forward part January 1, 1900, and as a result of a freak of navigation by her master, one entire day -- New Year's Eve -- disappeared from the lives of the passengers for all time. But for the people aboard, their compensation was that they were undoubtedly the first to greet the new century, something which cannot happen again until the year 2000!

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 latitude 0 degrees x 31 minutes north and longitude 179 degrees x 30 minutes west. The date was 30 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 and 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 and clear night worked in his favour. At midnight the “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 forward part of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere and the middle of summer.
The stern was in the Northern Hemisphere and in the middle of winter.The date in the aft part of the ship was 31 December 1899. Forward it was 1 January 1900.
This ship was therefore not only in two different days, two different months, two different seasons and two different years but in two different centuries-all at the same time.

Jim Waits, in Bruce, Florida (W4ROM for 46 years for you HAM operators)
found this article in a now-defunct Marine publication, "Ships and the Sea"... and passes it along for your amusement! The article was written by John Euller, and Capt. Selig thought it should be re-run for navitagors.

[Richard Quartermaine]

Marian, what a smart skipper! Here in the Blue Mountains is the place where the ship was named after. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...-8&sp=6&sk=AS5
Richard

[Doc Vernon]

Nice place Richard
But they all worry about their Cows! LOL (WARRI MOO)

[Peter F Chard]

Well written Marian, this post reminds me of the endless and sometimes bitter rows between the Chief Engineer and the engine room ratings regarding payment for crossing the International Date Line !! They claimed for ' lost' days from the calendar, they claimed for having to work an eight day week and sometimes they claimed for having to work two Sundays in the same week !! The chief engineers reply was to tell them that there was no such thing as a ' lost ' day, or a six day week or a week without a Sunday !!. They never believed him though !! Regards Peter in NZ.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Marian.
I lived for twenty years just two miles from Warrimoo, I read about that incident many years ago, could be in the same magazine you have. Could have a beef about being taxed or ripped off for my Sundays at sea, to long ago to make a difference.
Cheers des

[happy daze john in oz]

You know Marion that sounds just like the government, just do not know where they are, where they should be, which year it is and they certainly have no idea of which century.

[j.sabourn]

There is no way he could have proved that. Not in those days, his star sights if 100 percent correct which is very unlikely even today, his actual position would have been from his last fix say 2000hrs and a DR position hence forth, I wouldn't even give him 1 million to one chances of being correct. Unless he felt the bump when reaching 180 E or W and 0 degrees latitude. JS

[gray_marian]

#4, 'Twas copied & pasted Peter

#7, Thank you John

[Ivan Cloherty]

there is no way he could have proved that. Not in those days, his star sights if 100 percent correct which is very unlikely even today, his actual position would have been from his last fix say 2000hrs and a dr position hence forth, i wouldn't even give him 1 million to one chances of being correct. Unless he felt the bump when reaching 180 e or w and 0 degrees latitude. Js

spoilsport!

[Captain Kong]

A US ship did it in 31 December 1999 and 1 January 2000, I think it was a submarine.
Cheers
Brian