Thursday 6th March & Thursday 6th March 2014 Groundhog Day: GMT +/- 12hrs ­ An International Dateline Special Report

The only problem is that mid-North Pacific the Wi-Fi signal has faded their not being much call for such communications by a pair of Juvenile Black Footed Albatross’ that have been stalking the ship for the last three days. The accurate identification is courtesy of a fellow passenger with who I had the pleasure of touring the Etosha National Park in Namibia last year and a real bird enthusiast.

Well I drafted this a couple of days ago and I have just noticed that the Wi-Fi is back up to speed so I can bring a Blog on “Groundhog Day”.

As I write for you it is just turning Mid-night and the start of 7^th March – for me this is the second day on which the Daily Times on board has carried the date of 6^th March 2014.

Why?  Well we are about to cross the International Dateline from East to West.  Here is the Master’s Noon Day Report:

Position: 27° 28” N; 177° 39” E  - 275NM West of Mid Way Island USA.

(See photomap)

The ship will cross the 180 degree line of longitude (The imaginary International Dateline that runs for the North to the South Pole and that differentiates one calendar day for the next) until about 20.00hrs ship time so 8.00am (?) UK time and I will then be 12 hours behind you!!  Got that??

All very confusing but an interesting first experience for me that I wanted to share with you.

Since leaving Dubai I have gradually been moving ahead in hours from the UK to the maximum of +12 hours but as we cross the International Dateline we have to lose the 24 hours by adding an extra day i.e. losing the +12 hours and adding the -12 hours.

Once we get to Friday 7^th March we will lose another hour’s sleep and I will be -11 hours behind the UK and by Hawaii -10 hours and San Diego

 -8 hours.

The forecast for the next 48 hours is not great; we are between a Depression to the north and the last knockings of a tropical storm to the south so some 5-6 metre waves but it should calm down nicely for our arrival at Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii USA on Monday 10^th March where I am hoping to take a helicopter flight – another first – in the morning and a tour of Pearl Harbour in the afternoon.