QV crossing the Equator V406

[watsonbeau]

Looking at maybe booking V406 and crossing the line which has always been on my bucket list.
 

On the itinerary QV departs Honolulu on 13 Feb then sea days to cross the date line etc. What day would she likely cross the Equator do you think or where could I look to find out ? TIA

[ExArkie]

I looked at that region of the Pacific on Google Maps. There is a section between Hawaii and Samoa where the International Date Line runs east-west, practically coinciding with the equator - if I did the copy-paste correctly, it will be shown below.

 

Based on the scale of the map, I estimate the distance between the equator and the International Date Line as being around 150 miles (very roughly). I would hazard a guess that the Date line and equator will both be crossed on the same day.

 

Of course, that map also suggests that, if one to choose the appropriate route, it should be relatively easy to cross the International Date Line three times on the same day while steaming along a constant heading.

 

[bluemarble]

Oh, I love questions like this! I'm a complete novice at navigation but I can put some of my math and geography skills to work on this one. Here goes.

 

Scheduled Honolulu departure: 13 Feb 2024 @ 23:00

Scheduled Apia arrival: 20 Feb 2024 @ 06:00

Adjusting for time zones/international date line: 130 hours sailing time

 

Distance from Honolulu to Apia: 2262 NM

Average speed to cover 2262 NM in 130 hours: 17.4 knots

 

Distance from Honolulu to Equator along the route to Apia: 1373 NM (estimate)

Time to sail 1373 NM @ 17.4 knots: 79 hours

 

So, I figure you ought to cross the equator approximately 79 hours sailing time after you depart Honolulu the evening of 13 Feb 2024.

 

Now the tricky bit is determining the date that will happen. That depends on knowing whether you will cross the international date line before or after the equator. As @ExArkie has indicated, the international date line takes a wide jog to the east around Kiribati along latitudes both north and south of the equator. I'm finding it hard to determine at what point (or perhaps points) the route from Honolulu to Apia crosses that jog in the international date line around Kiribati.

 

Using Cunard's itinerary, it looks like you will be skipping forward from 16 Feb to 17 Feb when you cross the international date line which tends to indicate that will occur before you cross the equator. Other online itineraries make it look like you will be skipping forward from 17 Feb to 18 Feb which tends to indicate you will cross the international date line after the equator.

 

Either way, I agree with @ExArkie that crossing both the equator and the international date line could well happen on the same day. If not, then that will probably happen on consecutive days.

 

Now after all this analysis, someone who has done an itinerary from Honolulu to Apia can probably tell us precisely how the timing works for crossing both the international date line and the equator along that route.

Edited June 26, 2022 by bluemarble

[watsonbeau]

It all sounds very interesting - yes it looks like we lose a day - just so long as nothing happens on 14 Feb - my birthday !

[lissie]

4 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

It all sounds very interesting - yes it looks like we lose a day - just so long as nothing happens on 14 Feb - my birthday !

AKA Valentine's Day  - they probably won't skip that! You should organize the return trip - I managed 2 birthdays once with a well-timed flight from HK to NZ 

[roscoe39]

7 hours ago, bluemarble said:

Oh, I love questions like this! I'm a complete novice at navigation but I can put some of my math and geography skills to work on this one. Here goes.

 

Scheduled Honolulu departure: 13 Feb 2024 @ 23:00

Scheduled Apia arrival: 20 Feb 2024 @ 06:00

Adjusting for time zones/international date line: 130 hours sailing time

 

Distance from Honolulu to Apia: 2262 NM

Average speed to cover 2262 NM in 130 hours: 17.4 knots

 

Distance from Honolulu to Equator along the route to Apia: 1373 NM (estimate)

Time to sail 1373 NM @ 17.4 knots: 79 hours

 

So, I figure you ought to cross the equator approximately 79 hours sailing time after you depart Honolulu the evening of 13 Feb 2024.

 

Now the tricky bit is determining the date that will happen. That depends on knowing whether you will cross the international date line before or after the equator. As @ExArkie has indicated, the international date line takes a wide jog to the east around Kiribati along latitudes both north and south of the equator. I'm finding it hard to determine at what point (or perhaps points) the route from Honolulu to Apia crosses that jog in the international date line around Kiribati.

 

Using Cunard's itinerary, it looks like you will be skipping forward from 16 Feb to 17 Feb when you cross the international date line which tends to indicate that will occur before you cross the equator. Other online itineraries make it look like you will be skipping forward from 17 Feb to 18 Feb which tends to indicate you will cross the international date line after the equator.

 

Either way, I agree with @ExArkie that crossing both the equator and the international date line could well happen on the same day. If not, then that will probably happen on consecutive days.

 

Now after all this analysis, someone who has done an itinerary from Honolulu to Apia can probably tell us precisely how the timing works for crossing both the international date line and the equator along that route.

 

 

If this helps, on the QE in 2012 we left Honolulu on 9 February 5.30pm and crossed the equator ceremony on 12 February at 2pm. Interesting enough, I noted in my diary the day before on the 11 that we were 784 miles from HNL, 1419 miles to apia and 400 north of equator and we had been averaging 350 miles per day, Whitney Houston had died and we were in the equatorial currents.,  which should give you some clue as to tracking our route on our way.  We arrived in Apia at 7.45am.14 Feb.

 

In 2019 on the QV we left HNL on 11 Feb at 6.30pm, missed 13 feb with int dateline and at 2.50pm on 14 Feb crossed the equator and were passing Samoas outer islands at 6.30am   arrived apia docks at 7.30 on 17 Feb. The second officer told me that night that we had been averaging 19 knots

My other trips down from HNL, stopped at other places after HNL or went to Tonga rather than Apia but at least you have some figures to work out.

 

in 2000 on the QE2 we passed Kirabati close enough to have the atoll pointed out to us but unfortunately I didn't note the timings in my diary....I was too excited to be on the QE2!

Edited June 27, 2022 by roscoe39

[watsonbeau]

Many thanks all. Would be interesting to cross the equator at the 180 meridian and become a Golden Shellback according to Wiki. Fingers crossed for that. 

[BigMac1953]

Don't panic about losing a day.

 

In 1752 the goverment of the UK changed calendars and had to change the date. 11 days were lost and the masses rioted believing the government had shortened their lives by 11 days and they demanded them back.

Edited June 27, 2022 by BigMac1953

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

Don't panic about losing a day.

 

In 1752 the goverment of the UK changed calendars and had to change the date. 11 days were lost and the masses rioted believing the government had shortened their lives by 11 days and they demanded them back.

 

Was it the UK then strictly speaking? I thought the Act of Union was 1801. I must say I have enough difficulty remembering the date at the best of times without having to add 11. 😀

[watsonbeau]

Not worried about losing a day so long as not my birthday ! Though if it loses a year off my age I maybe wouldn’t grumble 😁

[BigMac1953]

28 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

Was it the UK then strictly speaking? I thought the Act of Union was 1801. I must say I have enough difficulty remembering the date at the best of times without having to add 11. 😀

Yes you're quite correct. In 1603 the countries of England and Scotland united, known as Union of the Crowns under James VI of Scotland (James 1 of England), so it was actually the English parliament.

 

The Act of Union was 1707, and the Acts of Union (Including the whole of Ireland) was 1801.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

[exlondoner]

8 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

Yes you're quite correct. In 1603 the countries of England and Scotland united, known as Union of the Crowns under James VI of Scotland (James 1 of England), so it was actually the English parliament.

 

The Act of Union was 1707, and the Acts of Union (Including the whole of Ireland) was 1801.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

I think we might let you off. 😀😀

[Host Hattie]

Every day is a school day here !

It looks like a great trip @watsonbeau

[ExArkie]

Just because I have a rather odd sense of purpose in life, I had to take one more look. If one were to choose one's route judiciously, it would be possible to cross the International Date Line FIVE times between Hawaii and Samoa without changing course significantly. See below (Apia is marked with the locator symbol, otherwise its specific location gets lost).

[bluemarble]

On the subject of lost days, that odd protrusion of the international date line to the east, to place all of Kiribati to the west of the line, went into effect on January 1, 1995. Residents of the islands that moved west of the line on that date lost December 31, 1994 when they went directly from December 30 to January 1.

 

Similarly, the reason you will be losing a day between Honolulu and Apia rather than after departing Apia is because Samoa (and Tokelau) decided to move west of the international date line in 2011. The residents of Samoa lost December 30, 2011 when they moved directly from December 29 to December 31 that year.