Tonight will be the last time we turn back the clock. We will pass172°30’ W so it needs to be done. For the next time shift we need to turn the clock forward. But before that we will turn our calendar an extra page, slowly moving towards the time zone of our home port again. It seems that this time calculation is difficult to comprehend for most people. In a blog on the Beagle site Thom wrote an interesting piece on the date line and is ‘corrected’ in a reaction by Bert. Their argument is about the question if while travelling westbound one needs to add or deduct an hour for every 1/24th circumference of the earth. This discussion will continue unless we can determine from what time it should be deducted or added to. The clock does move back while sailing Westward thus adding an hours to that day. Language may confuse logic, but comes in handy politically as it makes everyone's statement correct.

Richard Slootweg
Captain Clipper Stad Amsterdam