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The day that happened twice

The day that happened twice. 

Five ships crewed with 270 men started the expedition. Just one made it back with 19 survivors. The toll of the World first known circumnavigation. 

9th of July 1522, Juan Sebastian El Cano aboard the Victoria -the only remaining vessel of the Magellan Expedition for the first time sailing around the World- call at Cape Verde to take supplies for the last bit of his voyage before returning to Spain. Accurate records were kept in the ship’s log for the almost three years that the navigation had lasted but once ashore he released that one day was lost on his journey. It was actually the 10th of July. He had just confirmed Albufeda observations. Born in Damascus in 1273 from a noble lineage, besides engaging in military quests against the crusaders was a prominent geographer and historian of his times. He predicted two centuries before that whoever complete a world circumnavigation sailing westwards would have to count one day less than a stationary observer, since he was traveling in the same direction as the apparent motion of the sun in the sky.  

For us, on our trip from New Zealand to Falklands for the first time lines of squalls sweep over our easterly course, a path that today has brought us one hour forward, one day back. Travellingon the opposite direction than Magellan-El Cano Expedition the clocks have to be set forward one hour for every 15° of longitude crossed. Date changes one day back upon crossing the International Date Line, the internationally accepted demarcation that follows roughly the 180° line of longitude that passes through the Pacific Ocean. It marks the limit between one calendar day and the following one. A line that the Europa crossed this morning. 

These are our first days of feeling the oceanic swells, some waves start to splash over the bulwark. First days too of a rolling and heeling motion of the ship. 

Warmth and good weather are broken up by occasional passing showers and their associated wind shifts upon a now fair Northwesterly that has taken over the light airs of the start of our voyage. Awesome and fast sailing on an easterly course, and a weather that allowed for daily sessions of sail training for the Voyage Crew, easy going sail handling and good practice time on deck and aloft. 

Written by:
Jordi Plana Morales | Expedition Leader

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