The SS Warrimoo was an Australian/New Zealand passenger ship that was launched in 1892 and served as both a passenger liner between Canada and Australia and later as a troop transport in World War 1. In May of 1918, six months before the conflict ended, the Warrimoo met its demise after colliding with the French Warship Catapulte. As the force of the collision reverberated through the ships, several depth charges slid off their racks and subsequently detonated. Both ships were terminally damaged and slid to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea just off the coast of Tunisia. In all likelihood, any mention of the SS Warrimoo would have faded into oblivion were it not for one of its reported exploits. 

The date was December 31, 1899 and the SS Warrimoo was traveling to Australia after leaving port in Vancouver. After working out their exact position, the navigator communicated their spot in the vast Pacific Ocean to the Captain – Lat 0 degrees, 31 N and Long 179 30’W. Upon hearing the location, the First Mate Payton noted they were only a few miles from the intersection of the Equator and the International Date Line. Seeing the chance of the lifetime, Captain Phillips opted to act on a once in a lifetime opportunity. After confirming their position, he relayed his instructions to the bridge. The ship altered its path slightly to bear on his mark.

On this night fortune shined upon the captain and his crew, the often-rowdy ocean was calm and the sky cloudless. After consulting his timepiece, the captain sent an order to the engine room – just a slight adjustment to the boat’s speed. The Warrimoo arrived at the exact destination at precisely the right time. At midnight the SS Warrimoo lay on the Equator at exactly the point where it crossed the International Date Line!

The reality of this timely position were multiple:

— The forward part  of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere and in the middle of summer. The rear was in the Northern Hemisphere and in the middle of winter.

— The date in the aft (rear) part of the ship was 31 December 1899. In the bow (forward) part it was 1 January 1900.

This ship was therefore not only in:

— Two different days,
— Two different months,
— Two different years,
— Two different seasons,

But in two different centuries – all at the same time!