Rambling Chronicles: Day 116 – Sail from the South to the North Atlantic Ocean

Monday, April 14, 2025

Day 116 – Sail from the South to the North Atlantic Ocean

I was up very early this morning, but still a bit late to witness our arrival at an imaginary island in the Atlantic Ocean. While it is commonly referred to as an island, there is no actual landmass present. Null Island is a virtual location at zero degrees latitude and zero degrees longitude, or 0°N 0°E. Here, the prime meridian and the equator meet.

Looking for Null Island

Null Island serves as a fictional place name used for mapping purposes, and it holds a certain fascination for many. Its location at the center of the geographical coordinate system makes it a convenient placeholder for mapping software. Cartographers often use Null Island to help identify and correct database entries that have been mistakenly assigned coordinates of 0,0, and despite its non-existence, Null Island has been humorously referred to as one of the most visited places on Earth, given its frequent use as a default or erroneous location for unlocated data. When Tim was creating maps for several of his GIS courses, he sometimes ended up on Null Island!

The Explorers’ Lounge was the scene of much activity this morning as Russell Lee provided commentary and maps of the location, with assistance from Isaac Kenyon, who presented the lecture on Null Island yesterday. The culinary team marked the occasion with an assortment of donuts for our enjoyment.

Russell Lee and Isaac Kenyon Speaking About Null Island

Maps Showing the Location of Null Island

Confirmation of Our Arrival at 0°N 0°E - Google Maps Was the Best I Could Do (left);
Screenshot of a Map Coordinates App (middle), and an Official Screenshot from the Bridge (right)

Tim and I attended a presentation this afternoon about our upcoming “Marrakesh Overland” program. We will be joining at least 150 guests on a three-night overland excursion from Agadir to Casablanca, Morocco, later this month. Assistant Shore Excursion Manager Victoria, who will accompany us, told us what to bring, what to expect, and where we will be visiting. I am very excited about this program. Stay tuned for a full report.

Marrakesh Overland Presentation

Viking Sky mixed things up later this afternoon with a special musical event, “Stars on Guitar – Alan and Heintje Live!” Our guitar entertainer Alan and band guitarist Heintje collaborated for a rousing performance of all types of music in the Atrium. I think everyone loved the show!

Stars on Guitars

After this feel-good jam session, Tim and I quickly changed to join Jacquee and Larry at The Chef’s Table for another wonderful meal and stimulating conversation. I loved the Xiang menu, which was described as “A five-course menu inspired by China’s Cantonese and Huaiyang cuisine.”