I Learned About Boating From That - East Meets West

by Capt. Gregg Clark

I stood in awe as I straddled the Prime Meridian; my right foot in the western hemisphere and my left foot in the eastern hemisphere.  Where was I? Greenwich England.  Greenwich is known as the location of the home of a Royal Observatory and the Greenwich Royal Naval College, the de facto home of all things nautical in the UK.  

The observatory was commissioned by King Charles II in 1675 and served as the basis for most nautical maps thereafter.  As such, it also became the foundation of the Prime Meridian and the basis for all time zones, hence the name “Greenwich Mean Time.”

What I did I learn from my trip (I’ve now been there several times) to Greenwich that applies to boating?  A few things.

First, there is deep history in all things nautical.  The water has been the major source of transportation and commerce for many millennia.  I enjoy understanding the history and the reason behind our pastime.  I like to understand why we do what we do, the origin of our sometimes-crazy terminology and the learnings of mariners past.  Greenwich is a great place to soak up this information.

Second, how cool is it to be in two hemispheres simultaneously?  And, how cool is it to be at zero degrees longitude?  Longitude measures any point on our planet east or west of the Prime Meridian I was straddling. Latitude and longitude are two critical numbers that every mariner uses at some level, even if they don’t realize it.  Of course, its crucial everyone knows how to use latitude and longitude to communicate their location in case of emergency.

Third, there is a museum of nautical time pieces with detailed explanations of the role each played in the important history of measuring time at sea – the key requirement for determining longitude (look for a future “I Learned About Boating from That” on how time and longitude are correlated and the challenges in measuring time at sea.)

It’s amazing to think that in the age of GPS, Starlink and AI, we’re still using a system to plot our position on earth started in 1675.

I believe any mariner who has the chance should visit Greenwich, England.  The Royal Naval Observatory is a very special place steeped in history and tradition.  You’ll learn a great deal and walk away with a sense of nostalgia that will likely only enhance your connection to our great pastime. 

I should also add that the ferry ride from downtown London to Greenwich is a rich experience well worth the time for a day tripper. 

Capt. Gregg Clark is a test captain for BoatTEST.  He holds a 200 GT master license and has boating and yachting for 40 years.  He owns a 56’ Vicem and is co-owner in a 40’ high-performance racing sailboat.  He can be reached at [email protected].

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