Supplemental

The Uber-Time Zone Discussion

I composed today's journal entry, edited, and uploaded the photos while having morning bullion in the Panorama (called alternatively "Paranormal" or just "Paranoid" by some of the staff, mostly bartenders and, uh, me). As Internet is charged 35 cents an hour—with advance payment, no less—I was more than a little distracted by a conversation that I was forced into with another guest. First of all, the interruption was by a delightful elderly (86 yr old) gentleman fellow passenger whom I had the pleasure of having a couple of meals with at the hotel in Rio before boarding the ship. He and his wife are from South Carolina. He is a retired two star general and no dummy by any means, and I want to admit right off that the misunderstanding may have been all mine.

Here's the exchange. The General starts off. My responses are indented below.

Mike, how far are we from South Carolina?

We're about 4,000 miles I suspect.

No, I mean after today.

Well, we should be only a little closer as we will be sailing mostly west and we only go about 17 knots.

But aren't we changing our clocks overnight tonight?

No, we don't do that until Devil's Island, next week.

Oh, I thought we change the clock ahead tonight.

I understand, you mean that in South Carolina they will go to summer time.

Actually, the weather is already getting quite mild. We don't have much winter there. We live in the Southern part of the state. I suppose up north it's still a bit chilly.What is the time zone we are in now?

We're three hours from GMT.

Yes, but how far are we from South Carolina?

Oh, you mean the time. We're now 2 hours from the US East Coast, but tomorrow we will be only one hour ahead of them.

So we don't have to change the clock tonight?

No, the ship's time won't change.

But we keep our watches on our home's time.

                Then you better change those tonight, but the ship's time won't  change until next week.

I have another question if you have a minute.

                Sure.

What is the name of the time zone we are in now. It can't be Atlantic Time since that's only one hour from South Carolina.

                I think it's Brazilian Time. They went off summer time a couple of weeks ago.

I thought it's always hot here.