As District 28 secretary I am always concerned with times and dates. I am interested in such dates as: When does the Spring Conference and Change of Watch in Laughlin, Nevada begin? Ans: 2-3 March 2012. I worry about: What time does the Spring Conference begin? Ans: 0900 on Saturday morning. And when does the meeting end? Ans: 1600 Saturday afternoon. I am especially anxious about the time we break for lunch? Ans: 1200 Saturday afternoon. These times are all important as they go into the sacred District 28 meeting minutes found at SailAngle.com. The minutes are officially entered and duly noted by all in the squadrons, districts and national USPS who may be interested.
Imagine my delight when I saw the date on the calendar of December 22, 2011. You might wonder why this date, of all 365 days in the year, is meaningful to me. Of course I am sure you have already guessed the answer-winter solstice.
The winter solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's polar hemisphere is farthest away from the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. More evident from high latitudes, a hemisphere's winter solstice occurs on the shortest day and longest night of the year, when the sun's daily maximum elevation in the sky is the lowest. Since the winter solstice lasts only a moment in time, other terms are often used for the day on which it occurs, such as midwinter, the longest night or the first day of winter. An observer at 32° north latitude will observe 9.9 hours of daylight and 14.1 hours of darkness. After December 22 the days will be getting longer and the nights shorter until the summer solstice. With longer days we can look forward to extended summer days and spending more time outside.
With this 18% decrease in solar energy between summer solstice and winter solstice, winter solstice will be the time when solar panels will be least likely to keep up charging all the systems on the boat. As days go onward from this date solar panels will be able to produce more electricity. By the summer solstice there will be 14.1 hours of daylight and therefore a greater likelihood our panels will keep ahead of electrical use.
If you have not taken Junior Navigation consider taking it and then you will know all about time and dates all over the world.
Remember important dates you already know; 2-3 March 2012, the date of the Spring Conference and Change of Watch in Laughlin, Nevada sponsored by the Lake Mohave Sail and Power Squadron.
I plan to see you all there and we can examine other dates, maybe even more important than those already discussed. Your wife’s birthday? Your wedding anniversary?
Edward Bowler, Secretary, District 28.
With thanks to Wikipedia, and USPS course Junior Navigation T
