Quizology.Online

Tag: exploration

  • Ten Thousand Leagues Under the Seas—Answer

    Q1. A.60 days and 21 hours
    Q2. B. USS Triton
    Q3. A. Captain Edward L. Beach Jr.
    Q4. B. Jules Verne

    Map of the 1960 circumnavigation of the world by the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine USS Triton (SSRN-586).
    [Image from Wikipedia]

    Operation Sandblast, as this first-ever submerged circumnavigation of the globe was named, was accomplished by the United States Navy’s nuclear-powered submarine, USS Triton (SSRN-586), in 1960.

    Captain Edward L Beach announcing Operation Sandblast to crew onboard USS Triton, 17 February 1960. [Image from Wikipedia]

    First Submerged Circumnavigation

    Led by Captain Edward L. Beach Jr., the Triton departed New London, Connecticut on 16 February 1960 to head to the start /finish line for the journey—the St. Peter and Paul Rocks in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, near the Equator.

    Details of the Voyage

    • Dates: February 24 to April 25, 1960
    • Duration: 60 days and 21 hours
    • Distance travelled: 26,723 nautical miles* (49,491 km; 30,752 miles)
    • Average speed: 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)

    The Triton crossed the equator four times and notably, Triton’s overall navigational track during Operation Sandblast was similar to that of the historic Spanish expedition that successfully completed the first circumnavigation of the world.

    Historic First Circumnavigation

    In 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan started an epic journey that took his expedition all the way around the world; Spanish explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano finished it in 1522. Of the 270 men and five ships that set sail, only about 40 men and one ship made it back. Magellan died in battle in the Philippines in April 1521.

    Nao Victoria, the only ship in the fleet to complete the circumnavigation. Detail from a map by Abraham Ortelius, 1590.
    [Image from Wikipedia]

    *Ten Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

    The title is a poetic licence as the actual distance travelled converts to 10,251 leagues. This conversion from 26,723 nautical miles to leagues was carried out at metric-conversions.org.

  • Ten Thousand Leagues Under the Seas

    USS ___ (SSRN-586) heading out for the beginning of the circumnavigation
    16 February 1960.
    [Image from Wikipedia]

    On 16 February 1960 a United States nuclear-powered submarine departed New London, Connecticut to circumnavigate the world whilst submerged. The submarine would follow the route of the first circumnavigation of the world, started under the command of Ferdinand Magellan and completed by Juan Sebastián Elcanofrom between 1519 and 1522.


    Q1. How long did this submerged circumnavigation take?
    A. 60 days and 21 hours
    B. 87 days and 9 hours
    C. 115 days and 17 hours

    Q2. What submarine carried out this voyage?
    A. USS Thresher
    B. USS Triton
    C. USS Tullibee

    Q3. The commanding officer of this submarine also wrote several books, both fiction and non-fiction, including Run Silent, Run Deep: who was he?
    A. Captain Edward L. Beach Jr.
    B. Captain William D. Sand
    C. Captain Thomas J. Shore II

    Q4. The title of this piece is a take on the title of the 19th century novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. Who wrote that novel?
    A. Victor Hugo
    B. Jules Verne
    C. H.G. Wells

    The answers will be posted later today.