Daily Travel Photo – Savai’i, Samoa

Cape Mulinuu, Samoa

Cape Mulinuu is considered the western most spot on the Earth. For a long time I wondered why this point was the westernmost. There are bits of land which cross the 180 degree longitude line. There are part of Alaska which are farther west which do not cross the International Date Line. I eventually discovered that it is the last place the sun sets each year. Because of the bends in the International Date Line, the parts to the west near the 180 are in a new day and the parts of Alaska which are to the west would be in the dark earlier. I thought it was a fitting photo for New Year’s Eve.