Two islands, 3 kms apart, have a time distance of 21 hours: Here’s why 

There is no denying that Mother Earth has a lot of surprises in her store for us and many of them are inexplicable. From the freezing poles to the sweltering Equatorial plane, from the biggest ocean to the tiniest island, the topography of our planet is more varied than we can imagine. As we delve deep into these mysterious varieties, we are left awed by the wonders of nature.  

Let’s try to unravel one such mystery named The Diomede Islands. These rocky islands, located in the middle of the Bering Strait, between mainland Alaska and Siberia, consist of two islands: The Big Diomede and The Little Diomede. The Little Diomede is governed by America, whereas the Big Diomede is under the Russian Federation’s governance. But did you know that they have the time difference of almost a whole day? Let’s understand why and other interesting aspects of The Diomede Islands.  

The yesterday and tomorrow islands 
Yes, that’s what these two islands are known as. Interestingly, they are barely 3.8 kms apart. But there is a 21-hour time difference between them! Strange, isn’t it? Well, let’s explain this to you. This significant time difference is due to the American–Russian maritime border and the International Date Line, which passes between these islands. The Big Diomede is almost a day ahead of the Little Diomede. Thus, Little Diomede is referred to as the Yesterday Island and other one as the Tomorrow Island! But wait, what is the International Date Line all about and how does it affect time? The international date line (IDL) is an imaginary line in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It cuts through the Earth's surface from the North Pole to the South Pole. When you cross it while moving westward, you gain a day. However, if you are traveling eastward, you lose a day while crossing the IDL. 

Naming of the islands 
Yupik Eskimos were residing on these islands approximately 3,000 years ago. Though they were first discovered by Semyon Dezhnyov, a Russian explorer in 1648, they largely remained unexplored. The islands were rediscovered after 80 years on August 16, 1728 by the Danish-Russian explorer, Vitus Jonassen Bering. This date is honoured by the Russian Orthodox Church in remembrance of the martyred Greek Saint Diomedes. As a result, the islands were given the saint’s name. 

An island with fewer than 100 residents 
The Little Diomede Island is 16 miles off the coast of mainland Alaska and is characterised by harsh weather. It is conceivably the most distant and isolated area in the United States. Not so surprisingly, there are fewer than 100 residents, most of whom are Alaska natives leading a primarily traditional lifestyle. Prior to the Cold War, both the islands had the same native population. However, after World War II, the native inhabitants of The Big Diomede Island moved to the mainland to avoid cross-border interactions. Today, unlike the Little Diomede Island, it is totally unpopulated.  

Residents get food delivery via helicopters  
For survival, the Eskimos living on Little Diomede depend on fish and crabs and hunting polar bear, walrus, seal and beluga whales. Majority of essentials are delivered annually by helicopter to the island! In the winter, when the temperature drops to a frigid 6 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the river water freezes. The natives use the frozen river by carving a runway on the ice so that bush planes carrying supplies can land there!