Talk:2013-06-15 20 -155

International Waters

Hi Jim, you wrote: "I suspect the hashpoint actually is considered part of Hawaii, being pretty much between two islands and less than 20 miles out."

This Geohash is around 13 nautical miles off Maui.

Hawaii's territorial waters end way before that, it looks like around 3nmi. The USA's territorial waters are a 12nmi zone around the islands, the coordinates are outside of that too.

Now, the coordinates are within the USA's contiguous zone (24nmi) and within their exclusive economic zone (200nmi). So while this Geohash definitely is outside of Hawaii, I could see someone argue that this Geohash is within the USA. However, consider that both Wikipedia and the USA's government consider international waters to start outside of the 12nmi zone, thus putting contiguous zones and EEZs in international waters.

I also still consider this Geohash to be inside of international waters. I won't revert your edit though, it is your expedition after all. --Fippe (talk) 12:40, 3 July 2019 (UTC)