On this day in 1958, the USS Nautilus – the first nuclear-powered submarine in the world – reach the North Pole on a top-secret mission.

Millions of Americans who still believed in Santa Claus would later learn the truth – Santa does not really live at the North Pole. (Though absence of proof does not constitute proof of absence in science, fortunately; so there is still a chance for true Santa Claus believers out there.)

I normally don’t do historical event anniversaries, but August 3rd turns out to be the first day I have come across that has fewer than four or five commemorative things pegged to it. I was very tempted to create a “Grab some nuts” day map, but my family thankfully talked me out of it after I shared my ideas formed from watching oodles of baseball games since the World Cup ended. I was desperate for something… and then I found it… the USS Nautilus. The North Pole. What’s not to love. Boring historical map done. While stopping to get some guess on a road trip, I verbally asked Spatial Data Maker GPT on my phone to find or create a dataset of the journey. When we arrived that was done. While waiting in line at the hotel, I asked Web Mapper GPT to create a map with a stereographic projection and using a 1990s World War II map design style to map the route and to also try to include images at each “milestone” of the voyage.

By the time I checked into the room, it was ready. Uploaded to the server.

Now, I’m watching an episode of “To Catch a Smuggler” – an episode I’ve seen before, but it never gets old watching canines sniffing mail – and writing this. Given how easy it is to make a map at this point, it’s neat to reflect on just how far ChatGPT has come since January 1st…

But not too long. I have to figure out what to map for August 4. I suppose that’s something I can worry about tomorrow night while in line at the grocery store.

View Map Here

Web Mapper GPT Prompt

Hi there. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the USS Nautilus submarine going under the North Pole or something like that. Could you please create a map commemorating this feat?

Ideally it should be a stereographic or gnomonic projection centered on the North Pole. If possible, please find or use vector bathymetry. Land area can have country boundaries lightly marked, but the land should be ground, bathymetry of the oceans next up in the visual hierarchy, and the route and milestones dominant. Graticules would be okay, but these should be very light and easily overlooked. Label the meridians outside of the circle neatline of the map.