MtMan-List: direction?

[Howard Peacock <peacockh@mcc.montgomery.cc.nc.us>]

Rkleinx2@aol.com
writes:

<< Please clarify this for me.
<< When someone writes or says that something is on the right side of a
<< river is
<< he refering to looking up or downstream?
<< Thanks.
         Dick >>

Well, so far I've seen several responses for upstream and several for
downstream. While the "rules" (Coast Guard, channel markers, etc.)
seem to favor 'upstream', it's apparent that not everyone knows the
rules. Therefore, I would like to propose the obvious. IMHO It depends on
who is talking.  I canoe streams and rivers. If you are talking to a
canoeist, he is invariably referring to 'downstream' (river right, or river
left). On the other hand if the person speaking is a boater from the Sound
or on a large navigable river, he may very well be speaking  of
'upstream'. You can probably make an educated guess by listening
closely for other clues, but I guess the only way to know for sure is to
ask the speaker.

RiverRat