Re: MtMan-List: direction?

[Roger Lahti <lahtirog@gte.net>]

SW,

I was going to put that in my post and thought otherwise. You can also remember by
saying "red left leaving" or "green right going "but the point I tried to make is
that this is the tradition of those who navigate and have been doing so for time
immemorial. They are the ones that established that the right side is 'as you look
up stream or into the harbor'. The Corps of Engineers may agree but even they are
bowing to the traditions of the sea through the US Coast Guard, the navies of the
world and Maritime Law and are not the ones dictating this tradition. As the
explorers and initial mapers of our world and this continent, I would think that
the traditions of the Sailor should hold some weight.

I will not go so far to say that this is what some historical figure of the fur
trade or western expansion might have meant when he said that the 'fort or post
was on the right back at' wherever. Then again he may have been saying that the
post was across the river from today's land mark and didn't make that distinction.
The quote after all did not say "on the very spot where", so we are still left to
conjecture.

I hold with your and my view and still recommend that in present context one
should clarify which way they are facing until we all agree which it will be. If I
think about it I will mean, as looking up the river or into the harbor. I
remain....

YMOS
Capt. Lahti'

SWcushing@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 11/8/98 5:36:45 PM, lahtirog@gte.net writes:
>
> <<I would say that the right side of a river is the right side when looking up
> stream. >>
>
> A good way to remember that is the old saying, "red, right, returning" I agree
> with you Capt. Lathi.