Re: MtMan-List: direction?

[Roger Lahti <lahtirog@gte.net>]

Shootz Himself?,

Is that you in here?

Consider that the mighty Columbia R. starts it's journey to the sea flowing north,
(so going down steam, the right side is the east side). It then turns south, (so
the right side going down stream is the west side). then after it enters the USA
it turns to the west, (so the right side of the river going down stream is the
north side) It travels in a southerly direction for quit a ways and before leaving
the State of Washington it turns east, (so the right side of the river is now the
south side going down stream. Then It turns westerly again and yup, you guessed
it, the right side going down stream is the north side again. Now it didn't do a
complete circle but only not by much. It's confusing isn't it? What might be more
correct would be to concider that as a river empties into the Atlantic or Pacific
or Gulf, at its mouth it will have a north and south side or east and west side
and thus will carry that distinction all the way to it's source just as highways
do. But sailors don't think of rivers that way.

That's why the right side is determined as you look up stream. Don't make no
difference where you start. Mouth, middle, end, beginning, the right bank is
determined as you look up stream. Or as you return from seaward. I remain....

YMOS
Capt. Lahti'

RR1LA@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 11/10/98 3:20:33 PM Pacific Standard Time, Tomactor@aol.com
> writes:
>
> << Can any navigator clear this one up for me? >> Thanks Tom, I needed that
> laugh.  and to Longwalker re: the rifle posting, again, AMEN.  YHS  Shootz
> Himself  (PS, not that this will help, <GGG> but: although
> 'red,right,returning' is correct for channel markers (headed in or up stream
> red is on the right) on ALL water and aircraft, of any size, red is left is
> port and never changes. therefore the side of a river, canyon, highway,
> mountian range, path or air corridor you are TALKING about changes with your
> direction of travel. (i.e. if going north, left is west, if going south left
> is east.) but, if you need to communicate that info to somebody else, then a
> compass direction is in order i.e. the EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER), something the
> NEVER changes, no matter which way you may be headed.