Re: MtMan-List: direction?

[Roger Lahti <lahtirog@gte.net>]

Tom,

Are you trying to be cute? No of course not, you are being very serious here and
your questions deserve answers in the same spirit they were asked.

Tomactor@aol.com wrote:

> "Now that we know our right from our left, I need clarification on the
> following the old saying, "red, right, returning" returning to where? Upstream,
> Downstream? What If I start in the middle and go upstream? Am I going or
> returning. Another place where the rule of thumb is meaningless to the
> uninitiated.
> Can any navigator clear this one up for me?"
> Tom Laidlaw

  Has it not been established that for those "who go down to the sea in ships"
returning has always meant returning from the sea, returning up the channel and
returning up the river? It still means that. The "rule of thumb" was a device for
new sailors to remember the actual "rule" so they might know what they were seeing
from their lookout positions as they came into port or passed up or down the
channel. It is very important that the skipper of a vessel know where the safe
channel lies. I hope this clears up your confusion. I remain.....

YMOS
Capt. Lahti'