Hello. I recently viewed a VHS tape of the Maine Coast - got it from a Library near my work. It toured the coast from the most southern part, up to the most northern part. As they moved along the coast in the northerly direction, they referred to it as going "down east". Now, I realize I'm just a redneck from Virginia, but "HUH"? What's with this "down east" stuff? I got the impression that it was a reference to some navigation thing that has long since passed away, but is still part of the Maine lingo. Can anyone shed a little light on this? Rick - Poquoson, VA (and I promise, we do go to school in Virginia) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 08:49 AM 2/6/03 -0500, Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com wrote: > What's with this "down east" stuff? I >got the impression that it was a reference to some navigation thing that has >long since passed away, but is still part of the Maine lingo. Can anyone shed >a little light on this? The prevailing winds are out of the southwest, so it's downwind to sail from Boston to Maine -- i.e., "downwind east". At least, that's how I always heard it. -- Wes --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wes Boyd's Kayak Place NEW URL! -- http://www.kayakplace.com Kayaks for Big Guys (And Gals) | Trip Reports | Places To Go | Boats & Gear --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Rick, If you look at a map of Maine you will see that the coast doesn't actually run North-South, it runs primarily East-West. The prevailing winds in the area are Westerly. Therefore when you are sailing from Kittery towards Eastport you are sailing downwind. In other words you are running downwind to the east, or "downeast". Nick On Thursday, February 6, 2003, at 08:49 AM, <Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com> wrote: > Hello. I recently viewed a VHS tape of the Maine Coast - got it from a > Library near my work. It toured the coast from the most southern > part, up to > the most northern part. As they moved along the coast in the northerly > direction, they referred to it as going "down east". Now, I realize > I'm just > a redneck from Virginia, but "HUH"? What's with this "down east" > stuff? I > got the impression that it was a reference to some navigation thing > that has > long since passed away, but is still part of the Maine lingo. Can > anyone shed > a little light on this? > Nick Schade Guillemot Kayaks 824 Thompson St Glastonbury, CT 06033 USA Ph/Fx: (860) 659-8847 http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 2/6/2003 8:51:48 AM Eastern Standard Time, Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com writes: > ... What's with this "down east" stuff? I got the impression that it was a > reference to some navigation thing that has long since passed away, but is > still part of the Maine lingo. ... The Maine coastline runs roughly west to east, the prevailing winds are westerly, so as you sail down wind, you head down the coast in an easterly direction,"down east" is where you end up -- unless the wind is too strong and takes you too far east, then you end up in Europe's west. Up north, over in the west, down south ... how about if the good people down under weigh in with a bit of perspective here, eh? Best regards, Ralph Ralph C. Hoehn Ralph_at_Atlatl-Kayaks.com / Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com www.Atlatl-Kayaks.com / www.PouchBoats.com phone: +1-203-324-0901 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Just a bit of inconsequential fun..... I pulled out a map I have at the office, and sure enough, the main coast is more west to east than I recollected... not that I doubted it, I just wanted to see it :-) But, just for fun, I asked some co-workers (without telling them why I was asking) what direction along the coast they were going if they went from "here" to "there", with "here" and "there" being places I pointed to. Interestingly, all but one said "north". The one who didn't say north didn't say east, either. They said "from cold to colder". Afterwards, I asked them why they didn't say "west to east". The consensus was because you move "up and down" the coast, not across the coast, and "up and down" is north and south. I pointed to a section along the Gulf of Mexico between Texas and Florida and asked which way was up and which way was down. There the consensus was "up" is where you are "going" and "down" is the return route. Presumably, because what goes up must come down, and down brings you back to where you started. Hmmm. The things I'll do to avoid work sometimes.... Rick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 2/6/2003 9:59:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com writes: > But, just for fun, I asked some co-workers (without telling them why I was > asking) what direction along the coast they were going if they went from > "here" to "there", with "here" and "there" being places I pointed to. > Interestingly, all but one said "north". ... Hmmm. The things I'll do to > avoid work sometimes.... I-95 NORTH runs pretty much EXACTLY west-to-east for a good stretch from New York onwards. A second highwy, Rt 15 which is actually a very pretty parkway, the Hutchinson River / Merrit Parkway, parallels I-95 in significant portions further inland. Which direction do you go to get from I-95 NORTH to Rt 15 NORTH? It even confuses the locals when giving directions to non-locals! Best regards, Ralph Ralph C. Hoehn Ralph_at_Atlatl-Kayaks.com / Ralph_at_PouchBoats.com www.Atlatl-Kayaks.com / www.PouchBoats.com phone: +1-203-324-0901 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Terms change when we overlap jargon associated with two or more different activities. You do sail down wind, yet that 'down' may be in any compass direction. That much makes sense. Why, then, when approach a city center from any compass direction, do people say they are going 'down town'? Will Jennings Lecturer, Rhetoric Department 158 English-Philosophy Bldg. University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 52242 william-jennings_at_uiowa.edu *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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