The word of the day is Rhumb, which has an interesting meaning:
Any of the points on a mariners compass
I actually didn't know a lot about a mariners compass, so I did some research. One interesting thing to note is that early mariners compasses had a problem with the magnetized iron wire; it tended to be attracted to large land masses. Another interesting fact is that each ship had to keep a magnetized lodestone to re-magnetize the iron wire from time to time since it lost its magnetism periodically.
Just looking at this word, it reminds me of the dance style the Rumba. Maybe the sailors were doing the Rumba every time they fixed the Rhumb with their lodestone. Okay, that's silly maybe, but it makes me laugh to think about anyway.
What do you think about this word?
A to Z Challenge 2013
1 comment:
It makes me think of my youth - fresh, raw rhubarb so deep red and tart, my brothers and I had to sprinkle it with sugar. It was a beautiful plant that towered over the house.
Since when did this great, underappreciated fruit come to mean a hockey fight?
By the way, didn't the Professor make a crude rhumb out of coconut shells and sea water before Gilligan sat on it, thus spoiling another chance for the seven stranded castaways, here on Gilligan's Isle?
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