How far out is classed as the ocean?

Hi everyone.i just wanted to know how far out the ocean is classed to be.Is it 20 miles?30?10?

Thanks in advance,dominic.

 

The three things that come to mind are:

- beyond the COLREGS demarcation line,

- outside discharge zones (3, 12, and 25 -- take your pick) or,

- outside territorial water (12 mi)

All of these are legal regulations though, not really definitions.

My guess is that the technical definition is wherever the continental shelf ends. I'd say if it isn't a bay or sound, then it's the ocean.

~ ALowell

 

When it's too far - to swim back to shore....!

 

What I hate is when my guests go "Yay! We're going out on the ocean!" Where do they think we are, on the Isle of Wight? Not in my boat we aint.

 

Where's the OCEAN?

When my Mom took us to the Ocean, it was that water that came right up to the shore. Are you saying "That's not the Ocean"??

 

It was most likely a harbor, bay, inlet, sound, anchorage, etc. Saying "look at the ocean" while standing in any of the above is land-lubberish! Go for something saltier, like "Look at the water" or "Doesn't the drink look nice today?"


~ ALowell

 

What...? The Isle of Wight is no where near any oceans.

Terry King's Mom's use of 'The Ocean' is very American and something that always seems odd when I'm over there. Here we never talk about 'the ocean' except when refereing to the five very specific bodies of water. We go to the seaside and sail on the sea.

And I not even sure where the 'Atlantic Ocean' actually starts. Is there a line from Finistere to Ushant to Bishops Rock to Fastnet that seperates the Channel and Bay of Biscay from the Atlantic? Dunno.

 

It's all salty water, it's all wet... I can sail or sink as much in a bay as I could in an "Ocean" and if I'm drowning or sinking I don't think it will make a hell of a lot of difference.

Mychael

 

Whales swim in oceans --if you dont have a whale in it, its not an ocean.

My mom told me that!

 

Look what it sez on the 'tin' - if it sez Ocean it's an Ocean if it sez Sea it's a sea - stands to reason - you'll be asking how long is a piece of string next (when is a piece of string become a rope, go on get someone going then!)

 

It's all rope until you reeve it, then it becomes a line....

 

What's a "tin" and how does it know where I am?

 

I grew up along the Atlantic coast in southern New Jersey, about 50 miles/75 km south of Sandy Hook. Standing on the beach in Asbury Park, near the spot where Morro Castle grounded, looking east, there is no land until Figueria da Foz on the coast of Portugal, north of Lisboa. To me, that's "ocean". There are many such spots where the open ocean meets the land directly: no bays, harbors, barrier islands, etc. Terry's mom might just have known what she was talking about, even though she sounded like an American!

 

I agree. If you're looking out at an uninterrupted horizon and the next landfall is another continent, then you're looking at the ocean.

 

We don't go to the seaside here we go to the beach. And the Indian Ocean reaches the beach.

Mind you it is typical of boat people who insist that you call the right thing by the right name. Like you can't have a right and left side the a boat, it's got to be port and starboard.

When I go to the boat ramp I like to give the ropes to my mates and in a loud voice ask one to hold the pointy end and one to hold the blunt end.

I like being a **** stirrer.

Poida