• This is a “Word of the Day" thread, to reply to this thread please come up with a sentence with the given word. More details.

Word of the Day... Portage

A

Aunt Marg

SF VIP
Portage: the carrying of a boat or its cargo between two navigable waters.
"the return journey was made much simpler by portage"

carry (a boat or its cargo) between navigable waters.
"they are incapable of portaging a canoe"
 

I was in elementary school when I learned about the word "portage", and on a boat trip a few years later got to experience portaging.
 
iu
 

Kaila said:
Would it be considered portage,
regardless of the method of the carrying?

(Manual or large equipment...:unsure: )
Click to expand...
Either or, though I have always seen portage as being manual, on foot, however...

Portage: noun · the act of carrying; carriage

- Traditional portaging... carrying, manual, on foot.

- Lazy man's portaging... behind a trailer or on wheels, pulled by a motorized vehicle.
 
Are these possible correct usages? :unsure:

The large ship required cranes and heavy equipment, for its portage to deeper waters.

and possibly.....

Portage of the rowboats and passengers and their supplies, took many people, several hours.
 
Kaila said:
Are these possible correct usages? :unsure:

The large ship required cranes and heavy equipment, for its portage to deeper waters.

and possibly.....

Portage of the rowboats and passengers and their supplies, took many people, several hours.
Click to expand...
I see both as being perfectly acceptable, as portage applies to the movement (carriage) of boats, cargo and goods overland, from one navigable water to another, so by crane, by foot, by wheeled vehicle, etc.

Personally, if I were using the term portage, it would apply to on foot.
 
Nice! The word triggered a host of happy memories - canoe trips up the river in my hometown, large flatback canoes to and from an old lumber camp up in Canada, floating the muddy rivers of central IL fishing for catfish, a flatback Grumman aluminum canoe that was faster than greased lightning with a proper motor on back and two fishing canoes with outboard flotation. Was my affair with canoes obvious or what? :)
 
Kaila said:
Thank you for these replies, @Aunt Marg ! :)

I didn't mean to force you into teaching , :rolleyes::LOL:

but I much enjoy, learning how to actually utilize a word I haven't myself used, in the past.
Click to expand...
ROFLMAO!

I'm no teacher, Kaila, in fact I failed miserably at English in school, I just try and look at it from a few different perspectives, running with the one that appeases my needs the best. :)
 
JonDouglas said:
Nice! The word triggered a host of happy memories - canoe trips up the river in my hometown, large flatback canoes to and from an old lumber camp up in Canada, floating the muddy rivers of central IL fishing for catfish, a flatback Grumman aluminum canoe that was faster than greased lightning with a proper motor on back and two fishing canoes with outboard flotation. Was my affair with canoes obvious or what? :)
Click to expand...
I'm in your camp this morning, Jon, in that I remember when I was learning the word for the first time, it was a book the teacher was reading to the class that resulted in the word portage being brought up, and I remember the illustration in the book was of two men carrying their canoe overhead through the bush.

A great uncle and I used to go out canoeing often when I was in my teens. We always went out in the early evening and it was one of the most relaxing things I have ever done. We'd stay fairly close to shore, paddle slowly, and take in all that nature offered. A super great way to get to that special place where no others are around.

Wonderful memories indeed.
 
Aunt Marg said:
I'm in your camp this morning, Jon, in that I remember when I was learning the word for the first time, it was a book the teacher was reading to the class that resulted in the word portage being brought up, and I remember the illustration in the book was of two men carrying their canoe overhead through the bush. Wonderful memories indeed.

A great uncle and I used to go our canoeing often when I was in my teens. We always went out in the early evening and it was one of the most relaxing things I have ever done. We'd stay fairly close to shore, paddle slowly, and take in all that nature offered. A super great way to get to that special place where no others are around.
Click to expand...
I am ashamed to say we once played a dirty trick with a canoe. We paddled a little ways up river, turned it over trapping air underneath and then floated through the park to see if anyone would notice. They did notice, we learned a lesson or two in the process and never did it again.
 
JonDouglas said:
I am ashamed to say we once played a dirty trick with a canoe. We paddled a little ways up river, turned it over trapping air underneath and then floated through the park to see if anyone would notice. They did notice, we learned a lesson or two in the process and never did it again.
Click to expand...
LOL!

For many years the elementary school I went to took grade 7 students on a boat trip each year. It was 4 days long in all, we camped on beaches in tents, went on canoe trips, had evening bonfires, a lot of fun.

Anyhow, I remember the lead-up to when I went on the boat trip, we all took a water safety class held at the local pool, where we had to swim in our clothes and shoes, and take a canoe out and swamp it, then try and turn the canoe upright again and climb back in.
 


Back
Top