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Get Your Boating Lingo Right: Docks vs.
Harbors
If you are one of those boating newbies and forbid it, even
boating experts that use the words dock and harbor
interchangeably, then you are in for a big wake up. Dock and
Harbor aren't the same thing. Far from it. Although, both are
in the to know vocabulary of any serious boating enthusiast,
they are different animals.
To clear the muddle further, here are the differences between
harbor and dock without having to delve into too much
technical terms (especially if one were to start
differentiating piers from quays and wharfs and so on).
Harbor, or harbour, or haven, are sheltering places for ships
during storms. It is also a place to store ships when not in
use. Harbors may be natural or man-made.
Natural harbors are formed when the terrain surrounding a body
of water forms an ideal place for the functions of a harbor.
Harbors are important strategically and economically. If you
would notice, most progressive cities have harbors. And most of
the greatest cities on the planet have harbors take New York
for instance.
Docks on the other hand, are more similar to ports, as docks
are man made structures for the use of loading and unloading
ships. Docks can be built in a harbor area and are used for a
variety of reasons. As mentioned earlier, they can be used to
load and unload ships. They can also be used to repair, and
build ships (dry docks).
People often interchange pier, wharf, and dock. The American
language defines all three as any structure on the water the
supports people. However, piers are, technically speaking for
any industrial activity right alongside the waters. Docks, on
the other hand are used for pretty much anything else.
Docks are maintained by locks that regulate the water level at
its vicinity. This allows boats to remain steady and floating
in low-tide even if the natural tidal ranges of an area vary
greatly.
In all, harbors and docks are similar in the sense that they
refer to water structures of features related to boating.
However, it would pay to know the true difference between the
two to make accurate use of such boating
terminology.
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