Jackspeak of the Royal Canadian Navy

As the crow flies

A direct line between two points. When lost or unsure of their position in coastal waters, Viking ships would release a caged crow. The crow would fly straight towards the nearest land thus giving the vessel some sort of a navigational fix. The tallest lookout platform on a ship came to be know as the crow's nest.

Added: 2014-11-01 Last modified: 2014-11-01