Pole of Inaccessibility
By Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
Centralia, Missouri
April 5, 2016 3:19pm CST
I learned somethings today. One I am 170 odd miles from the ocean. Two that people in Enland no matter where they are at, are less than 100 miles from the ocean, 70 odd I think it was. Thirdly that there is a term for places nowhere near the ocean called "Pole of Inaccessibility".
According to wiki that means, "a location that is the most challenging to reach owing to its remoteness from geographical features that could provide access. Often it refers to the most distant point from the coastline. The term describes a geographic construct, not an actual physical phenomenon. "
The last part made me giggle, letting people know there is no actual pole there. I rather hope someone put a pole AT the north pole, and it better be candy cane striped. Ahem.
Apparently there are a few places that rate this pole.
Anyways, here is the fun link to see how far you are from the ocean!
http://how-far-away-is-the-sea.appspot.com/
15 people like this
14 responses
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
6 Apr 16
@Jessicalynnt And I didn't realise how absolutely huge the States are until I started looking it up.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
6 Apr 16
@Jessicalynnt It's amazing, isn't it? We'd be falling into the sea, and you wouldn't even be half way out of your state.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
I knew england was small, I didnt realize how small
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
5 Apr 16
according to them Manchester is 22 miles from the sea - I would have thought it was twice that
2 people like this
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
5 Apr 16
It depends on what you see the sea as.
According to that site, which I saw on a previous interesting post by this starter, I'm only 8 miles from the sea and I'm in central Gloucester...it said the severn was the sea.
I don't see it as that and would add a few miles until I was at the real seaside but it's a matter of opinion I think.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
that site seems to use whatever is the 'official' closest, where as I wouldn't count what they had counted for me either.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
6 Apr 16
@Mike197602 I expect big rivers and canals to the sea confuse it
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
6 Apr 16
@Jessicalynnt If we look at all the major conquests and occupations in the past they always depended on sea travel. The only exceptions would be local invasions, such as the Mongol invasion of China.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
I have read of some places considered the middle of nowhere, but yeah, that wiki page anyways talked about sea access
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
@Asylum myself, I would add in rivers to what makes an area accessible or not
1 person likes this
@kevin1877uk (36987)
•
5 Apr 16
If you draw a straight from where I live to the sea it's about 1.5 miles away, by road it's about 3.
I thought it was 88 miles away no matter where you are in the UK
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
it might be, I didnt look that part up, just heard someone mention something in those numbers. and wow you are close!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Apr 16
I am 52 miles away and would not want to be any farther. I lived in Spokane, WA, for one year. Though it is only 223 miles from the sea, it seemed at least 400. That was one reason I did not like it and left.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
yeah the east side of washington and oregon are pretty much horrible places to live, or so I thought too, having been in the Hermiston/Pendleton area for a few years
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
I checked where I grew up in Iowa and it used the same point of ocean that it had me for in Texas, I would have thought atlantic was closer.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Apr 16
@Jessicalynnt Probably because you're on the other side of the Mississippi River.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
5 Apr 16
Will have to check this out! However far, it is too far at the moment.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
far to the ocean? Yeah we have like a 5 odd hour drive if not more to get to it here.
@Tampa_girl7 (54715)
• United States
6 Apr 16
I love the ocean, but equally love the mountains.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
5 Apr 16
That's not too far... you could drive there ...
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17712)
• South Africa
5 Apr 16
I know that I am pretty far from the ocean now, probably over 1000km either way NWSE However your post reminded me of a time that my hubby and I were lighthouse chasing and we came upon two, either side of the bay. The one was easily accessible by vehicle but the other had a long hiking trail to its point. We walked, and walked, and walked eventually a cyclist passed us and stated, only about 5km more to go - the lighthouse was easily 12km at a pole of inaccessibility - but we made it eventually, luckily with a 500ml water bottle. NEVER again, I shall check the accessibility before I take to trails.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
yeah gotta know how far, to be sure you have proper shoes and water, and trail bars and such
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
that is what everyone is saying!
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
5 Apr 16
That was a really interesting post you made
After spending a while looking things up there is a lot of debate on some issues here in the UK.
Depends on what you see as the sea and there are debates about that.
From what I read the place most distant from the sea is 46°17'N 86°40'E situated in north-west China's Xinjiang province, close to the Kazakhstan border.
Maybe the Chinese should put up a striped poll in that area
After spending a while looking things up there is a lot of debate on some issues here in the UK.
Depends on what you see as the sea and there are debates about that.
From what I read the place most distant from the sea is 46°17'N 86°40'E situated in north-west China's Xinjiang province, close to the Kazakhstan border.
Maybe the Chinese should put up a striped poll in that area1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
would have to be an anti stripped pole, like a black pole with white stripes or something hehe
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 Apr 16
my sister lived in SC for awhile, storms were crazy
