[OSM-talk] Coastline and Rivers

[Chris Hill]

Like the Thames, the Humber is a large body of salty, tidal water that 
is a river.  It is also known as an estuary, which by definition is the 
salty, tidal part of a river as it nears the sea - so it's a river.  The 
boundary with the sea is arbitary, but the render, such as shade of 
blue, will not change. 

One suggestion I have is can you describe somewhere else as down-stream, 
if so then you must be on a river.

BTW, the  UK Environment Agency once defined  the coast stretching up 
the Humber to the Humber bridge so that Hull could be defined as a 
coastal city for flood defense purposes, but no-one would accept that 
Hull lies on the sea rather than a river.

The rivers Ouse and Trent meet at Trent Falls and form the Humber 
estuary.  Both of these remain tidal for many kilometres inland, and at 
least 65km from the mouth of the Humber (that's near Spurn point not 
John Prescott :-) ).

Chris Hill (chillly)