# NSEW: How far have you been in each cardinal direction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135 "2011-06-28T14:00:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/141 "2021-04-29T18:09:18Z")
Nowhere near as far as I’d like in any direction. If you only consider locations where I’ve been standing on the ground (ignoring airplane trips and the like) North: Arbroath, Scotland South: Aruba East : Naples, Italy West: Seattle, Washington ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/142 "2021-04-29T21:44:23Z")
West: Port Orford, Oregon. Apparently it’s the westernmost town in the 48 states. It’s along US Route 101. East: Boston Airport North: Vancouver, Washington South: Cancun, Mexico ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/143 "2021-04-29T23:23:11Z")
North: Reykjavik, Iceland (64.15 degrees N) South: Dunedin NZ (45.89 S) East: Gisborne NZ (178.02 E) West: Rarotonga, Cook Islands (159.77 W) ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/144 "2021-04-30T14:20:59Z")
North: Rejkavik Iceland (64 N) but only in the airport. Excluding that, London UK (55 N) South: Takoradi Ghana (5 N) East: Aflao Ghana (1 E - just barely made it into the eastern hemisphere) West: Los Angeles CA (118 W) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/145 "2021-05-12T22:00:36Z")
North: Seattle, WA, USA South: Guarujá, Brazil East: Krakow, Poland West: San Francisco, CA, USA ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/146 "2021-05-13T02:45:34Z")
N: Akureyri, Iceland S: Probably González Videla Antarctic Base E: Savusavu, Fiji W: I don’t really know how to answer this. I’ve crossed the International Date Line going west, and ended the flight in Bangkok. So: Beyond the edge of the map. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/147 "2021-05-13T04:28:46Z")
North: NW point of Olympic Peninsula, WA South: Bisbee, AZ East: Denver West: NW point of Olympic Peninsula, WA ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/148 "2021-05-13T13:46:55Z")
Well, these days it takes less than 10 years to cover a lot of ground, we’ll grant that. Hmm… I seem to have mostly moved “laterally” – my range of travels spans about 165 degrees of longitude and less than 50 in latitude with no crossing of either the Equator or the IDL. The longest single difference from point-of-origin would have to be Puerto Rico-Oahu (5900 miles almost due E/W). So… by the rule of “out of the airplane, feet on the ground” latitude/longitude-wise this would be for me… N: London, UK S: Panama, Panama E: Roissy, France W: West coast Oahu, HI ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/149 "2021-05-13T14:22:28Z")
I lived in Polynesia ages 19 - 21 to recruit people into a religion. That’s the farthest SW I’ve gone. N: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada S: Teahupo`o, Tahiti, French Polynesia E: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands W: Maupiti island, French Polynesia ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/150 "2021-05-13T15:39:58Z")
N- Thunder Bay, Ontario. E- Bari, Italy. S- Costa Rica. W- Seoul, South Korea. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/151 "2021-05-13T15:50:37Z")
North: Rondane National Park in Norway. Got lost hiking on the top of a mountain, ate cloudberries, leapt over an icy stream, sat on a cliff overlooking a village and listened to a cuckoo, spent the night at a resort we didn’t even know was there. Best night of my honeymoon. South: Lemaire Channel, Antarctic Peninsula. Went through there on New Year’s Eve, 2018, and remains one of the most alien and beautiful locations I’ve ever seen. East: Naples, Italy, when I was 13. I don’t remember it that well, adolescence was not a great time and I’m happy for my memories to be a bit blurry. West: Somewhere along the Pacific Coast Highway, whatever point is farthest west there. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/152 "2021-05-13T17:36:50Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > North: NW point of Olympic Peninsula, WA > South: Bisbee, AZ > East: Denver > West: NW point of Olympic Peninsula, WA Oops. My corrected Permanent Record is: North: Orcas Island, WA South: Bisbee, AZ East: Denver, CO West: NW point of Olympic Peninsula, WA Thank you for your concern and cooperation. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/153 "2021-05-19T00:41:59Z")
I’ve stood on both sides of [the sign](https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-international-date-line-sign-taveuni-fiji-18316445.html) where the 180th meridian crosses Taveuni, Fiji, so that covers both East and West. North: Whitby, England, UK (54 40 N) South: Southernmost point on road around Taveuni, Fiji (17 S) East/West: Date line sign on Taveuni, Fiji (179 59’ 59" W; 179 59’ 59" E) ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/154 "2021-05-19T15:05:43Z")
North: Berlin, Germany South: Bali For East/West, I’m taking the direction I needed to travel from Tokyo where I lived at the time. East: Connecticut West: Wales, UK ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/155 "2021-05-19T16:04:37Z")
N: Grand Rapids, Michigan E: Taunton, Massachusetts S & W: Sugar Land, Texas ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/156 "2021-05-24T14:31:50Z")
N: London, England S: Key West, FL E: Bratislava, Slovakia W: San Francisco, CA ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2021, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/157 "2021-05-24T18:59:55Z")
N. Caribou, Maine S. Tulum Mexico E. Venice Italy W. Seattle, WA ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/158 "2021-05-25T05:22:11Z")
Since the OP said “cardinal” points, that would mean due east,west, north and south from a chosen point of reference, alomg those four meridians and parallels. For me, from birthplace: N – Calumet, Michigan S ---- Siguatepeque, Honduras E – Russe, Bulgaria W — Almaty, Kazakhstan ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/159 "2021-05-26T08:33:02Z")
Taking my home as the base I’ve been to Iceland in north, New Zealand in the South. New Zealand for the East point and LA for the west. As an easy metric I can say that I’ve covered 110 degrees of the 180 N/S degrees available, and 295 degrees of the 360 E/W degrees. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135/160 "2021-05-26T11:25:43Z")
Farthest NS I’ve been on the same meridian is 101 degrees, Norway and South Africa, in the 25th East meridian. Most distant points on the same parallel would be Sumatra and Ecuador, Antipodes that are conveniently very close to the Equator. Which would be, I think, the theoretical maximum possible. I’m one degree short of circumnavigating the globe going to Karakol, Kyrgyzstan over the Atlantic and Colombo, Sri Lanka going over the Pacific, which crosses 359 meridians. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nsew-how-far-have-you-been-in-each-cardinal-direction/587135.md?page=9)