# Why did Columbus Think that He Discovered a Route to the Far East? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 28, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233 "2005-10-28T00:53:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233/41 "2005-10-29T18:06:12Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > True in principle, except that the trade winds are not the same as the horse latitudes; the horse latitudes are a belt of light winds between the trade winds (easterlies) to the south of them and the westerlies to the north. > [Global Atmospheric Circulation and Related Effects](http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa110200a.htm) > > [http://www.answers.com/topic/trade-wind](http://www.answers.com/topic/trade-wind) My apologies, I think I misread your post. On re-reading I see you were not equating the trade-winds and the horse latitudes. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233/42 "2005-10-29T18:21:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > My apologies, I think I misread your post. On re-reading I see you were not equating the trade-winds and the horse latitudes. Right you are. The Horse Latitudes are the region around 30[sup]o[/sup] with somewhat flukey winds. This occurs because above that latitude the winds are from the west and below it they are from the east. The transition zone is an area of rather undependable winds. As I understand it, sailors worked hard in setting sails and changing tacks to get through the Horse Latitude zone and were happy when they finally reached either the trade winds or the prevailing westerlies. There they could pretty much just trim the ship and go. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233/43 "2007-10-23T11:10:23Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by_ **Derleth** : > Hm. ‘Ruters’ doesn’t appear to be an English word and Google can’t translate ‘portulans’ from French, although it appears in French websites. Hopefully, someone who knows maps will happen along. Or a James Clavell fan - “rutters” feature in _Shogun_ as the stolen, secret navigational aid that has made the Dutch voyage to the Far East possible. As always, Clavell doesn’t let facts get in the way of a good story - but at least I knew the word 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233/44 "2007-10-23T11:13:59Z")
Whoops! - sorry to resurrect such an old thread. I followed the link from a [current thread on Columbus](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=441172), got interested and forgot it had been closed for years :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233/45 "2007-10-23T12:29:48Z")
[QUOTE=KGS] Geekiest. Analogy. Ever. 🆒 [/QUOTE] Yeah, _we_ wouldn’t be fooled! It wouldn’t take us long at all to recognize Middle Earth. I’m heading for Rivendell! ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233/46 "2007-10-23T13:21:10Z")
Let me slay this zombie before anyone gets hurt. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-columbus-think-that-he-discovered-a-route-to-the-far-east/328233.md?page=2)