Swashway - Origin of Word

[tonydyer]

I know exactly what a Swashway is, and know where there are many.

However, my Australian friend wants to know the origin of the word!

Any ideas?

Tony

 

[ianwright]

Shallow Water Access, Slightly Hazardous,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,?

IanW.

Vertue 203, Patience

 

[AndrewB]

Swashway - Swatchway

OED gives Swashway as derived from Swash: "a body of water moving forcibly or dashing against something" earliest known occurence in this sense 1671, probably onomatopoeic in origin.

Swatchway is from Swatch, East Coast dialect meaning "a channel of water lying between sandbanks", earliest known occurence 1626.

The two words are virtually identical in meaning now, but it is not certain that one derives from the other.