Fathom to the Old High German word "fadum" meaning embracing arms or a pair of outstretched arms. In Middle English it was "fathme". The Ancient Greek measure known as the orguia (, "orgyiá", "outstretched") is usually translated as "fathom". By the Byzantine period, this unit came in two forms: a "simple orguia" (, "haplē orguiá") roughly equivalent to the old Greek fathom (6 Byzantine feet, m) and an "imperial" (, "basilikē") or "geometric orguia" (, "geōmetrikē orguiá") that was one-eighth longer (6 feet and a span, m). One fathom is equal to: In the international yard and pound agreement of 1959
Five Fathom Bank light station Five Fathom Bank light station Records for lightvessels are incomplete. On or about April 30, 1891, LV-40 was removed from its post on Five Fathom Bank and replaced by a schooner "Drift", which temporarily would show a fixed white light on each masthead. Additionally, a buoy was used as an additional marker for the position while LV-40 was repaired. In 1893, the "USS New York (ACR-2)" was performing sea trials and used the Five Fathom Bank light station and the North East End light station as markers to which it became the fastest armored vessel in the world. In 1894,