Down East = North East

I heard in Martha Stewart's show that "down East" in Maine dialect means North East not South East as it the name suggests. :shock:

Then they explained that this was because of the wind and the sea. But I did not get this part, can anyone help?

Thanks :)

The term “Down East” or "Downeast" has been around for quite a while. Many years ago, sailors hauling cargo to the northeast of New England, observed that the prevailing winds came from the southwest, pushing their schooners “downwind” in an easterly direction. Today, generally speaking, “Downeast” refers to Maine. More specifically though, to a Mainer, it refers to the southeastern part of the state beginning with Ellsworth, Maine, and including the Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor areas.