What do sailors call the left side of a boat?

The story behind the answer

Port is the left side of a boat when you’re facing forward. Historically, early ships had their steering oar (the “steerboard,” later “starboard”) on the right, so they docked with the opposite side against the harbor—hence “port.” To avoid confusion with the old term “larboard,” navies standardized “port” in the 19th century.

Memory tip: “Port” and “left” both have four letters, and the port side carries a red navigation light (think “red wine port” on the left). For context, “starboard” is the right side, “bow” is the front, and “stern” is the rear.