A point is a piece of land (above or below the surface) that juts out from
shore into the water, coming to, well, a point.  Think of a narrow, shallow
sandbar adjacent to deeper water on all around, carved away by the force of
the current on one side and with an eddy between it and the shore.  A point
often provides excellent fishing, but is not so good for the health and well
being of a riverboat.

S.E. Nesbit