Know How
[ CAMPCRAFT ] LNEVER GETOST AGAIN
Scenario A: You’re knee-deep in mud, canoe on your shoul- ders, bush-whacking your way along what you swear was a portage trail on the map. While you try to sound confident about the great secret lake ahead, your partner begins to mutter about divorce lawyers.
FOOLPROOF NAVIGATION FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP
Scenario B: After a day of smooth paddling, you arrive at your destination lake with the afternoon sun still high. Con- sulting your map, you find a prime campsite with both a sun- set view and morning light, plus a gentle breeze to fend off evening bugs, and settle into camp for a glorious evening. Basic navigation and map reading skills can mean the dif-
ference between a miserable misadventure and a glitch-free journey. Foggy days, flat landscapes and unmarked portages and campsites can all leave the uninitiated paddler wishing they knew how to truly navigate. The humble compass and a basic topographical map will keep you on track long after your top-end GPS has run out of batteries—or was used as a chew toy by your trusty tripping dog. A basic orienteering compass can be purchased in any out-
door store for the price of a latte and a dozen donuts. Topo- graphical maps can be ordered online in advance or often bought from local paddling organizations or authorities. To navigate with map and compass, simply hold the com-
pass flat in the palm of your hand away from any metal ob- jects and watch the red end of the needle swing north. Now orient the top of your map towards north and look around— you’ve lined up your map world with the real world. Find a few big features in your landscape that are hard to miss: a steep line of cliff, a distinct river mouth, or line up two ob- jects such as an island and a hilltop—voila, now you know roughly where you are! To take a compass bearing from your map, lay the direc-
tion of travel arrow or edge of the compass along your de- sired course. Now, rotate the compass’ degree dial until the orienteering lines in the face parallel the grid on the map and “N” points toward the top of the map (just ignore the magnetic needle for this step). Read your bearing on the de- gree dial at the direction of travel arrow. Look up and turn your body or boat until the north end of
the compass needle is lined up in the red orienteering arrow. Now “red is in the shed.” To travel in a straight line, ensure it stays there.
NOW “RED IS IN THE SHED.” TO TRAVEL IN A STRAIGHT LINE, ENSURE IT STAYS THERE.
Line up your direction of travel with a landmark and off
you go. As you paddle along, glance at your map and com- pass often enough to stay oriented—better check too often than discover that you’ve paddled off the map into the un- known, though that can have its own appeal. For a fun challenge, try this simple navigation exercise at
your campsite: Take any three bearings that add up to 360 degrees (for example, 90, 120 and 150). Take an equal num- ber of steps in each direction; try 100 steps to start. If your navigation is sound you will end up in exactly the same place you started. —Charlotte Jacklein
TRUST YOUR COMPASS. PHOTO: CHARLOTTE JACKLEIN
30 SUMMER/FALL 2013 LOVE YOUR HUSBAND.
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