Guiding Your Bushcraft Journey Through 6 Natural Principles
In the days before GPS, smartphones, and compasses, ancient mariners like the Greeks and Vikings relied on their keen observation skills, accumulated knowledge, and a deep understanding of the natural world to navigate the vast oceans.
For the Ancient Greeks
Greek sailors employed a unique method of navigation, relying on navigational mnemonics based on culturally familiar geographical landmarks to estimate travel distances and directions during voyages. By applying known place names and landmarks from their home regions, they could recognise relative positions even in foreign areas, helping them approximate navigation times and routes effectively[1].
Sailing distances were estimated in relation to known durations between familiar points along coastlines rather than by fixed measurements; this method was recorded in navigational texts called periploi, which listed coastal landmarks sequentially[1]. Greek ships, such as the galleys described in Homer’s Iliad, were steered by a pilot using a large steering oar at the stern, with the shape of ships designed for speed and maneuverability[3].
Although lacking modern compass and map technology, Greek navigators could use the sun, stars, and the shape of coastlines to determine direction and position.
For the Vikings
While not detailed explicitly in the search results, it is historically well-documented that Vikings navigated using natural indicators such as the sun’s position, the stars (notably the North Star), ocean swells, bird flight patterns, and the color of the sea and sky. Viking navigators also used coastal landmarks and estimated distances by timing their travel between known points.
Early navigators more broadly used rhumb lines – paths with constant bearing relative to true north – by observing celestial bodies, enabling them to sail constant compass headings once a direction was set, a concept used before reliable chronometers and compasses existed[5].
A Sun Compass Can Be Created
A simple yet effective navigation tool is a sun compass, which can be created by marking the starting and ending points of a shadow cast by a stick, and drawing a line between the two marks to represent the east-west direction.
Environmental Observation, Landmark Recognition, Timing, and Celestial Navigation
In summary, both Greeks and Vikings depended on environmental observation, landmark recognition, timing, and celestial navigation to traverse seas successfully. Their expertise lay in experiential learning, oral tradition, and sharing of knowledge through navigational guides rather than using written maps or magnetic compasses which were developed much later. This method had been effective and widely used before the advent of modern navigation tools[1][3][5].
Other Natural Navigation Techniques
- A book called "The Natural Navigator" by Tristan Gooley provides information on how to navigate using natural cues.
- Harvester ants in the western United States always build their entrances on the bottom of the southeast side of their mounds.
- In the northern hemisphere, more moss is often found on the northern side of tree trunks, while in the southern hemisphere, more moss is found on the southern side.
- Using an analog watch to determine direction involves holding the watch flat and aiming the hour hand towards the sun, and drawing a line halfway between the hour hand and the 12 to indicate south in the northern hemisphere and north in the southern hemisphere.
- Navigating using natural handrails involves using straight or nearly straight lines formed by natural features like streams, forest edges, cliff bands, rivers, coastlines, and mountain ranges as guides.
- The wind can be used for navigation by checking the prevailing winds in a particular area, and observing the direction in which trees, grass, sand, or snow are blowing.
- Snow melts quicker on the south side of rocks or slopes facing south in the northern hemisphere, while it melts quicker on the north side in the southern hemisphere.
- In the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross constellation is a reliable guide, with its long axis pointing towards the south celestial pole.
- Lichens called Xanthoria Parientina can be found on south-facing surfaces like stone walls or trees.
- Trees in the northern hemisphere tend to have denser foliage on their southern side, while trees in the southern hemisphere tend to have denser foliage on their northern side.
- Some ants in southern regions set up their hills near trees or rocks on the south or southeast side to catch the rising sun in autumn and winter.
When the moon is in a crescent shape, an imaginary line from the top point through the bottom point and straight down to the horizon will be close to the south in the northern hemisphere and close to the north in the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere, standing with the west rock under the left foot and the east rock under the right foot will face north, and in the southern hemisphere, standing with the east rock under the left foot and the west rock under the right foot will face south. When the moon is full in the northern hemisphere, it faces south, and if it's on the left, one is going east; if it's on the right, one is going west. If it's behind, one is going south, and if it's in front, one is going north.
