The National Outdoor Leadership School's official guide to finding your way in the wilderness Covers all navigational techniques, from map and compass to GPS and gives instructions on taking bearings and planning routes on USGS maps Up-to-date information on tools, equipment, and software For wilderness travelers, good navigation ability can mean the difference between a successful day hike and an unplanned overnight stay. Based on the curriculum of the National Outdoor Leadership School, NOLS Wilderness Navigation gives you the skills you need to confidently find your way on and off the trail. Included here are methods for orienting yourself by the sun and the stars alone, easy-to-follow explanations of map and compass techniques, and advice on using an altimeter. There's also a comprehensive section on using GPS technology-without becoming dependent on it. Exercises at the end of each chapter help readers gradually develop their skills and build their confidence.

This comprehensive and authoritative guide to practical navigation draws on the author’s extensive experience of leisure cruising and ocean racing. It combines detailed directions on how to navigate along coasts, in harbours, at night and in bad weather with easy-to-understand technical information about the electronic tools involved in safe navigation, including radar, GPS, AIS and chart plotters. Key basics such as charts, buoys, lights and tides are carefully explained and illustrated with diagrams and colour photographs throughout. Practical descriptions of navigation scenarios, such as fixing a position or plotting a course, are brought to life with anecdotes and precise detail. An indispensable reference guide for anyone wishing to sail or motor a boat safely in any situation.

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Secret World of Weather and The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs, learn to tap into nature and notice the hidden clues all around you Before GPS, before the compass, and even before cartography, humankind was navigating. Now this singular guide helps us rediscover what our ancestors long understood—that a windswept tree, the depth of a puddle, or a trill of birdsong can help us find our way, if we know what to look and listen for. Adventurer and navigation expert Tristan Gooley unlocks the directional clues hidden in the sun, moon, stars, clouds, weather patterns, lengthening shadows, changing tides, plant growth, and the habits of wildlife. Rich with navigational anecdotes collected across ages, continents, and cultures, The Natural Navigator will help keep you on course and open your eyes to the wonders, large and small, of the natural world.

This conveniently sized guide is an invaluable point of reference for all walkers. Written by an author with a wealth of experience teaching navigation skills, it provides a clear and comprehensive guide to the key techniques - giving you the confidence to navigate successfully with map and compass and to plan and execute your own routes. All topics are clearly referenced and easy to find. Chapters cover scales and grids, map symbols and contours, compasses, bearings, navigation on the hill, route planning and night and bad weather navigation. This new edition also incorporates new content on walking with a GPS device, with notes on how technology can complement map and compass. The text is illustrated with explanatory photos and diagrams as well as extracts from real maps and map keys, and - since the best way to learn is through experience - throughout the guide, practical exercises are suggested to help you practise and develop your skills. Perfect both for novices seeking an introduction to navigation and also those wishing to brush up on old skills, this book is an indispensable companion to mastering the essential techniques. These valuable skills will enhance not only your safety but also your enjoyment of the outdoors.

The naval aviation safety review.

Knowing how to navigate is vital for every sailor, whether he is a round-the-world mariner or a weekend yachtsman or woman. The author deals with the essentials of coastal navigation but avoids using vast quantities of figures and formulae.