The barefoot navigator : wayfinding with the skills of the ancients

"The Barefoot Navigator introduces the navigation skills of the ancients--methods using the sun, sea, wind, and stars, and even the flight patterns of ocean birds. The Barefoot Navigator also shows today's sailors how to apply these methods to augment--and in the case of emergency, replace-their modern navigation systems. And it not just for emergencies--sometimes it is just plain fun to create a simple astrolabe or polar stick and confirm what your GPS tells you. Polynesians managed to populate an area of ocean larger than North America simply by analyzing clouds, currents, and wind direction--how did they do it? In the first portion of The Barefoot Navigator Lagan introduces these ancient seafarers and their powerful, accurate--and seemingly simple--navigation techniques. We also learn that the Vikings routinely traveled on the notorious stretches of water between Iceland, Greenland, and Scandinavia--no charts, no GPS; it seems mind-boggling but Lagan shows us how. The second section of The Barefoot Navigator teaches how to combine these ancient techniques--and even construct the simple devices if we desire-with today's modern navigational devices, especially in emergency situations (loss of power, loss of signal), to ensure a constant grasp on your vessel's location--no matter what. Interlacing fascinating history with useful advice and enjoyable writing, The Barefoot Navigator is unlike every other navigation reference out there."--Publisher's description __The Barefoot Navigator__introduces the navigation skills of the ancients--methods using the sun, sea, wind, and stars, and even the flight patterns of ocean birds.__The Barefoot Navigator__also shows today's sailors how to apply these methods to augment--and in the case of emergency, replace-their modern navigation systems. And it not just for emergencies--sometimes it is just plain fun to create a simple astrolabe or polar stick and confirm what your GPS tells you.Polynesians managed to populate an area of ocean larger than North America simply by analyzing clouds, currents, and wind direction--how did they do it? In the first portion of__The Barefoot Navigator__Lagan introduces these ancient seafarers and their powerful, accurate--and seemingly simple--navigation techniques. We also learn that the Vikings routinely traveled on the notorious stretches of water between Iceland, Greenland, and Scandinavia--no charts, no GPS; it seems mind-boggling but Lagan shows us how. The second section of__The Barefoot Navigator__teaches how to combine these ancient techniques--and even construct the simple devices if we desire-with today's modern navigational devices, especially in emergency situations (loss of power, loss of signal), to ensure a constant grasp on your vessel's location--no matter what.Interlacing fascinating history with useful advice and enjoyable writing,__The Barefoot Navigator__is unlike every other navigation reference out there. The Barefoot Navigator is the most innovative book about marine navigation for decades. Jack Lagan believes there is nothing so valuable at sea as standing on a deck and just knowing where you are using special knowledge about the sea and the sky and using your senses--in other words, practical technology-free navigation. Part 1 looks at the navigation achievements of the ancient seafarers--the Pacific islanders, the Vikings, the Phoenicians, the Arabs and the Chinese. Just how did the South Pacific islanders manage to populate every habitable island in an area bigger than North America? And did the Phoenicians really circumnavigate Africa 2,000 years before Vasco de Gama? Part 2 explains how to use the wind, swell, sun and stars to estimate position and hold a course. And how sea breezes, isolated clouds and seabirds can make a landfall safer. Part 3. shows how you can use DIY devices to calculate latitude, obtain bearings and estimate longitude. Part 4 describes how all these techniques can be used in survival situations The Barefoot Navigator is about wayfinding from what you can see around you and what you have in your head. It will fascinate navigators and landlubbers alike 'Navigation with sextant and almanac is as user-friendly as a corneredrat.' Barefoot Navigator introducesus to a unique take on navigation - using the skills of the ancients and technology-free techniques, we learn how to navigate using the sun, sea, wind and stars, and even the flight patterns of ocean birds. The first part of this absorbing book recounts a colourful history of seafarers and their navigation techniques. How did the Polynesians manage to populate an area of ocean larger than North America simply by analysing clouds, currents and wind direction? How did the Vikings routinely travel on the notorious stretches of water between Iceland, Greenland and Scandinavia? The second part shows how to use these ancient techniques to supplement today's navigational hardware, especially in survival situations. Fascinating history, useful advice, enjoyable writing, and different to every other navigation reference out there, this second edition has been beautifully packaged in a hardback format, with new illustrations and thoroughly revised text 'Barefoot navigation: 5,000 years in the making.' Barefoot Navigator introducesus to a unique take on navigation – using the skills of the ancients and technology-free techniques, we learn how to navigate using the sun, sea, wind and stars, and even the flight patterns of ocean birds. The first part of this absorbing book recounts a colourful history of seafarers and their navigation techniques. How did the Polynesians manage to populate an area of ocean larger than North America simply by analysing clouds,currents and wind direction? How did the Vikings routinely travel on the notorious stretches of water between Iceland, Greenland and Scandinavia? The second part shows how to use these ancient techniques to supplement today's navigational hardware, especially in survival situations. Fascinating history, useful advice, enjoyable writing, and different to every other navigation reference out there, this second edition has been beautifully packaged in a hardback format, with new illustrations and thoroughly revised text.