Heres your sign!

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
http://www.thedailyjournal.com/stor...ayaker-gets-lost-millville-waterway/89270208/


I know exactly what she did.There is a small gap that leads you into the big island filled pond.Going out the gap is the only place to get out of a cul de sac so it's obvious.On the way back the gap is not very obvious.There are some pilings from an old dock in front of it.A sure sign to remember on the way back to the ramp.Took me fifteen minutes to find my way out the first time I went out on Menantico in the 80's.She could have taken fifteen minutes and poked around.Now she has a helluva bill and is lookin real stupid besides.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
If she had a GPS she should have found her way back.
The problem with the gap that takes you back to the boat ramp is that as you approach it from the west it appears to be a cul de sac cove.You cannot see the passage through till your almost on top of it.Thats why after taking 15 minutes to find it the first time I went out I made a mental note of the dock pilings next to the entrance for future reference.I don't laugh at the woman for getting a might confused but she obviously didn't put much effort into finding her way out.Every body puts way too much trust in their cell phones nowadays.A little bit of poking along the shore line would have saved her from being a laughing stock. I guess stuff like this tends to be a joke to women but had that happened to me I would have given a false name out of embarrassment.Hell I imagine she probably had an Iphone and if she had a signal to call for help she could have brought up Google earth or any number of map and aerial apps and found her own way out.If your going to depend on technology over a little bit of acquired navigation skills at least learn how to use the damn thing.My brother finds his way all over the woods of south jersey using a cell phone.He can't nav to a point like I can to find a stone but he can get himself out of a lost situation.He's never had to call big brudda to come get his ass out of the bush.That won't happen till he loses service:)
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
I wonder if there are any stats of how many get lost using a GPS for directions, versus those that use a map.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
I have always said a gps is great for telling you where your are.You need a map or aerial to tell you where to go,unless of course you already know the terrain well in which case your probably not lost to begin with.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,502
2,765
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Any good ones on the tip of your tongue

I like Galileo on iOS. They also have an Android version, but the reviews say it isn't as good. For Android I like OruxMaps, which is free. But the choice may not be that simple, my reasons for liking these apps are because they work well with the maps I make myself. Most people don't do that, so other factors might be more important such as user interface, sharing tracks, or downloading the proprietary maps that come with the app.

Most apps have free trial versions, so it's easy to try several and pick the one you like best.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,502
2,765
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
I wonder if there are any stats of how many get lost using a GPS for directions, versus those that use a map.

Don't know, but there have been several studies that suggest geographic/spatial awareness is important and heavy reliance on GPS for directions might even affect brain function in other tasks. Have read several articles about this in the past year but couldn't put my finger on them with a quick search.

But "using GPS for directions" means just blindly following whatever it tells you. I don't do that, I generally use it just like a paper map and drag it around, zooming in and out. It's like a paper map, but with a finger always pointing to exactly where you are. I don't see how this could be a bad thing personally. You are still relying on your eyes and brain to make decisions. And I can have highly detailed maps of the whole county in my pocket. When I do use it to guide me on a route, I have the voice muted and just look at the screen. If I don't agree with where it's telling me to go, I just ignore it. ;)

I still have lots of paper maps, I lived the first 50 years of my life without a GPS. But today, their value is mostly nostalgic. I do still carry paper maps for the region in my car, mostly out of habit. I used to feel they were essential as a backup for the GPS, but not so much today. Can't even remember the last time I used them.

I primarily use my phone (with maps permanently installed), but my old Garmin Nuvi 3550 is stored in the center console if I need a backup. :)
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,552
2,465
59
millville nj
www.youtube.com
If I had to choose between a map and a gps I"d take a good map.Gps without a map can lead me by the nose back to where I was but will never show me where i need or would want to go.I can find direction by sun,moon,stars,tree limbs and a compass.Gps is a great convenience but a map in unknown wilderness is almost a necessity.Map and gps are both useless once you get em wet,unless of course you have a laminator which I do:)
 
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