Natural Navigation

[manumuskin]

I was having a conversation with a fellow Piney the other day about ways to navigate naturally without compass or gps and we discussed solar or shadow navigation for awhile and then the subject of vegetation came up. When it's cloudy the sun,moon and stars will not help but plants and trees can.Many smaller plants can be seen to follow the sun with their tips,they usually lag about and hour or so behind the sun because a plant can't move that fast unless it's a venus flytrap of course but they will follow the sun even when it's cloudy but these types of plants die off in winter and are no help then so this leaves us mostly with trees in the Barrens. Now most trees especially Pine and Oak which accounts for almost every tree there is in large areas of the barrens send out their straightest (most horizontal) and thickest limbs on their south to east (most often southeast) sides.On their northern sides the limbs tend to be smaller and point more upwards like their reaching for the sun their not getting.You have to use trees that are one, either in the middle of the woods .(not along a field edge or a roadside) or in the Middle of a field where the tree gets equal access to sunlight from all directions.If your tree is growing along the edge of a sunlit area weather road or field it will naturally throw it's best branches into the sun and give you a false reading. Here are some bing photos I have found to illustrate.This first tree http://binged.it/1m6CA5J is a large oak about a mile from my house in a WMA field.The image is facing east so the biggest limbs should stretch about 45 degrees to your right and it appears they do. This second tree was saved from destruction by hue and cry from the Wawa property it sets on when they built this Wawa back in the 80's this is looking west.again the branches stretch to your left this time and toward you a little,SE. http://binged.it/1m6E3ZL and this third tree no longer stands.It was probably the biggest tree in Millville but a couple years ago they cut it down.Why? I don't know.Had a couple dead limbs but was very much alive.You can still see the massive stump and the trunk sectioned up laying on the ground.I used to play under it as a kid while Mom did laundry.It is so big no one has been able to take the sections. once again facing west http://binged.it/1m6Enb8 .These are all oaks but the same principle works just as well on pine.Maples in a swamp are very hard to use.Their a wild shaped tree that does it's own thing.Young cedars that you can see the tips of work well.Their tips usually point to the sun,once again lagging somewhat and if you know the time of day you should know where the sun will be.Oh by the way moss does not grow only on the north sides of trees but it does generally grow thicker there and sometimes higher up the trunk due to the moist shaded microclimate.
When I was in Saudi Arabia I was there in winter and the wind constantly blew out of the NW so every pebble or shriveled up shrub had a pile of sand (dust really) in the lee of the object pointing SE so even in cloudy weather (didn't have much of that) you could drive in a straight line across the desert(I drove 5 ton) and never have to check the compass,this also helped at night when we were allowed to use our lights because it was awful hard to drive and crane your neck out the window looking for the North Star.
Any other suggestions out there for Natural Navigation?

 

[johnnyb]

Very interesting and thought provoking.
Thank you, Al.

 

[Teegate]

Al,

The next time we are out together we need to discuss this and look at the trees.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

Al, after talking to you, I set my alarm on the cell so that every 12PM it goes off. I then go outdoors and note where the sun is so that I'll get used to knowing where it should be at noon each season. Thanks for the tip.

I am the first to admit that I sometimes stumble around for awhile until I get a hunch and take off in a particular direction in a straight line. But I do realize a hunch is not good enough--I always fear blindly going through a swamp in the wrong direction until I'm out of water and out of ideas.

 

[manumuskin]

Remember Bob it is now DST That means that true noon or south (when the sun is at zenith) is really at 1PM.when we fall back it will be at 12PM

 

[manumuskin]

I used trees in fields because it is very hard to tell from the aerials which limbs belong to which trees when their mixed together in a forest but while less noticeable this can be used in the woods.

 

[manumuskin]

A real good direction plant are sunflowers but I don't see too many of them in the barrens.
As a side note I once got into an argument with a friend of mine.He claimed all rivers ran south.He was from Pa where many of them do.I had to pull out Rand McNally's and show him the Red River of the North,The McKenzie and the Nile rivers.Turns out somehow he got south mixed up with the down direction on the map and gravity.In the Barrens most creek flow south,east or somewhere in between except for Mount Misery brook which s west of the divide.

 

[NJChileHead]

I wanted to get in here because I know that it's going to be a great thread, especially with Al sharing this much info.

Al, when you and I went out this summer and you showed me some techniques, I practiced them afterward. One thing that you showed me that was really cool was how to use a stick as a natural navigation device. I tried it and it worked very well. For those who aren't acquainted, on a sunny day, find an area that is not shaded by trees and put a stick down. Mark the shadow with a row of rocks or acorns and then wait 15 minutes (I experimented with longer periods of time, up to over an hour and it worked well). After the time period, mark the shadow with a second row of rocks or acorns (whatever debris you have). Stand with your left foot on the first line and your right foot on the second. You are facing true geographic north. I tried this with a compass and at first thought that I was a few degrees off, then realized that I hadn't corrected the compass for magnetic declination!

This technique works great, thanks for sharing it Al.

 

[manumuskin]

Heres a young fellow illustrating the method. By the way just a reminder if you ever find yourself Down Under every thing is flipped.Your first stick would be east and second west toward the sun would be north and away south. Also this method bends slightly off in early morning and late evening.If you make markers all day long you'll see the shadow markers bend in a slight arc at each end.The directions are more accurate toward noon but still the direction you get is good enough for general purpose navigation toward a baseline or purposeful "aiming off" to find your destination.

 

[manumuskin]

a really good vid here on what I"m talking about with trees.As he states you really need to walk around when in a forest and check out quite a few trees in an area to make a decision on direction.DO NOT use a tree that apparently has a large hole in the canopy in one direction perhaps caused years ago by a big blow down because that tree is going to send it's best branches into the sunlight available because of that hole regardless of the direction it's it.Just like how on the southern edge of a filed all the trees will be sending their best branches north because thats where the most sun is.He is right,a large tree in the middle of a field is best but with a little wandering around and thinking about what your seeing you can use this technique in a forest.Pine and Oak work great,Maple not good at all at least swamp (red) maple isn't good.I"m headed to Florida later this fall.I"ll have to check out how different species we don't have here respond to the sun.

 

[bobpbx]

Al, was out in the swamp today where there was a hole in the canopy, and even though one has to be careful to read this correctly, these branches actually do point south. Look how much the gum tree and the two cedars immediately to the left are soaking it up.

 

[manumuskin]

I see virtually all their limbs are pointing to the right which I assume is south.Is this because of the canopy hole or are all the trees in the area doing likewise? That canopy hole may be younger then the trees and may not have affected their growth till recently?Another fire specific sign that can be used is if you are in a burn and you know the history of the burn and which direction the wind pushed it.Like the big burn between 679 and the Bombing Range.It came from the Bombing range and hence was pushed I believe sw.The burns generally extend higher up the winward sides of the trees and as you know these scorch marks are visible for decades so they can be used as directionals if you make a note before your lost as to which way the high scorched side faces.

 

[bobpbx]

This was in the Bamber Cedar swamp right next to the lake. That area gets some hellacious weather, both from the south and the north. Big old cedars get blown down easily. I think the winds pick up a great deal of speed for some reason. I saw a big hole in the swamp from out in the road for the past year or so and knew something strong hit it. I was there today...at least 80 big cedars are down. It was quite a strong event whatever it was. However, that gum was north of the big blow.

This area was dark cedar swamp 5 years ago. Many had snapped half way up, and when some went down they knocked smaller ones down so hard the root ball is several feet off the ground.

 

[manumuskin]

I remember when I crossed the north end of Great Swamp it took four hours to go one mile.Almost all the way across it was one blow down mess.I was crawling under and cat walking across blow downs almost the whole way across.The only sign of lif (animal) that i saw all the way across was on Spotted Turtle and one Buzzard.The blowdowns to a tree were all facing northeast which means they were hit from the sw.Now that I know that anytime I"m in the Great Swamp all I have to do is use the blowdowns as a compass.That was one of those times it crossed my mind "What the hell am I doin here"?

 

[bobpbx]

Yes, PBX crossed that, was very strenuous...I had a conversation with a person last week (can't remember who), and he was saying that every single spot in the pines has had a footprint before mine. I disagreed.

 

[MikeBickerson]

Great thread!

 

[manumuskin]

Do you think there are areas that have never been logged Bob? I"d say if it's been logged then the logged area has been tramped pretty thoroughly.The Bear Swamp is not Barrens but is supposedly at least partially virgin.With the old iron/charcoal industry I"d say much of the barrens has been tromped on but every single foot,I doubt it.

 

[manumuskin]

I have thought off and on about doing a write up to explain how to use the shadows of trees or even your own shadow as a sun compass to keep yourself going in a straight line without having to constantly refer to a compass or gps.I was recently watching a you tube video by Dave Canterbury on how to create a sundial/compass on a piece of 2 by 4 with a nail driven in for a Gnomon. Well my theory is what’s worse? Having to constantly refer to a compass a gps or a 14 by 10 inch 2 by 4 your carrying around? As long as the sun is out traveling in a fairly straight line on a fairly accurate bearing should be no problem. If you want precise accuracy well then there is no beating a gps. It lets you wander off course around trouble spots and get back on course without the totally ineffectual ordeal of pace counting. Pace counting may work in an open field. It does not work in the middle of a cedar swamp filled with blowdowns so without a gps but with a compass you would be limited to front and back sighting trees at very close distances to keep a straight line so as not to miss your waypoint. Using trees or yourself as a sun compass will allow you to check the gps only infrequently or with attention to a good topo or aerial you should be able to leave the gps in your pocket or even go without it. We use to do that a lot, remember? Well if your going to use a sun compass you have one of two options, actually one of three. You can either print out an Altitude/Azimuth chart and carry it with you or you can memorize it which would be quite a feat to do as well. With one of these charts tailored to your location and time of year you can get quite precise in your cross country travels. Here is one place of many you can print one out. http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.php Now remember your Azimuth is what’s important. That is your compass bearing to the sun. The Altitude is how high over head the sun is which will affect the length of your shadow but not the direction.. Now I am not about to memorize the Azimuth chart though I do think their quite a neat thing to have. I have found a better way or perhaps not better but less checking and memorizing and almost as accurate, At least plenty close enough for most folks. Say usually within 5 to 7 degrees of where you think your heading. By the way for every degree your off over one mile you will be 88 ft off your destination after traveling that mile. So One mile at one degree off would be 88 ft.2 degrees at one mile or one degree at two miles would be 176 ft so yes if your after a pinpoint location in thick barrens you may want to keep the gps unless your point is located on an easily defined feature like a swamp edge or a ridge line or hill top. In any case here is my “sun compass good enough for me” method.
A little astrophysics are in order but not so much as to overwhelm. Just remember this. The earth rotates on it’s axis an almost exactly one degree every four minutes. If it was exactly this would equal 360 degrees in exactly twenty four hours. Of course it’s not exact and it’s more like 360 degrees in 23 hours and 56 minutes which is why the stars back up about one degree a night which over the course of a year means you get to see the whole sky rotate backwards in a westerly direction one complete turn so that a year later the stars are back where they began. Also helpful is knowing the diameter of the sun and moon from our perspective is the same. Both are a half degree across which means when they rise or set it will take them two minutes to do it. It takes two minutes for the earth to turn a half a degree. Now if the earth turns a degree every four minutes this means it turns fifteen degrees in an hour. If you make a fist and extend your arm out to arms length and look at the width of your fist from thumb knuckle to pinkie knuckle that’s about fifteen degrees of sky your covering so once you learn the path of the sun across the sky you can use this to gage how much light you have left. So now we know how fast the sun moves across the sky due to the earths rotation lets consider just where the sun moves across.
We are in the Northern Hemisphere so the sun is always to our south. Even at the summer solstice the sun will appear overhead but will still be approximately 16 degrees south of overhead at noon. Anytime the sun,t he moon or any astronomical body passes it’s highest point in the sky at your location or at your Longitudunal Meridian that is it’s zenith. Now since the sun is always south of us when it reaches it’s zenith at solar noon it will be 180 degrees due south. Solar noon is real noon irrelevant of our clocks. It is local for the specific place it is occurring. Here in south jersey we are very close to the center of out time zone which would be 75 degrees west Longitude. This means solar noon and clock noon are usually quite close but as you proceed east or west of that central line which happens to run north and south through eastern Millville the for each degree your off you’ll either put your self four minutes behind or ahead of solar noon. So Noon in Millville will actually be solar time 12: 04 pm on the 74th parallel off of Atlantic City and will be 11:56 AM on the 76th Parallel in eastern Maryland. As long as you stay in the Barrens you should never have to worry about calculating your Longitude because you are so close to solar noon at 75 degrees west. Otherwise in other areas you could be up to a half hour off solar time and clock time actually even more because the time zone boundaries are so irregular. Now why I’m bringing all this up is the one tool your going to need to use the trees and yourself as a sun compass is a watch. Digital or hands it doesn’t matter. Here is how it goes.
Okay if you know at 12 noon the sun should always be at 180 degrees south (excepting during DST when you will have to remember to account for that) During DST Solar Noon would be at or very close to 1:00 PM. Now if Noon puts the sun at 180 then 11 AM should put it at 165. 10 AM should be 150 and 9 AM should be 135 or southeast. Taking this the other direction 1pm should be 195 2 PM 210 and 3 pm 225 or southwest. Of course 6AM would be east and 6 PM would be west. In the winter the sun would still be below the horizon at 6 AM and PM. If you want to get real fine you can figure in your minutes as well remembering the sun will move to your right while facing it one degree every four minutes. Now this method can be five to almost ten minutes off at different times of year because sometimes the sun “Runs fast” or “Runs Slow” This has to do with how fast the earth is tilting on it’s axis. It moves fastest in the tilt as it crosses the equator at the equinoxes and then slows as it approaches and leaves the tropics at the solstices. This method should keep you very close to a desired bearing. Just remember every hour your travel to adjust your bearing fifteen degrees to the left to keep the same heading or make smaller adjustments more frequently. I”ll use this when cutting across country and if I’m heading to a stone I”ll check the gps every so often to see how close I’m getting but as long as the vegetation doesn’t push me to one side or the other I’m usually right on and if the brush is pushing me I know it anyway because the sume changes position much too fast. Now you can throw away the gps and the compass but please do not lose your watch

 

[Teegate]

Quite a bit to take in but you sure put quite a bit of thought into that one. I am always amazed at the things you know.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

Comprehensive post Al.

I lost my Oregon GPS somewhere in the Parker Preserve this summer. I went without one for maybe 45 days or more. Instead I relied heavily on my compass and pre-planning. Once parked I'd shoot for my target with compass so that it got me close to the bog or riverside where I wanted to be. As soon as I got there, I set my compass 180 degrees to return in the opposite direction. That works well as long as you don't stray too far. Even if you do, as long as you go "straight" in the general direction where you parked, you are going to hit that lovely sand road. Being lost on a sand road is quite different than being lost in the woods.

I probably use the sun more than I realize, but I don't ever truly rely on it. I rely mostly on the straight line method; sighting from tree to tree, along with knowing where the nearest sand road and river is heading. A pine barren river system is your friend in so many ways.

My own personal guidance for deep explorations:

--Send an email to Guy prior to going that shows where I'll be on a map.
--Know where the roads are.
--Bring water.
--Bring energy (food)
--Bring Cell.
--Bring GPS and compass.
--Get out before dark.

--Expect the unexpected. I have an army surplus head net in case I hit a bees nest, and yes, I even have good bear spray.