The compass

[Wansworth]

Jonathan Raban write in his book passage to Jueneu that the installation of the compass back in the middle ages brought an end to navigation as per Polynesian ways.The compass was all the navigator looked at and forgot his built in sense of direction or how to read the elements.

 

[Bouba]

Jonathan Raban write in his book passage to Jueneu that the installation of the compass back in the middle ages brought an end to navigation as per Polynesian ways.The compass was all the navigator looked at and forgot his built in sense of direction or how to read the elements.

Luckily they didn’t have GPS..or we’d be in a right pickle by now

 

[LittleSister]

Jonathan Raban write in his book passage to Jueneu that the installation of the compass back in the middle ages brought an end to navigation as per Polynesian ways.The compass was all the navigator looked at and forgot his built in sense of direction or how to read the elements.

The compass did indeed fundamentally change the way that those who had them navigated (as did the development of cartography, though that took long time to reach sailors as early maps were incredibly expensive), but it is a mistake to think that everyone used 'Polynesian' methods beforehand.

Those Polynesian methods are very culturally and geographically specific, and would have been no use in, for example, the constrained waters around most of Europe, depending as they did on swells generated far away, and the swell distortions and bird life, etc. associated with isolated islands.

Absolutely brilliant book, though.

 

[finestgreen]

Would also recommend Tristan Gooley's "How To Read Water" if you're interested in this kind of thing

 

[Wansworth]

The compass did indeed fundamentally change the way that those who had them navigated (as did the development of cartography, though that took long time to reach sailors as early maps were incredibly expensive), but it is a mistake to think that everyone used 'Polynesian' methods beforehand.

Those Polynesian methods are very culturally and geographically specific, and would have been no use in, for example, the constrained waters around most of Europe, depending as they did on swells generated far away, and the swell distortions and bird life, etc. associated with isolated islands.

Absolutely brilliant book, though.

The skipper I sailed with hehad been a barge an and could tell all sorts of things from the colour of the water,around the east coast……..yes the book is a good readx2. My wife comments that I know the time vey well I say I have never owned a watch

 

[DownWest]

Seem to remember that one of the 'sensors' back then was feeling how your scrotum moved on the deck below you. David Lewis?

 

[Wansworth]

Seem to remember that one of the 'sensors' back then was feeling how your scrotum moved on the deck below you. David Lewis?

Yes Raban mentions that ans Lewis