Modern Navigation Equipment
Living in a time with advanced technologies designed to navigate land, sea and air so easily and the affordability of modern navigation equipment has made navigation a simple convenience.
For many young people today, the hardships we once endured while attempting to drive to a location while using a map is something they’ve never experienced. Modern navigation equipment and apps like Google Maps, Map Quest and Waze just to name a few all accessed by modern day electronics have made land navigation a breeze.
My career navigation experience
I can recall my first real experience in map navigation back when I was in training to become a Deputy Sheriff. My first day of getting behind the steering wheel of my Field Training Officers patrol car, I was given a emergency response call to respond to over the radio.
The loud tone alert that blasted out before the dispatcher gave the address, raised my blood pressure and stress level to excessively high levels. The look on my trainer’s face when he looked over at me and asked” Do you know where the call is?” was priceless. He was as cool as a cucumber. Upon my reply of No, He quickly handed me the map book and said “Look it Up”.
Driving under stressful conditions such as this forces one to learn they’re service zone very quickly. Eventually the use of the map book becomes a rare necessity as you become a seasoned officer.
Back to Directional Basics
In the old days before any navigational conveniences, crude maps were available in the new world. Many other methods of navigation was used to travel on land to know direction. Knowing that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west was helpful. Spanish moss in the northern hemisphere grows on the north side of a tree. Using stars at night was also helpful.
Looking for certain types of plants and trees can also help in navigation. A good example would be a cypress tree. Cypress trees are a good indicator of water source locations. Reading game trails is another way of finding direction because certain animals will migrate north or south depending on the season.
A Preppers Directional knowledge
The modern day Prepper must be ready in many ways for apocalyptic events. A catastrophe can happen at anytime. Having a good ability to navigate land and water is a necessary tool to have in you’re bug out bag. Using creative ways to turn navigation training into fun family events can be easily done. Weekend excursions out in the national forest with the family or other remote areas will be good starting points.
Learning the way nature acts in relation to direction can be very beneficial in moving to safer locations. Depending on you’re travels or situation at the time of such an emergency, vehicles and other everyday used electronics may not function. You may not have you’re compass with you or other life sustaining equipment so having basic navigation and directional training will be a necessity in survival. Be sure to follow our blog for more informative articles.
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