Reading the wind and back to other basics

[mspath]

Instead of rushing to charge gps batteries perhaps we might re-learn and rely on traditional ways of reading the wind to know where we are spacially. This current New Yorker article, Finding the Way Back, by M.R.O'Connor cites several such approaches.

 

[wayfarer]

Great article Margaret, thank you. Having been born on a farm in the west of Ireland we were tought to read the weather by our grandparents and parents. This was very important for planning the work ahead, sadly this has all died out. My grandkids sometimes look at me like I have too heads when I tell them it will rain because of the ring around the moon or because "it has the smell of rain" etc.
Its great to see these traditional methods of navigation being thought again.

 

[Anamya]

Having been born on a farm in the west of Ireland we were tought to read the weather by our grandparents and parents.

Nice article! Thankfully in my home town (an island in the South of Brazil) many kids still learn how to read the wind and the tides. It may be lifesaving knowledge when you live near the sea!

I really did not see the necessity of a GPS in the Camino Frances. And used paper map only inside the cities. There was a funny episode - we passed by two young girls a few times along the day, and all the times they were ALWAYS looking at the phone. At some point we asked if they had any problems, and they said 'the map was just not quite right'.

We told them to follow the trail and keep the sun at their backs all the time, because they were going West. Their faces were like interrogation marks. Then we assured them that any time they felt 'the map was not right', they should walk with the sun at their backs. We were actually surprised that it sounded like a big discovery to anyone... Well, no judgements. They didn't know that, but I probably don't know how to operate a GPS

 

[movinmaggie]

Great article Margaret, thank you. Having been born on a farm in the west of Ireland we were tought to read the weather by our grandparents and parents. This was very important for planning the work ahead, sadly this has all died out. My grandkids sometimes look at me like I have too heads when I tell them it will rain because of the ring around the moon or because "it has the smell of rain" etc.
Its great to see these traditional methods of navigation being thought again.

and I learned from a friend who is Lakota, that 'bears' tails' is what they call the cloud formations that swirl up at the end….rain coming within the week.

 

[wayfarer]

and I learned from a friend who is Lakota, that 'bears' tails' is what they call the cloud formations that swirl up at the end….rain coming within the week.

We call them mare tails here, every place have their own name for the same things.

 

[movinmaggie]

We call them mare tails here, every place have their own name for the same things.

That's what we gardeners call Horsetail! Lovely in situ, but a bane for gardeners…..

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Cherokee use this:
http://www.wunderground.com/

 

[wayfarer]

Cherokee use this:
http://www.wunderground.com/

White mans magic.

 

[movinmaggie]

White mans magic.

Hilarious…..love some comic relief in the morning to start my day.

 

[Former member 42123]

Instead of rushing to charge gps batteries perhaps we might re-learn and rely on traditional ways of reading the wind to know where we are spacially. This current New Yorker article, Finding the Way Back, by M.R.O'Connor cites several such approaches.

"Reading the wind" takes me back to when I was a young man living by the wild Atlantic coast of Galway,in the west of Ireland.I used to go fishing with an old local man called Dara.we fished for Mackrel which he would salt and box to sell in local markets during the harsh winter months.We always came home with a boat laden with fish and I'd ask Dara how he knew the exact spot in the mile wide bay to stop the boat and fish.His reply was "I listen to the wind,the wind speaks to me". The last time I saw Dara before I emigrated to England,I asked " tell me the secret of the wind"Dara laughed and said,"Mackerel is an oily fish,and when there are hundreds of them In a shoal weaving about under the water the oil floaats to the surface ,and I steer my boat into the wind until I can smell the oil,and that's how the wind speaks to me" Thank you for reviving memories of those long gone days.

 

[alansykes]

The article talks about "analogue way-finding".

That's following the yellow arrows, is it? Works for me (most of the time ...).

 

[Anamya]

The article talks about "analogue way-finding".

That's following the yellow arrows, is it? Works for me

Should work for most people, if they look to the Camino
Asking around also seems to be effective!

 

[William Garza]

We used a weather rock
If it was wet..it was raining
If it was white..it was snowing
If it was coming at you...
It was because you were being an imp
Cheers!

 

[ricitosdeplata]

Navigating by the (field of) stars would be so apropos while on the Camino Frances.

 

[dougfitz]

Navigating by the (field of) stars would be so apropos while on the Camino Frances.

I can normally get by with just one star, largely because I am a daytime walker. But whenever I leave the antipodes, it takes some time to get used to it being in the south!

 

[ricitosdeplata]

Many pilgrims start their day before daylight, or so I've heard.

 

[Tincatinker]

Many of earth's rarer creatures are active before daylight . Natural navigators might rely on such ancient adage as "moss grows on the north side of the tree"; well it does here north of the equator but the opposite applies for @dougfitz. Of course moss actually grows anywhere it finds a favourable environment so don't rely on that one in the middle of a forest. The advice "walk toward the sun / keep the sun behind you" will result in some fairly enjoyable but circular walks. Celestial navigation works, but it requires study and the acquisition of knowledge through effort and its about time sumbody came up wiv an app to sort it.

Ah, @philip a tobin , as a youth I worked as a flag boy above Lyme Bay. From up on the cliffs you could see the shoals and "flag" the boats onto them. I boosted my income (and my protein intake) on those days when the Dolphin drove the Mackerel inshore which drove the White-bait to the strand and we could scoop kilos of little fishes with a bucket full of holes from the surf. I'm feeling old now.

 

[Icacos]

Celestial navigation works, but it requires study and the acquisition of knowledge through effort and its about time sumbody came up wiv an app to sort it.

Thanks for my morning chuckle!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

We used a weather rock
If it was wet..it was raining
If it was white..it was snowing
If it was coming at you...
It was because you were being an imp
Cheers!

A bit like this'n then?

 

[William Garza]

View attachment 19832

A bit like this'n then?

Exactly..
Our is called "The Aggie weather rock"
A reference a Texas University.

 

[DavidBoise]

I really did not see the necessity of a GPS in the Camino Frances. And used paper map only inside the cities. There was a funny episode - we passed by two young girls a few times along the day, and all the times they were ALWAYS looking at the phone. At some point we asked if they had any problems, and they said 'the map was just not quite right'.

We told them to follow the trail and keep the sun at their backs all the time, because they were going West. Their faces were like interrogation marks. Then we assured them that any time they felt 'the map was not right', they should walk with the sun at their backs. We were actually surprised that it sounded like a big discovery to anyone... Well, no judgements. They didn't know that, but I probably don't know how to operate a GPS

Knowing how to "use" a GPS relies on more than just looking at the screen. You've also got to know how to interpret what it's telling you. Kids should learn more about map reading. The wind and how to use paper maps before using a GPS. if it's "not right", then it's likely user inability to read it properly.

 

[William Garza]

Maps,
Sun on one,or other shoulder

Sun in eyes...no workee,
Sun,at back..same

Unless,you run 24hr clock,then my worthless tired hide could tell if it was dawn or dusk.
Some days the sap runs rich and powerful...
Can go for days just on life...

Some days..tired old bones,tired old eyes cant hold map, cant read..fall asleep standing on hind feet.

To walk again with the muses
Angels to hold me up
As i walk on through the silent nite,with the river of stars to shine the way home
I wonder if Saint Iago ever walked until the greeted day summoned him to bower.

 

[hecate105]

I went to a talk by the Tristan Gooley quoted in the article. His book is incredibly interesting and has resulted in me being far more observant than I was previously. It is filled with a plethora of natural signs and the way to decode and understand them. I feel far more confident with or without a map now!
'The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and signs' by Tristan Gooley. 2014.
ISBN 978-1-444-78008-6