Finding Direction in Nature Using Basic Techniques
Most of us love to go hiking or wander deep in the woods as long as we can go. Exploring the outside, especially in a forest or national park, is relaxing and addictive. Endless silence, no rush, no horn. Just tweets of birds and rustling of branches. But, fascinated by this beauty, we may spend hours in nature without realizing where we have actually gone to until we get lost if the area isn’t known well. And, what if our phone says no service thanks to being far away from civilization, do we know what to do? Apart from the necessity that we have to keep calm? Will you be able to know how finding direction in nature can be possible?
Direction with the Sun
First of all, as soon as realizing you don’t remember the vicinity, you must find a higher place to see all around from above. This shows where you are and possible route to go back. If doing this doesn’t work, that you cannot figure out where to go, then, only thing you have to do is detecting the position of the sun if there is no compass at your service. If the sun is rising, that way is the east as you know or if it is setting, its direction is the west. Or it may be high in the sky, then grab a stick to drive into the ground. Mark its first shade and thirty minutes later the second, to find the east-west direction. First shade shows the west, the second one shows the east. Guess where is the north?
Or, you can use your wrist watch, analogue one, pointing the hour hand at the sun for finding direction in nature. In the Northern Hemisphere, an imaginary line that divides twelve and the hour hand right in the middle shows the south. For the Southern Hemisphere, point twelve ‘12’ at the sun and an imaginary line between twelve and the hour hand indicates the north.
Also, moss grows on shady spots. Above the equator, northern side of the trees is most shaded and for the Southern Hemisphere, moss tends to grow on southern side of the rocks or trees if the area isn’t moist or near a water source. Examining general moss clumps that spread over or with an ant nest, you can find the direction. Ants build their nest towards the north and the mouth of the nest opens to the south.
With the Moon
As for night, the moon is always up there for finding direction in nature. It follows the route of the sun, so, its movement will be from the east to the west. Waiting a bit, you can see the line it heads through. Moreover, crescent or waning crescent phases of the moon say more than they actually seem. From the horns, draw an imaginary line upwards and if it seems like a ‘little d’, opposite direction of the letter is the west, if it seems like a ‘little b’, opposite direction of the letter is the east.
Navigation with stars
Identifying the Big Dipper constellation, only seen in the Northern Hemisphere, comprised of seven bright stars and looks like a dipper, you can find the North Star which always shows the north. How to find it then? The two stars that form the outer edge of the Big Dipper’s bowl point toward the North Star. With an imaginary line that is extended from them two stars, approximately five times, it will be detected easily.
Fortunately, there is a constellation of stars that can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere, the Crux. They look like cross-shaped stars of four. An imaginary vertical line that cut the imaginary vertical direction of the cross shows the south.
Lastly, finding the direction having used one of these methods, you should visualize the map of the region you are in so as to decide where to go. Roughly, you may have an idea concerning which way could be the right one. If you cannot, head to the north or south. Because, rivers, brooks or other streaming water sources generally flow through the north-south direction, and people live near water. Just make sure that you are going in a straight line, not making circles. If you don’t want things to get worse, try not to move in the darkness.
One last hint. If you have a needle, rub it on your woolen outfit or your hair to magnetize it with static electricity. Then place it on the water. Due to the earth’s magnetic field, it will show north-south direction ( which one is north isn’t clear ).
