Navigation Without Electronics

[George Wade]

I try to understand both approaches, Roger, and keep both running. Especially keeping traditional navigation simple and reliable. So we used the air navigation tables having averaged 3 or 5 sights. A master mariner showed me a useful way of getting 5 or 10 sights in a row: set the sextant on a value that the (sun or star) was coming to, note it and write the hour; then note the time as the body touches the horizon.

Set the sextant to the next reasonable value, note it, and get ready for the next time. Repeat as many times as necessary to get a reliable average. If this is difficult to visualize I can make a picture, somehow, and link it.

First world navigators watching for wave trains scattering off reefs; clouds over lagoons — have an additional set of knowledge.

[David M]

The way I look at it, celestial nav is another tool to add to the navigators toolbox. Will I ever need that tool? Probably not, but I will sure be glad that tool is in there if I ever need it. As far as going to sea goes, its usually a good idea to have backups.