The Natural Navigator

by Erik Falk

I really enjoyed to read "The Natural Navigator by Tristan Golley". Books with this subject are rare, not many on the market I know about.


What is natural navigation?

Natural navigation is the art of finding your way by using nature, without the aid of tools and instruments.

Natural navigation is an ancient art, and you will be given a lot of examples and fascinating stories from the history how people at different places of the earth have found their way by using information from the nature. They had no other alternative then to study what the nature provided.


The aim of the book

From the introduction of the book, the author writes: "The following chapters demonstrate how it is possible to find your way using natural navigation, but my primary aim is to give an insight into the beauty and possibilities of the subject."

The author's enthusiasm for the subject natural navigation is obvious and shines through within the book's pages.


Contents

The book contains 8 main chapters:

• The Land - Navigating naturally on land is about learning to take note of the things that do not always appear on maps and sensations which are not easily recorded. A lot of practical and useful tips for finding direction on land are described.

• The Sun - Of course, the sun is the obvious first choice of naturally navigation aid to use. However, there a more to learn about how to use the sun to find direction than the average outdoor enthusiast know.

• The Firmament - We all know that it's possible to navigate by the stars. After reading this chapter you definitely have a basic understanding of the concept.

• The Fickle Moon - Understanding the orbit of the moon and its phases is important to get help to finding direction.

• The Sea - For the maritime navigator the sky should be the first place to look. However, learning to read the sea to find direction was an important skill for ancient voyager.

• The Elements - The wind holds an important place for the natural navigator. Do you know that there are three levels of wind?

• Creatures of habit - The list of navigational clues that the animals can offer can be very long.

• Where am I - Navigation is not just about working out which way you need to go, it is also about understanding where you are.

On the negative side

What I miss is better and more informative images and diagrams. It would definitly greatly enhance the book.

I also guess some people will think that too much space has been given to ancient stories and waxing lyrical about the joys of natural navigation. :) However, one of the reasons I find this book so engaging is because it's written with great enthusiasm and joy.


Recommendation

I see this book as a great source of inspiration to learn natural navigation. Make sure you read this book. The art of natural navigation is far from dead.