The sun, a watch, a sewing needle, a piece of silk, and a starry sky: that's all you need to find north and get home. Here's how to do it, step by step.
The sun, a watch, a sewing needle, a piece of silk, and a starry sky: that's all you need to find north and get home. Here's how to do it, step by step.
We rarely set out thinking we might get lost. Yet, it only takes a poorly marked trail, a sudden fog, or an accident that leaves you in a completely unfamiliar area for the question to become urgent: which way is north?
Preparation changes everything. Before you leave, memorize the terrain, the direction of river flows, the high points, notable landscape features, prevailing winds, known dangers, and check the phase of the moon as well as the times of first and last light. This information, learned calmly at home, becomes invaluable if things go wrong.
And beware of the classic trap: most people greatly overestimate the distance they have traveled. You think you've gone five kilometers, but you've only covered two. The trick is to match the terrain you see with what you believe you are reading, not the other way around.
A final useful reflex: if you don't have a map, draw one. Climb to a high point (or a tree), note the direction of the ridges, count them, mark the waterways, isolated rocks, strange trees, and areas of different vegetation. You will leave some blanks, which you can fill in later. This map will guide you back to camp, which is vital if you go looking for help while leaving behind injured individuals, children, or elderly people.
Before even looking at the sky, look around you. Plants grow towards the sun: in the northern hemisphere, the flowers and the most abundant vegetation will face south, while in the southern hemisphere they will face north. It's rough, but it's already an indication.
On the trunks, the moss is greener and denser on that sunny side, while it turns yellowish or brown on the opposite side. Bark with marked grain shows a tighter grain on the north side. And if a tree has fallen or been cut down, examine the stump: growth is stronger on the equatorial side, so the rings are more spaced there.
Some species are outright indicators. The North American compass plant aligns its leaves along a north-south axis (its silhouette viewed from the east or west looks nothing like that seen from the north). In South Africa, a plant known as the pole plant leans towards the north to capture the maximum sunlight.
The wind also leaves its signature. Where a prevailing wind always blows from the same side, trees and shrubs are bent in one direction. Birds and insects build their nests sheltered from the wind, spiders cannot weave in the draft, and snow as well as sand dunes sculpt themselves into ridges that the wind attacks on the outer flank. By the sea or a large lake, the breeze generally blows from the water to the land during the day and reverses at night: a very regular day/night rhythm tells you that there is a large body of water in the direction of the daytime wind.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west... but not exactly, and this varies with the seasons. However, when it is at its highest point in the sky, it indicates true south in the northern hemisphere and true north in the southern hemisphere. Shadows, on the other hand, move clockwise in the north and counterclockwise in the south.
Hence the stick and shadow method, the most reliable of all. Plant a straight stick about one meter tall in flat, open ground. Mark the tip of its shadow with a stone. Wait at least a quarter of an hour, then mark the new tip. Connect the two markers: you have the east-west axis, with the first marker being west. The north-south axis is perpendicular. This works at any sunny hour and at any latitude.
A more precise version if you have time: mark the shadow in the morning, draw a semicircle at that exact distance from the stick using the stick as the center. The shadow will shorten towards noon, then lengthen. Mark the EXACT point where it touches the arc in the afternoon. The line between the two points gives east-west, with the morning marker being west.
At night, the stars take over. In the northern hemisphere, everything revolves around the North Star, the only one that seems motionless, almost directly above the pole. To find it: the two stars on the edge of the Big Dipper (Dubhe and Merak) point towards it, about four times the distance that separates them. Cassiopeia, shaped like a W, is on the other side of the North Star at roughly the same distance, and its central star points almost directly at it. Orion, recognizable by its three belt stars, rises due east and sets due west, visible in both hemispheres, very handy near the equator.
Nota Bene: you can also use any star (except the North Star) by planting two stakes of different heights to aim. If the star seems to rise, you are looking east; if it descends, you are looking west; if it describes a flat loop to the right, you are looking south; to the left, you are looking north. It’s approximate but sufficient for navigation, and everything is reversed in the southern hemisphere. The moon also provides an east-west reference: if it rises BEFORE sunset, its illuminated face is to the west; if it rises AFTER midnight, its illuminated face is to the east.
A good old-fashioned analog watch makes a very decent compass, with one condition: it must be set to the actual local solar time, without daylight saving time and without considering administrative time zones that do not align with true time.
In the northern hemisphere, hold the watch horizontally, point the hour hand towards the sun, then bisect the angle formed between this hand and the 12 o'clock mark: the bisector gives you the north-south axis.
In the southern hemisphere, you reverse the action. With the watch still flat, this time point the 12 towards the sun, and it is the point halfway between the 12 and the hour hand that indicates the north-south axis. Nothing more, but it's important to know, as applying the northern method in the southern tropics would cheerfully send you in the wrong direction.
One limitation to be aware of: the closer you get to the equator, the less accurate the method becomes. With the sun almost directly overhead, determining its direction becomes quite acrobatic. In this case, revert to using a stick and its shadow, or Orion at night.
No compass in the bag? You can make one. The principle is simple: a small elongated piece of ferromagnetic metal, magnetized and then allowed to pivot freely, will align itself with the Earth's magnetic field. A sewing needle is the ideal object, but a thin wire will do.
The magnetism obtained will remain weak, and it will need to be recharged regularly. Another crucial point: your needle indicates an axis, not a direction. It won't tell you where north is by itself. Therefore, you must first establish the general direction of north using another method (stick and shadow, watch, Polaris), identify which end corresponds to north, and then mark that end once and for all.
Then, always check your readings with the sun. And beware of fanciful readings: the presence of a large mass of ferromagnetic metal nearby (vehicle carcass, tools, stacked carabiners) is enough to completely deflect the needle.
Nota Bene: "ferromagnetic" simply means containing iron. An object made of aluminum, copper, or brass will never become magnetized, so there's no need to insist. Discreetly test your small metal objects with the magnetized blade of a knife or a survival magnet if you have one.
This is the most rustic version, and it works. Take your needle (or your wire) and rub it repeatedly against a piece of silk, always in the same direction. No back and forth: one movement, lift it, and start again from the same starting point.
After a series of regular passes, the metal becomes slightly magnetic. This is enough for a suspended needle to orient itself, but the effect is weak and fades quickly. Plan to repeat the operation several times a day if you are navigating throughout the day.
In terms of materials, silk is found more often than you think: jacket lining, scarf, tie, certain ribbons. If not, the idea remains the same with a very smooth fabric, but silk gives the best results.
One important detail: never change direction halfway through. Rubbing in both directions cancels out the work already done, and you end up with an inert needle that spins randomly.
If you have a magnet on hand, forget about silk: it's significantly more effective. Move the magnet over the metal in a steady motion, from one end to the other, and always in one direction. Again, lift the magnet before starting over.
You can find them in a car speaker, a small electric motor, or certain bag clasps. The magnetism obtained is stronger and lasts longer than through textile friction.
The second option, if you have a power source of two volts or more, like a small dry battery: electricity magnetizes very well. You need a piece of electrical wire, preferably insulated. Wrap the wire in a spiral around the needle, and if the wire is not coated, first wrap the needle with a few layers of paper or a piece of cardboard. Then connect both ends of the wire to the terminals of the battery for five minutes.
The third variant, pretty and lesser-known: a flat, thin razor blade can serve as a compass needle because it is made of two metals assembled together. It is magnetized by carefully rubbing it on the palm of your hand, then it is suspended like a needle.
A magnetized needle is useless if it cannot turn freely. The classic method involves suspending it in a loop of thread, ensuring that the loop does not unbalance the needle: it must remain perfectly horizontal; otherwise, it will spin on itself without ever stabilizing.
A second precaution, often overlooked: the thread should have neither twists nor kinks. A slightly twisted thread unwinds gently while turning, dragging the needle along with it, and giving you a reading that constantly shifts. Let the thread hang freely for a few seconds before attaching the needle, allowing it to untwist by itself.
Finally, protect the whole setup from the wind, which is enough to make such a light assembly turn. A rock hollow, the inside of a container, or the shelter of your body: anything that cuts off the airflow.
The advantage of suspension: it is the most practical in motion, as you can take it out, read it, and put it away in a few seconds without spilling anything.
At a stop, at camp, or during a longer break, there is something better than suspension: floating the needle. Place it on a small floating support - a piece of paper, a fragment of bark, a few blades of grass - and gently set it on the surface of the water.
Free from any friction, the needle pivots with remarkable smoothness and stabilizes on the north-south axis. This is the clearest reading you will get with improvised materials.
In practice, a quarter of a pot, a lid, a footprint filled with rainwater, or a simple puddle will suffice. Place the container on a stable support, away from metal tools and anything containing iron, and let the vibrations settle before reading.
Remember the distribution of roles: the suspended needle for progression, the floating needle at the bivouac. And in both cases, a check in the sun before setting off again, to avoid building an entire day of walking on a questionable reading.
Knowing where north is doesn't help much if you set out just as a storm is brewing. Getting caught in bad weather can be fatal: there is a time to move forward and a time to seek shelter.
Start by understanding the mechanics. Air moves from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas, warm air expands and rises, while cooler air rushes in below. As it rises, warm air carries moisture that condenses into clouds and then falls as rain. This is evident in mountainous regions: mountains force air to rise, rain falls on the slopes, and the opposite side can be a dry area sheltered from rain.
The wind is a valuable indicator. Always take note of the wind direction and the accompanying weather: wind coming from a certain direction generally brings the same type of weather. A strong, dry wind indicates stable weather until it weakens or shifts, at which point rain may arrive. In foggy or misty weather, you will have condensation but no rain, unless a wind picks up and clears the fog, in which case it may turn to rain. And on a clear day, a noticeable increase in wind strength signals a change.
The rest are the small signs accumulated:
Insectivorous birds like swallows hunt high in good weather, low when a storm approaches.Unusual activity from rabbits during the day, or squirrels bringing more food than usual to their nests, can precede a deterioration.The smoke from a campfire rising straight up indicates stable weather, while smoke that swirls or dips after a brief ascent indicates showers or storms.Wooden tool handles tighten as bad weather approaches, salt absorbs moisture and stops flowing.Curly hair curls more, like animal fur, and rheumatic pains or corns awaken before rain.Sounds carry further and distant noises seem clearer; moist air acts as a soundboard. The scent of trees and plants becomes more pronounced.
Finally, the sky speaks volumes. A red sky at night suggests good weather ahead, while a red sky in the morning calls for caution: a red sunset indicates a dry atmosphere, so little risk of rain or snow in the next two hours, whereas a red morning sky usually signals an approaching disturbance. A gray morning generally starts a dry day, while a gray and overcast evening indicates rain. Fog rising from a valley in the early morning is a sure sign of good weather, but in hilly terrain, if it hasn't lifted by noon, it will likely linger all day and turn to rain by late afternoon. A clear night sky indicates settled weather, but also, at the end of summer, a risk of frost, as without clouds the ground loses its heat. Cold air being heavy fills the hollows: avoid camping there. Finally, a colored halo around the sun or moon that widens indicates good weather; if it tightens, it signals rain.
Clouds are the most reliable weather signs, provided you observe their evolution more than their shape at a given moment. They form from water vapor that condenses as it cools, droplets grow until they fall as rain, and they dissipate when the temperature rises. A general rule to remember: the higher the clouds, the better the weather.
At high altitude, cirrus clouds are those white, wispy clouds made of ice crystals, the famous mare's tails, a sign of good weather. Cirrostratus, also made of ice particles, resemble a white veiled sheet, and they are the only ones to produce a halo around the sun or moon: a growing halo indicates good weather, while a shrinking halo means rain. If a sky covered with cirrus clouds darkens and transforms into cirrostratus, expect rain or snow. Cirrocumulus, small rounded masses resembling rippled sand (a sky described as "mackerel" or "sheep-like"), often follow a storm and dissipate, leaving a bright blue sky.
At the mid-level, altocumulus look like larger, thicker, less white cirrocumulus, with shadows: fair-weather clouds that often appear after a disturbance. Altostratus form a grayish veil through which the sun or moon is just a milky disk, and if the disk disappears while the cloud thickens and darkens, rain is on the way.
Down below, things get worse. Nimbostratus form low, dark blankets, frankly depressing: rain or snow within four to five hours, often for hours. Stratocumulus create a low, rolling, bumpy mass covering the entire sky, sometimes thin enough to let the sun filter through: a few light showers possible, but they generally dissipate by afternoon, leaving a clear night. Stratus are the lowest of all, a uniform layer resembling fog - referred to as hill fog when they cling to the terrain - they are not rain clouds but can produce drizzle, and if they form thickly at night and cover the sky by morning, the day will generally be nice. Cumulus, those cauliflower-like white balls, signal good weather when they remain well separated, but if they grow and develop multiple heads, they can unleash sudden heavy showers. A valuable detail at sea: isolated cumulus in an otherwise clear sky often signal land below. As for cumulonimbus, dark and threatening, they can reach 6,000 meters with a flattened anvil-shaped top: hail, strong winds, thunder, and lightning. No discussion, seek shelter.
Two complementary signs to remember: small black clouds streaming under a dark stratus layer often bring showers, and clouds clinging to heights indicate rain if they haven't lifted by noon.
Let's summarize what you can do starting tomorrow, without any special equipment:
The stick and its shadow: a straight one-meter stick, two shadow marks spaced at least fifteen minutes apart, the line connecting them indicates east-west (first mark = west), with north-south perpendicular to it. Valid everywhere, at any sunny hour.The hour hand watch: facing north, the hour hand points towards the sun and bisects with 12. Facing south, 12 points towards the sun and is the midpoint with the hour hand. To be set to actual solar time.The stars: find the North Star using the two stars of the Big Dipper (four times their distance apart) or the central star of the W in Cassiopeia. In the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross: extend its long axis four and a half times its length, then drop vertically to the horizon to find south, identifying a landmark or planting two stakes to retrace the direction by day.The magnetized needle: rubbed on silk always in the same direction, or better with a magnet, or even with five minutes of current from a two-volt battery. Suspended in a loop of non-twisted wire for walking, placed on a floating support at the water's surface while camping. And mark the north end once and for all.Natural signs: denser vegetation and greener moss on the sunlit side, wider tree rings towards the equator, trees leaning from the prevailing wind, nests sheltered from the wind, shaped dunes and snowdrifts, moon illuminated in the west if it rises before sunset, in the east if it rises after midnight.
Additionally, add the weather reflex: smoke from the fire, height of swallows, color of the sky morning and evening, halo that widens or narrows, and especially the height of clouds. These observations will determine whether to walk or seek shelter.
None of these methods can be mastered by reading. Practice in your garden, in a park, on a Sunday walk: plant a stick, compare it with your phone, magnetize a needle and watch it turn. The day you really need it, the gestures will already be in your hands, and that’s exactly where the difference lies.
Author Audrey on 02 June 2023
Sports and Leisure : Leisure
Author Audrey on 18 March 2024
Sports and Leisure : Leisure