Lost without a compass...

I had thought about writing this up, but some one had already done it.  If your are lost your watch and or a couple of sticks  can be used as a very rudimentary way of getting your tail home.


http://www.learn-orienteering.org/old/nocompass1.html

and if you have a compass, and not a watch, but need to be back at a specific time- you can do that trick to find the time...

agree with that one...

i always have this worst case fog scenario in my head...gps dies, for some reason i drop my compass...i figure worst case i paddle nearly with the swell (could be a really long paddle)

Okay not trying to be a smart a$$ here, but how many of you go out on rivers, or paddle in new places, hike on your own or go out of state some place you may not be entirely familiar with?  I am sure there are more than a few of us who do that.  Contrary to Popular belief, Not everything is about ocean kayaking.  I always like to think worst case, and be prepared. A slip or fall or worse you get separated, and the next thing you know your walking around in circles.   There a lot of folks who are super glued to a gps and think that is the only way to go.  Many of us are old enough to have learned these woodland tricks from our fathers and grandfathers, but a lot kids today, especially inner city kids, would not have a clue.  How many of you have passed this on to the next generation?  How many kids today have a clue how to start a fire with matches let alone without?   These are dying skills that we should try to keep alive.  I don't mean that you have run out buy up the Foxfire collection, but fishing and hunting are also dying sports.  I doubt it will happen in my life time ( I hope not), but I can see a day when hunting will be like it is Europe, for the Wealthy, or as some would prefer, not at all.  Once that happens sport fishing will be the next target, hell we already have a bull's eye on us.  By not passing on these skills, we seal the fate of our sport.