Navigation and map making

[Zephyr]

I've a bit of a project and not sure how to start, ye historical darlings could save me some research time. Though not nautical in nature (but nature to be sure), I walk in a large and unmapped park with many meandering trails and fascinatn' foliage, that is essentially unmapped (that is, incorrectly and insufficently mapped). I've been trying to figure out how, with a compass and paper and pen, I could make a somewhat accurate map of the place...I'm sure we did projects about it in me school days, but for the life of me I can't remember.......ideas dears?

I plan to throw in some traditional "here thar be dragons", and"edge of the world", make it as like an olde mapp as possible.

Next, to chart the more spectacular and unusual flora and identify it, impossible with out I'm able to talk about locations to those-who-now. I was excited to find a cajeput tree last month.....

which reminds me, to display my ignorance, what do they mean, when using a sextant, when the take a sighting on the sun and bring it to the horizon.......any recommendations on a beginners guide to historical navigation?

[Captain Jim-sib]

Egads, tis what I teach to my darlin' college students in Geology Lab.

1) measure yer pace...a pace be two steps, not one as in the movies.

Mark off 50 ft & count yer paces in a "normal, unforced walk". Do this 2 or three times and take the average. Then get a ft/pace unit. A 6 ft. person has about a 5-5.5 ft/pace at "normal"

walk. Pace will vary as you go uphill & downhill.

2) Shoot a transit/compass direction. Record direction. Count paces

on that transit to a particular point or landmark. Record paces...multiply by ft/pace to get footage distance. You can plot and record as you go along your area. In plotting up yer course, remember that north be at the top of the page. A protactor will be handy to have.

3) Repeat #2 for all points you desire. If you encounter an obstruction while pacing your transit line, such as a tree, rock, or massive kudzu growth, side-step at right angles from your course to clear the obstruction, continue your pacing until you clear the obstruction, and then side-step back to your original course position.

4) In walking a course, you want to end at your first point. That will give you closure in your course

5) For a good source, check out an old Boy Scout Handbook (pre-1980) under the section of "Map and Compass" or "using a Compass"

or the Boy Scout Orienteering Merit Badge Book--both can be found at your local library or at a good used book store

[Zephyr]

Egads, tis what I teach to my darlin' college students in Geology Lab.

1) measure yer pace...a pace be two steps, not one as in the movies.

  Mark off 50 ft & count yer paces in a "normal, unforced walk".  Do this 2 or three times and take the average.  Then get a ft/pace unit.  A 6 ft. person has about a 5-5.5 ft/pace at "normal"

walk.  Pace will vary as you go uphill & downhill.

2)  Shoot a transit/compass direction.  Record direction.  Count paces

on that transit to a particular point or landmark.  Record paces...multiply by ft/pace to get footage distance.  You can plot and record as you go along your area.

3) Repeat #2 for all points you desire

4) In walking a course, you want to end at your first point.  That will give you closure in your  course

5) For a good source, check out an old Boy Scout Handbook (pre-1980) under the section of "Map and Compass"  or "using a Compass"

or the Boy Scout Orienteering Merit Badge Book--which can be found at your local library or a good used book store

stumbling about blindly I trip over a teacher! If only this happened in all aspects of me life (Gods are ye listening?).

Sounds as if I'd be best to map the perimiter first and then the interwinding/intersecting paths, that might even help "proof" my measurements. I can walk it a few times for an average, and perfection is not an issue, lives won't depend on it....a lot of the tree have botanical tags, make good markers and no obstructions, some tight twists and turns onthe trails, but, as before, perfection isn't an issue.........Thank you Cap't Jim (sib?)

I did wonder about the uphill downhill thing and worse when I start strolling taking inthe view, but I used to dance a bit and I imagine (hope) I can probably pace myself (ye learn that so you wont run into other dancers, where the expression "watch yer step" came from I think)

[HarborMaster]

Thats the way its done diving also., tie a string from a coral or other object., in a straight line say 100ft., swim !!! counting kick-cycles (1 left and 1 right) then swim back .,take the average., then use your compass and a dive slate to jot it all down.,get a compass bearing for the direction you are going to go.,jot it down...., start your kickcycle count into your desired direction count the strokes .,record that .,stop change outer dial on your compass to the new direction.,record that.,turn body into this new direction and begin counting kickcycles again.,record that., until you complete your task. The uphill downhill you lose on land., is the same under water depending on if you are swimming with a current against it or on its side. But you can do pretty well in either case with a little practice once you know your compass's parts and how they work. Also a diver can watch for underwater landmarks as well as sand drift on the floor during search and rescue patterns..,along with his compass and kick cycles.

HarborMaster

"note compass under right wrist"

[Captain Jim-sib]

Zephyr,

Did some edits on my original response that may be worthwhile for you.

As fer dancing yer way in map making...that would vary your pace.

Try sashsaying about...tis a more uniform step.

Besides, one's best work is done for thyself.

[Zephyr]

Thanks, I'll copy it again.

Not so much as dancing the terrain as using the practice of knowing how long yer steps are, if I start sashay n' me hip swing will put me off several feet (bellydance), left and right....though equally......

there is a large (ish) lake, well, marsh and lake, pehaps if I'm successful I'll try that too....once the west nile season is over, I've always wondered if ye really can breath through a freshly cut reed........(very mirky, slimy, not me' thing at all, the marsh........)

[Merrydeath]

make sure to see if there is any satelite pics of it on the county sites. Most counties/states have it on a website for housing, but I think you might get lucky with a park too..

gads do i even make sense anymore..

Nice merman pic, Harbormaster! I've never scuba'ed, but i hear its fun..

calm seas and no sharks to you all!

[HarborMaster]

Diving is AWESOME., Yes Merry if you ever get the chance., or even better yet., there is no chance., just save and MAKE IT HAPPEN. You can get a hands-on course thru any PADI certified dive shop or resort., for 3 to 5 hundred bux which is cheap for a dream or goal., and afterwards you get a lifetime PADI certifaction and dive license for anywhere in the world . most offer discounts for 2 or more .,Tell Scupper * He is going divin' with ya * "Licensed" .....,and besides you get to feed the fish out of your hand.., and its kewl 2

HarborMaster

Tropico

[KW Pirate]

aye, Merry, I have to put in me 2 pence and agree with the HarborMaster. I learned to dive after I came to Cayo Hueso, and it is AWESOME. I learned thru an SSI instructer, but PADI is more well known. It opens a whole new world, night diving and wreck diving are amazing!! One of my co-workers was a diver with Mel Fisher while he was looking for the Nuestra Senora de Atocha...and he's found several sponging wrecks with personal effects. If you ever get a chance it is 100% worth it to get certified.

Deadly Aim

Key West Pirate

[DocF225]

I must concur with Harbormaster and KW Pirate, SCUBA is more fun than mortals should be allowed to have wearing clothing.

I learned to dive as a lad (surfing an diving are natural hobbies when you grow up in San Diego). I really got into it during my service to me Country. I logged more than 1000 dives in 12 years. Dove all over the world. My favorite sport dive sites were the Turks & Caicos and Bonaire.

Sadly, I'm no longer able to dive due to intraocular pressure problems which may eventually leave me sightless. It seems the human eyeball isn't really equipped to handle constant high external pressures.

Sport diving is without doubt the greatest thrill. You see a whole new world.

[hitman]

I gotta learn how to scubba that and a private pilots license will pertty much complete most of my goals.......So far! If you ever get into cell nav ( not what you need for this project but...) at sailing.about.com there is a link to a downloadble copy of The Practical American Navigator (1995) The book that took cell nav out of the hands of the rich and put into anyones grasp. ( I say that but I still ain't quite sure half the time)

[Sjöröveren]

I'm not a diver, so I'll just mosey on back to the original topic if nobody minds...

The mapping method described so far is called a "metes and bounds survey." It was the most commonly used method for mapping small parcels of land until the mid 19th century, at least in the US. Using the techniques described so far, you should get a usable, if not terribly accurate map. It's also the best method to use if you're working alone. Another method you might consider is using a plane table. It's too complicated to describe here, but you should be able to find a tutorial online somewhere.

Now, if you're really just interested in getting a map, and not making a map, you should contact whatever park authority runs the park. They ar certain to have very detailed maps that they don't necessarily distribue to the public. Find someone in the planning department, and ask if they have an aerial survey map. If they don't have anything, find an aerial surveying company in your area. They'll charge you, but they should at least have a good quality aerial photo available. And if you still want a map, they could make one for you for about $10,000-$20,000.

[Zephyr]

And if you still want a map, they could make one for you for about $10,000-$20,000.

I'll order two.....Uh, what's yer credit card number darl'n? I'll thoughtfully send ye a copy, have the surveyor sign it.....

Will look up "plane table", though I'd prefer simple (ye made me curious). Should I use a graph paper?

Will attempt to find a map through the L.A. CO. parks (sure would save time, I could begin marking the botanica instead of pacing),

The park people tell me there isn't one and that all the trails are not named so they can't make one themselves (sounds weird I know, but you'd have to live here to consider it).

vetching: I live in a section known as the "county strip", we are

maintained by the "city" (when they do anything (I mean "if"), my guess is that I will have completed my map ( I don't have a lot of time for this) before I find the right person/department or have any sort of intelligible reply. I think they do it to teach the citizens self reliance. I called Nasau County, New York (many many moons ago) to request a copy of my birth certificate and spoke to one of the two women who worked in that office (she was charming). They made a copy and sent it, trusting me to send a check (not policy, but kind to special circumstances). Real people.

Some day I will live in a real town.

[blackjohn]

Just curious, how goes the quest?

If you've hit some dead ends, you might want to try looking for aerial or satellite imagery at:

http://www.terraserver.com/

Or, check or at the area on a quad, though this may be too smale scale for what you are doing:

http://geography.usgs.gov/partners/viewonline.html

Blackjohn

[hitman]

Hey this is a little late but I found this program a few days ago and so far it's been great. Its free and uses the server blackjohn mentioned and allows the creation of both photo and topo maps. Also and most importantly ...it's free here is the length but beware it ain't 56k friendly as it downloads the pics from the terrain server.

http://jdmcox.com/

Its a good program hope you like it.