Using The North Star

You know how to find it, you know where to look, but do you know why to look?

The North Star sits directly over the North Pole and is a handy indicator at night for “which way is North” but it also serves one more very handy purpose.
The North Star tells you your latitude without any math or calculation. By measuring the angle from the horizon to Polaris (The North Star) with a sextant, you will instantly find your latitude!
Since the North Star is directly over the North Pole, this means that if you stood on the very pole itself and looked directly up, Polaris would be directly over you.
Your latitude would be 90* and the angle of observation in the sextant would also be 90.
If you were at the equator, at Latitude 0*, the North Star would be directly on the horizon (and not too clearly visible).
Therefore, every degree of latitude that you gain in the northern hemisphere, Polaris will also gain a degree of observation from the horizon.
This fact has been known for hundreds of years and in the old times (when navigation was more crude) navigation was performed with a board and a rope!

The board would occupy the void between the horizon and Polaris, and it was held a prescribed distance from the observer.
The prescribed distance was controlled by the rope, which would have knots tied in it. The observer would bite the desired knot and hold the board out away from their face until the rope went tight, then they would position the bottom of the rope so that it would lay at the horizon and the top of the rope so that it would lay at the North Star. If there was a gap between the board and the North Star, they knew they were too far north and needed to steer more south. If the Star was covered, then they were too far south and needed to steer more North until the Star was visible again. If the Star and horizon just touched the board, then they were at the correct latitude for their destination!

There was no measure of Longitude on a ship at that time so they simply sailed to the desired ports latitude and sailed East or West until they ran into it! Thankfully, the ability to keep time on a ship changed this crude behavior as longitude was then able to be calculated and the mysteries of “when will we get there” vanished!

Finding the North Star

Before you can use the North Star, you need to know how to identify it in the night sky.
I personally use three constellations to identify the North Star and confirm it’s identify.

1. The Big Dipper

2. The Little Dipper

3. Cassiopeia

The Big Dipper

Also know as Ursa Major (because it looks like a bear) is a very prominent and easy to spot constellation.

The two most important stars in the constellation are the last two of the dipper. If you follow an imaginary line out and away from the dipper, you will come directly to the North Star.

The Little Dipper

Also known as Ursa Minor (because it looks like a small bear) is a very important constellation in the night sky! This is because the last star in the constellation is actually the North Star! The tip of the tail is actually (in my opinion) the most important star in the night sky when it comes to navigating at sea without technology or electronics.
the Big and Little Dippers actually lay in 69 to each other in the night sky.
If you see The Big Dipper and follow the imaginary line to the North Star, then you should now see the Little Dipper constellation.

I know I was making fun of the constellations for being called Bears because the line drawings I have made look nothing like bears! This is the actual accepted constellation for The Dippers. The full constellation has many more lines and it turns out that the “Dipper” is just the body and tail (very long tails by the way). The constellations have legs and a head, but honestly, you won’t see these features unless you are away from all light pollution on a clear moonless night.
Where can you find that? Out at sea of course!

Cassiopeia

The last constellation I use is Cassiopeia, which looks like a W but is actually a dancing woman!
Cassiopeia lies opposite the dipper of The Big Dipper and about just as far as the Big Dipper is from the North Star.

The reason I use three constellations is because I want to make sure I am looking at the right star. With one I’m pretty sure, with two, I’m very sure, and with three, I’m certain!

The other reason to know multiple constellations (especially constellations that are opposite each other in the night sky) is because if you are near the equator, the North Star will be low on the sky. This means that some of the constellations will be under the horizon and obscured from your view!
Having more visual landmarks in the sky will help orient you and prepare you to better locate the North Star for your navigation at sea.

The North Star

Polaris, so named for its position directly over the North Pole is a special star.
Yes, you can measure your exact latitude by simply measuring the angle between the horizon and the Star, and you can use it to identify North without the aid of a compass, but it has one interesting attribute in the night sky.

It is stationary.

All the stars in the night sky revolve around the North Star. Constellations will change sides in the sky or rotate to be entirely upsidown, but the North Star remains a fixed beacon of truth in the darkness of night.

Cooking Tools You Can Bring to Your Next Sea Adventure

Level up your trip to the beach by pondering about different activities to do there apart from water sports and swimming. For instance, you can camp out by the beach and as long as it is allowed, you can even light up a bonfire in the evening and roast marshmallows while everyone is gathered around, sharing stories, singing, and dancing. In the morning, have a cook fest because you will never run out of fresh seafood and ingredients that can make up a delectable dish when you are out on the beach. In line with the latter, below are some cooking tools you can bring to your next sea adventure.

Knives and Cooking Utensils

Perhaps the most important cooking tool that you should never forget is, of course, a multipurpose knife. You actually have the option of bringing with you a full set that is securely organized in a sealed container so that you are sure to have a fillet knife readily available for you to prepare fresh fish. Nevertheless, you can also opt for a multi-purpose utensil wherein the spoon and a fork already comes with a knife. There is also a complete set of utensils, good for camping, which you can likewise bring to the beach. These complete sets often come with all the things you need to prepare your ingredients and cook the dish. Often, a complete set even comes in an organizer or pouch that keeps all your kitchen essentials in place.

Pots and Pans

Aside from cooking utensils, you also need to bring some pots and pans with you. There are those made from aluminum, which makes them durable and strong, while there are also those made from stainless steel, which makes it more heavy-duty. You can also opt to bring titanium-made pots and pans which are often easy to clean and lightweight.

Collapsible Cups and Bowls

Collapsible cups and storage bowls make it easy for you to fit them into your kitchen bag when they are empty because you can simply fold them down. Often, these are made from silicone materials which makes them durable and easy to clean. These can hold both hot and cold food and drinks and they even come in different colors and sizes. Because of their bold colors, it will be easier for you to remember the dish contained in them even without having to open the seal from time to time, reducing the risk of your food being spoiled.

Barbeque Grill

If the space in your car allows for it, you can bring a barbeque grill station with you, but that is without the cart. A BBQ grill store will most likely have this model in parallel with a grill station with carts. If it is for your outdoor kitchen, it is preferable that you go with the modular island type of barbeque grill station. Nevertheless, if it is for your sea adventure, you can always opt for the portable charcoal grill. The portable ones fold up like a briefcase, making it easy for you to carry them anywhere you go. In any case, you can always consider renting from the nearby beach resorts within the vicinity.

Portable Stove

There are several types of portable stoves that you can consider such as liquid fuel stoves, compressed-gas stoves, or solid fuel stoves. Liquid fuel stoves use gas, kerosene, or alcohol, while compressed-gas stoves use butane. On the other hand, solid fuel stoves utilize wood or flammable pellets. These stoves slightly differ in terms of the environment they work with, as well as the time it takes for them to heat up to cook your food. For instance, compressed-gas stoves usually don’t work well in colder temperatures, but these can be perfect for your beach trip. Liquid fuel stoves may require more maintenance and more fuel bottles to keep them working, while solid fuel stoves may be too small in terms of cooking for a large group of people.

Cooking is definitely more fun when you are out on an ocean adventure because of the fresh ingredients that you can use to come up with fabulous dishes. As such, keep in mind to rent a barbecue grill from a nearby resort or bring a portable one because grilled seafood should always be part of the menu. Portable stoves will also come in handy, as well as collapsible cups and cutlery carefully organized in a pouch. These are only some of the cooking tools that will make your life easier in terms of preparing the food perfectly during a sea adventure.

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