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II've often thought if I ever sailed the world I might do it without too much information or too much instrumentation, to rediscover the world for myself, the old ways. I'm convinced it can be done just as safely. It just takes longer. I wouldn't get as far, but whatever I discovered I could call my own. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />


Have you read about the South Pacific islanders who navigate by their butt? They feel the timing and sequencing of the waves that are constant throughout their area. They used to use this method to help travel hundreds of miles on open sea. Some have kept this lore alive and can still use it. Amazing . . .
That is pretty amazing. I know from sailing small boats, and bigger boats also, you get alot of information from the seat of your pants. Kinesthetic sense is wicked important for sailing, mostly for good boatspeed and good boathandling, but its fascinating that it can be for navigation also. I think kinesthetics is a combination of the entire body dynamics, plus the inner ear. Besides hearing and kinesthetics the ear is also what gives you wind speed and direction, and changes in wind speed and direction. If you cover your ears sailing, or paddling for that matter, its like sailing in the dark. Of course sometimes you have to, especially for paddling, because if you let your head and ears get cold you can lose your sense of balance big time, and judgement. Hats with earflaps are good so you can flap up and flap down. Even when hiking in a cold wind I flap up now and then or take my hat off when I can, probably just out of habit more than anything, to get a better sense of what the wind it doing. That's what thousands of hours of sailing will do to you I guess. I get hit by a wind shift and have to keep myself from tacking or gybing. lol