In May I travelled to Polynesia on a project with the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation to explore how modern sailors in European waters can apply natural navigation techniques used by Pacific seafarers thousands of years ago. From watching birds to gazing at stars, riding waves and spotting clouds, we hoped to create a new way of navigating that brings together the best of both worlds, embracing technology while celebrating the timeless beauty of natural techniques. In this article I will focus on stars, exploring how a basic understanding of their movements can aid your night passages, adding an extra level of information to help you work out where you are and which way you’re heading.
POLE STARS
As you would imagine, there are two varieties of pole stars; one in the northern
