The History of Navigation
Published on 5. November 2018
Book
Hardback
209 pages
978-1-5267-3169-2 (ISBN)
Description
Today travellers by land, sea and air take accurate navigation for granted but it was not always thus.
The author, a highly experienced sailor, sets out to record the development of navigational techniques from the earliest time, five millenniums ago. As explorers started to venture offshore into the unknown they had to rely on the sun and stars for direction. From this pioneers turned to mathematics, astrolobes, sextants and increasing accurate clocks to measure latitude and later longitude. More recently major breakthroughs with electronic navigation, GPS and other satellite systems have revolutionised travel.
Focusing primarily but not exclusively on marine navigation, the author weaves a fascinating course through the successes and failures of mankind's quest to explore his world. The result is a thoroughly entertaining and informative work which has no rival.
The author, a highly experienced sailor, sets out to record the development of navigational techniques from the earliest time, five millenniums ago. As explorers started to venture offshore into the unknown they had to rely on the sun and stars for direction. From this pioneers turned to mathematics, astrolobes, sextants and increasing accurate clocks to measure latitude and later longitude. More recently major breakthroughs with electronic navigation, GPS and other satellite systems have revolutionised travel.
Focusing primarily but not exclusively on marine navigation, the author weaves a fascinating course through the successes and failures of mankind's quest to explore his world. The result is a thoroughly entertaining and informative work which has no rival.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
South Yorkshire
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
60 black and white photographs
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
700 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5267-3169-2 (9781526731692)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Dag Pike first went to sea aged 16 on tramp ships and experienced his first shipwreck two years later. He became the youngest Trinity House lighthouse tender captain aged 29\. He went to become an Inspector of Lifeboats responsible for some 50 RNLI stations.
He has participated in six Atlantic record attempts and, as a member of the Italian Destriero project, made the fastest crossing averaging over 53 knots.
Dag has written over 40 books and contributes regularly to marine magazines worldwide. His most recent Taming the Atlantic (Pen and Sword Maritime 2017) draws on his extensive experience.
He lives at Bristol.
He has participated in six Atlantic record attempts and, as a member of the Italian Destriero project, made the fastest crossing averaging over 53 knots.
Dag has written over 40 books and contributes regularly to marine magazines worldwide. His most recent Taming the Atlantic (Pen and Sword Maritime 2017) draws on his extensive experience.
He lives at Bristol.