Question about navigation

[GeorgeKohler]

Let's say for the sake of argument that Al Gore is correct and the polar ice caps will be gone in a few years. This opens up a lot of water to boating.

Now, lets say I'm directly floating over the north pole and I want to get home to Raystown Lake in the good old U.S. of A. I obviously need to go south, but at this point, isn't every direction south? How do I know which way to go so I don't end up in Russia?

 

[Radioactive]

"How do I know which way to go"

a) Well, since the True North Pole is in a different location than the Magnetic North Pole, your compass still is useful.

b) Derived direction, using sequential GPS locations.

c) "The Nautilus method": Inertial Navigation.

d) Dead Reckoning.

e) Celestial Navigation.

f) follow Santa

 

[rnbenton]

If you're in a boat, directly on the North Pole, the problem will sort itself out very quickly.

Bob

 

[Sandy]

Too bad you aren't at the S Pole . They use homing penguins there.

Just punch in your destination coordinates to your GPS navigation device and it will guide you "there" same as always.

But hopefully you have a chartplotter so you can note there are substantial geographical surface obstructions between "Here" and "There", unless you are floating in a balloon or dirigible or are especially metaphysically advanced.

 

[pdecat]

Planes have been flying over the pole for a long time. GB will know.

 

[jmeirhofer]

As Bill said. Magnetic north and the North Pole are different things. If you at the North Pole you can still go north. If you are at magnetic north you can go SSW, SSE, SE, SW and several dirivitives of those.

 

[PascalG]

If you re floating over the North Pole because all the ice has melted, who cares where lake whateveritsname is, it will be part of th new Gore Ocean

 

[jtybt15]

I think if you're at true north, go directly at magnetic north which will direct you some place over northern canada. At least you'll be going in the general direction. I think it'll be kinda in the direction of kansas

 

[rbmitchell]

Kansas maybe, but you'll still have to change boats (planes)at Atlanta.