I like the old school navigation of dead reckoning even if it’s not very accurate. With a compass built into our binoculars, its easy and accurate to get a bearing. As we were going down Lake Erie I was wondering where the Weland canal came in (the canal around Niagara Falls), I was hoping to see some commercial traffic. I could see it on the electronic charts but I couldn’t see it on land and then it hit me, this is a big loss with electronic charts, not being able to get a bearing to a target. I’m sure there is a way, but I haven’t figured it out yet. Likewise, I wouldn’t know how to put a bearing in to validate our current position. Instead, I use the phone or the iPad to validate the chartplotter and we already know how well those devices have worked in Canada -NOT. As long as GPS doesn’t go out I’ll be fine, but if I need to dead reckon, give me those paper charts!
What a beautiful working replica of this historic ship. It is used today as a training ship and offers 10day expeditions for youth to learn the ways of sailing a Brigg. It is about as exact as you can expect. I loved their use manila rope, linseed oil, and other items that gives it the smell of an old ship – I don’t know what it is but it’s very familiar. Below decks were tight, it only had a 5ft ceiling in the galley area – how anyone could operate in that space long term was beyond me but the professional crew does. Galley stove and 5ft ceiling - how do they do it? Watching it sail was like stepping back it time. It passed us on the breakwater silently, tall, and majestic. It was easy to imagine the awe seeing this come into an isolated harbor like Presque Island 200 years ago. Something so big and complicated carrying so many men and cannon would change the balance of power with its arrival. It would intimidate the st...
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