Orienteering
08-12-2009, 06:49 AM
#1
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Orienteering
Anyone into Orienteering?
If this is a new term to you, Orienteering is a competitive form of land navigation. It's for all ages and degrees of fitness and skill. It provides the suspense and excitement of a treasure hunt. The object of orienteering is to locate control points by using a map and compass to navigate through the woods.
Good video that gives a good explanation of the sport:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v58-RqssqUc
If this is a new term to you, Orienteering is a competitive form of land navigation. It's for all ages and degrees of fitness and skill. It provides the suspense and excitement of a treasure hunt. The object of orienteering is to locate control points by using a map and compass to navigate through the woods.
Good video that gives a good explanation of the sport:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v58-RqssqUc
08-12-2009, 09:52 AM
#2
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Now, I have to tell this story even though I’m glad no one was around to see it.
While I was setting out the controls the Saturday prior to an orienteering event, I needed to paddle around the lake to ensure that the control placements I had identified on the map were actually going to work. I decided to use a small inflatable rowboat instead of a canoe because I didn’t want to try and manhandle a canoe around by myself. While I was preparing the boat, the President of the ALTOS (Ark-La-Tex Orienteering Society) came by and asked me if anyone was going to watch me in that little boat. I told him that I would be alright and I had my life jacket on. He mumbled something about it being a pretty small boat and off he went.
After he left, I carried my little inflatable boat to the edge of the lake, put on my life jacket and got in. The minute I got in, I could feel the bottom of the lake underneath me. Knowing that I couldn’t float off, I began pushing off with one of the paddles. After finally getting 5 feet or so from the shore, I began to paddle. Opting to use one paddle instead of the required two, I paddled on one side (hoping to go forward). The front of the boat veered suddenly to one side. I put the paddle on the other side, the front of the boat veered suddenly to the other side. Thinking to myself, “this is not going to work”, I began to try to get back to the shore to get the other paddle. But guess what? Couldn’t make any progress. I then used the paddle as a push pole and managed to get back to the shore. As I pushed down on the boat to get out, I could hear the rushing of water as the boat filled up. At this point, I just stood up and stepped out into the lake. I dragged the boat up onto the shore and grabbed the other paddle.
I then pushed the boat back out into the lake and push poled myself out about 5 feet or so. I then put both paddles into their holder and began to try and row. Riiiiight! I don’t think this “bathtub toy” was ever actually meant to be rowed. All I managed to do was go around in circles. I could just imagine someone hiding behind a tree up on shore laughing their head off. I then pulled the paddles out, used both of them as push poles and manhandled my way back to the shore. Not going to school on myself, I once again pushed down on the boat to get out. What’s that I hear? Yep, it’s water again, rushing into the boat like a tidal wave. Hey, look, my GPS floats. That's cool!
I stepped out into the lake once again, threw the paddles up on shore and grabbed the little inflatable boat and threw it as hard as I could up on shore. I then waded to the shore and kicked the little inflatable boat. I thought, man that felt good. So I kicked it again. Wow, look how high little inflatable boat flies up into the air. After a few more well-placed kicks, I managed to get it back to my truck.
I then grabbed my mountain bike and rode around the lake to finish what I had started.
While I was setting out the controls the Saturday prior to an orienteering event, I needed to paddle around the lake to ensure that the control placements I had identified on the map were actually going to work. I decided to use a small inflatable rowboat instead of a canoe because I didn’t want to try and manhandle a canoe around by myself. While I was preparing the boat, the President of the ALTOS (Ark-La-Tex Orienteering Society) came by and asked me if anyone was going to watch me in that little boat. I told him that I would be alright and I had my life jacket on. He mumbled something about it being a pretty small boat and off he went.
After he left, I carried my little inflatable boat to the edge of the lake, put on my life jacket and got in. The minute I got in, I could feel the bottom of the lake underneath me. Knowing that I couldn’t float off, I began pushing off with one of the paddles. After finally getting 5 feet or so from the shore, I began to paddle. Opting to use one paddle instead of the required two, I paddled on one side (hoping to go forward). The front of the boat veered suddenly to one side. I put the paddle on the other side, the front of the boat veered suddenly to the other side. Thinking to myself, “this is not going to work”, I began to try to get back to the shore to get the other paddle. But guess what? Couldn’t make any progress. I then used the paddle as a push pole and managed to get back to the shore. As I pushed down on the boat to get out, I could hear the rushing of water as the boat filled up. At this point, I just stood up and stepped out into the lake. I dragged the boat up onto the shore and grabbed the other paddle.
I then pushed the boat back out into the lake and push poled myself out about 5 feet or so. I then put both paddles into their holder and began to try and row. Riiiiight! I don’t think this “bathtub toy” was ever actually meant to be rowed. All I managed to do was go around in circles. I could just imagine someone hiding behind a tree up on shore laughing their head off. I then pulled the paddles out, used both of them as push poles and manhandled my way back to the shore. Not going to school on myself, I once again pushed down on the boat to get out. What’s that I hear? Yep, it’s water again, rushing into the boat like a tidal wave. Hey, look, my GPS floats. That's cool!
I stepped out into the lake once again, threw the paddles up on shore and grabbed the little inflatable boat and threw it as hard as I could up on shore. I then waded to the shore and kicked the little inflatable boat. I thought, man that felt good. So I kicked it again. Wow, look how high little inflatable boat flies up into the air. After a few more well-placed kicks, I managed to get it back to my truck.
I then grabbed my mountain bike and rode around the lake to finish what I had started.
08-12-2009, 06:26 PM
#3
JK Jedi
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Location: Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
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lol......
Yes, rowing a rubber raft, with two ores even, is an acquired skill. Glad you were able to get back to shore tho....
I remember orienteering from my days in scouts, but can't say I ever got into it. As a former big game guide here in Alaska I used a GPS quite a bit. But I never used it to navigate. All I ever would do was turn it on to get a bearing and turn it off right away (to save the batteries). After that all I would do was use the compass.
It sounds like orienteering would be great fun.
Yes, rowing a rubber raft, with two ores even, is an acquired skill. Glad you were able to get back to shore tho....I remember orienteering from my days in scouts, but can't say I ever got into it. As a former big game guide here in Alaska I used a GPS quite a bit. But I never used it to navigate. All I ever would do was turn it on to get a bearing and turn it off right away (to save the batteries). After that all I would do was use the compass.
It sounds like orienteering would be great fun.