Vikings explore the Artic and Northern Atlantic Ocean
around Greenland, Iceland, and Newfoundland. They
use the North Star as a reference point to guide them.
1900-Present
1768
1000
900
500-700
600 B.C
REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL EXPERIMENTAL MARÍTIMA DEL CARIBE
VICERRECTORADO ACADÉMICO – DIRECCIÓN DE
DOCENCIA COORDINACIÓN DE IDIOMAS
ENGLISH V.
UNIT III. Introduction to navigation.
Timeline of sea navigation. A timeline is a graphic representation
showing the passage of time as a line.
Read and order the events chronologically. Trace a line.
James Cook begins the first of three voyages in which
he maps the Pacific Ocean. He uses a chronometer to
obtain the first accurate determinations of longitude.
This is one of the first ocean investigations conducted
for scientific purposes.
Polynesians develop and elaborate system for
navigating between the many islands of the South
Pacific. They use indicators such as the stars, sun,
planets, moon, winds, clouds, currents, and tides as
―
landmarks
‖.
Navigators use electronics since the first days of radio.
Electronic navigation is now the common satellite-
based global positioning system. Today’s Global
Positioning System makes other electronic systems
obsolete.
Phoenicians explore the ocean with sailing
ships.
However, they have little understanding of the
unpredictable and overwhelming environment of the
ocean. They ―hug the coast‖ and go no further than
the coastline and near-shore environments.
The Chinese invent the compass contributing
substantially to ocean navigation. Early compasses are
nothing more than a floating magnetized needle in a
bowl of water. With the compass and their guide,
navigators of the sea venture further without fear.
