Time measurement in wilderness
How many different ways are there to measure time in the wilderness without a time keeping device from civilization?
I was watching a recent episode of Discovery Channel's "Dude, You're Screwed" where the new guy basically lost the game because he could not tell time and did not sleep enough (On summer solstice above arctic circle in Norway). Other than that he had great skills.
Most of us were taught to use our fingers or hand against the horizon with sun (best to use electronic clock to calibrate your hand first). Here is a link, my words are boring.
http://howtowilderness.com/2012/01/0...-measurements/
But how about moon and star movements, logs burning, water draining from hole, ice melting, cord wicking water from a pot and so many more. Just ideas off the top of my head, I have never tried these or calibrated them. I apologize if there is a very long thread on this already and I was not able to find, it just seemed like a fun discussion.
Also, how difficult is the hand method to use above the arctic circle where on W.S. the sun is basically moving along the horizon not down to it?
Edit: a related thread
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...me+measurement
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/chp18.php
time measurement, simpler is often better
Quote:
Originally Posted by
LowKey
Losing a game just because you don't know when to sleep? That's stupid. Even in a place with 24 hour "days" there is still a cycle to the sun. Might take a day or two to figure it out. In the meantime, sleep when tired.
That survival game on the Discovery Ch is not super realistic because it is made for TV, but basically they blindfold the guy and take him somewhere he does not know and give him 100 hours to make it to civilization or find another human. This particular game the guy was allegedly blindfolded in Maine and taken to Norway. It seemed odd to me that he would not have at least put a stick in the ground and used a rock to mark and measure the shadow's movement. Whatever, he fell asleep while floating down the river did not see that he passed a road (i.e. best takeout to civilization), and proceeded on until he almost went over a waterfall, was pulled out and disqualified with over 20 hours still to go.
He was not given much useful stuff from civilization (like a candle or pot), but something burning slowly in or beside the fire should have told him he only slept 3 hours not 6-9 hours. A takeaway for me was if you rush, you may make life endangering mistakes. So take the time to sleep enough and try to eat something that will not make you sick and has calories. Endurance race not a sprint.
When I was about 5 my grandfather in BC, Canada set up a large Swinging Pendulum to prove that the world rotates. Perhaps he was afraid I thought he lived on the N-pole or something, S.P. still rotates up there, but it was cool. This survival game guy could have used his axe or a heavy log and let it swing, but that is fairly complicated and such an improvised device would probably only swing for 15 min or an hour.
True north without a compass, time by sun and stars
Section10, I agree a large quality compass is very useful for this I have one of those with clear plastic that can be overlaid on a map. In worst case a iron/steel needle suspended from thread magntized with small powerful magnet may work but difficult, I need to experiment some time, I keep 2 needles in FAK. One yarn needle and one sharp upholstery, many other uses for these.
Using 2 sticks or rocks if skies are not overcast to determine movement of sun and stars works reasonably well, if you are far from distant mountain ranges using those in relation to sun/north star is good. Here are 2 links from WikiHow that are a little complicated and should be practiced or if you are like me you will quickly forget almost everything. Generally all I really care about in the wilderness is relative time, not exact time of day as measured by a clock, but remembering when sun up and sun down helps and when sun will reach max south (typically not noon by city folk's clocks).
http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-Time-Without-a-Clock
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-True-Nor...hout-a-Compass
Circadian Rhythm in Arctic Circle
I rarely take a watch/clock unless a shuttle/outfitter requires that I be at a trail end or river takeout at a particular time, but generally avoid this by leaving a vehicle parked there and shuttling to trailhead/putin. They are never on time anyway.
I have never lived for an extended time near the Arctic circle but I have worked night shift for many months and flown east/west by jet a lot and know how that can mess up my circadian rhythm. Especially as a person gets older if they go for days without enough continuous hours of sleep most will make dangerous judgement errors and lose coordination. Therefore in these situations I use ear plugs and a dark shirt or something over my eyes and disciple myself to sleep for more than just short cat naps at will. Not easy without some relatively accurate time measurement.
Time between flight attendant asking if me if I want another tiny drink is about "What the #%&!, I just fell asleep, leave me alone!!!".