Night Navigation Training......how Often For "yourself"...???

So..........do you practice your "Night" Navigation training "Weekly" or "Monthly" or was it 46 years ago......???

So........how have you modified your monthly "Night" Navigation practice sessions over the last several decades.....???

So.......Any special considerations you have for different seasons, snow, ice, torrential rain, etc.. ???

Any tips that you have for others, reference "Night" Navigation training sessions....???

I have a couple. I wear a helmet and goggles or face shield at night. An easy method of mitigating eye and face and head injury, because I can't travel looking at the ground and limb hazards at the same time. I also avoid having stuff attached to my body, that constantly get snagged on trees and rocks. So no Battle belt, no pants with cargo pockets, duck tape boot laces, smallest pack, etc.. I always wear gloves, as falling at night is common for me. I have also discovered that firearms that I prefer during the daylight, are a pain and often dysfunctional for "Night" Navigation.......especially in high bear encounter areas.......(Ask me how I discovered that). Which is why I learned to have a "REAL" flashlight ultra handy.

 

Ooops.......I forgot, knee pads and elbow pads. Yes, I fall a lot traveling in the dark, but that might just be a personal issue.

 

In the interest of full disclosure.........I confess that if it is a new to me area, I try to walk it in the daylight prior to night travel. Some of this area is nearly impossible to travel on a perfect bright warm and sunny day.

 

In reply;

Practice sessions for limited visibility land navigation have been modified by me over the last several decades. Every year I saddle soap the leather cases of needed instruments.

Warm weather matters are easy: Remain at shelter. Do not leave. Adjust for cabin fever operations. It is dangerous to walk in this area. All the wild life such as raccoons are deemed rabid. There are new species of ticks now present. The snakes, unless having many pet mongooses, are not that friendly. Worse; because there are so many horses around here, there are many mosquitoes around here. They test positive for those dread viruses. Many of the locals and transients are not people-friendly especially if you won't loan then your surveying compass with transiting telescope in nice leather case.

Cold weather: Realistic to start from here around the Chesapeake Bay - WITH a team. It cannot be done alone.

Tips for others: Chronometers not necessary in area of Chesapeake Bay. Prior to traveling 2 hours true west, the morbidity and mortality charts will take over.

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IBME; I thought you said you were near 80 yo !

 

72.5 y/o

 

We are the same age.

I do have a dash more of infirmities. Sometimes, even putting on gloves can be a project.

 

It doesn't get dark here in the summer. In the winter I leave tracks and any moon would be amplified off the snow. IR is better here.

 

I have always been a nightwalker and love the woods at night. Moving in the dark is like any other skill and can only be improved by practice. I have always been especially comfortable in the dark. I always thought that it was in part because I had very poor sight as a small child and this wasn't discovered until I was about 8 years old. I was well adapted to living in a world where things were blurred and not clearly seen.

I also learned early how to improve my "seeing" in the dark by always looking to the side rather than straight ahead and to never look up. Even a partial moon can damage your night vision. I almost never used to trip and fall and was able to walk almost totally silent. I would channel my inner wolf and seem to just be able to flow through the woods. I never felt lost and always could just return to where I started usually by the most direct route and not by backtracking.

I worked at night and when I got off at midnight I usually ate a little and then went walking. I usually headed into the woods but also walked the empty streets at night fairly often. I preferred the woods in part because that way I didn't have to deal with cops wanting to know what I was doing walking all alone at 1 in the morning. They acted as if it was against the law to walk on public streets at night.