Navigation Log

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Which explains the importance of a good Ships Log, and includes an extract from an actual voyage.

Points to Note

The Ship's Log is the most important book on any vessel. When leaving their vessel for any period, the Navigator should always take the Ship's Log with them. When in foreign or hostile waters, an armed sentry should always be nearby. If you seize or impound a vessel, always confiscate the Log, and if perchance your ship is about to fall into enemy hands, destroy the Log, even at the cost of your own life.

• Always date each entry. If relevant, also record the time.
• Make an entry every day, no matter how brief. This will help to keep track of the days.
• Record every port, island, or landmark, and the distance between these, if known.
• At each port of call or anchorage, record the latitude.
• At each anchorage, channel, island, river mouth, or uncivilised port, record the Moon bearing for high tide. Also record the strength of the tide, if unusual.
• In shallow anchorages, coves, or near shoals, record soundings and the type of sea bottom.
• Record unusual or inclement weather, along with any warning signs.
• If contact with locals is made, record any history and a recommendation for future contacts.
• All discoveries, whether scientific, cultural or military, should be recorded with as many facts and little speculation as possible.

A Log of a Northern Journey

(From The voyage of M. Stephen Burrough, from Colmogro to Wardhouse)

Breeze

Upon Sunday the 23 of Breeze, I departed with the Searchthrift from Kolmogrov, whose latitude is 64° 25', and the variation of the compass, 5° 10' from the North to the East.

Wotansday (26) we came to the Island called Pozanka, which is within four leagues of the Berozoua bar. The high water here is at the East and by South moon.

Reapsday (29) in the morning we departed from Pozanka Island, and plied to the bar of Berozoua Gooba, whereupon we came to anchor at low water, and sounded the said bar with our two Skiffs, and found in the best channel in the shoals of the bar only 13 feet of water. The sea breaks upon this bar, in currents of only 3 foot of water, and an East Moon marks the high tide upon this bar.

Sunday (30) in the morning we departed from the bar of Berozoua, and plied along by the shoals in five fathoms of water, until I had sight of St. Nicholas road, and then we cast about to the Northwards, in line with a hummock, which is half a mile Eastwards of Coya Reca, which hummock and St. Nicholas' abbey lie South Southwest, and North Northeast, and between them are 11 leagues of water. Coya Reca is half a mile to the East of Coscaynos. Coscaynos and the middle of the Island called Mondeustoua, which is thwart of the bar of Berozoua lie South and by East and North and by West, and between them are 4 leagues; so from the Seaboard of the bar to Coscaynos are 3 and a half leagues.

Lugnasad at a Northeast and by East sun we were athwart of Coscaynos. Dog's Nose lies North Northwest from Coscaynos, and between them are eight leagues; and Dog's Nose looks like a Gurnard's head, if you be inward on either side of it. On the lowest point of Dog's Nose there stands a solitary cross.

Fruit

1. From Dogs nose to Foxnose are three leagues, North, and by West.

The 2nd day of Fruit I went on shore 2 miles to the north of Dog's Nose, and measured the latitude of that place as 65° 47'. It flows ashore at this place, at an East moon high water, and the ship lay off to avoid the flood tide at a South Southeast Moon. So that it is to be understood, when it is a high tide on the shore, it is two points to ebb, before it is low water offshore. The variation of the Compass at this place is 4° from the North to the East.

This day (3) the North Northwest wind drove us back level with Dog's Nose, where a ship may ride beside a salt house, in 4 or 4 ½ fathoms of water, and have some shelter from a North and by West wind; this Salt house is half a mile to the south of Dog's Nose.

Friday (4) at a South Southwest Sun, we departed from this Salt house. It is to be noted that four miles to the North of Dog's Nose there grow no trees on the bank by the water side and the banks consist of fuller's earth.

Sunday (6) I sounded the bar of Zolatitsa, which the natives told me was a good harbour, but in the deepest part of it I found but 4 foot of water. At a South sun that we weighed anchor, the wind being at North and by East, and we beat to windward for half the ebb tide, with the ship's head to the East. And then when we cast her head to the West, we sounded, and had 22 fathoms with broken shells and gray sand; this present day was very misty, with frost on the shrouds as the mist fell.

Moonday (7) in the morning at an East sun, the mist broke up a little, the wind being a stiff gale from the North and by West, our shrouds and ropes overhead being covered with frost, and it likely to become a storm. I thought it good to seek a harbour, and so plied out to the Islands which are two leagues to the South of Cape Race, and within these Islands (thanks be to Raphael) we found harbour. There is at these Islands two full fathoms of water: it is high water in the harbour at this place at a South Southeast moon: and at sea it is high water at a South Southwest moon. The natives call this Island Tri Ostrou. Also within this great Island (if needs be) you may have a good place to ground a ship in, as the great Island is almost a mile long and a quarter of a mile wide.

This storm of Northerly winds lasted until the 16th of this month and then the wind came Southerly, but we could not get out for ice. I went on shore at the cross, and took the latitude, which is 66° 58' 30"; the variation of the Compass being 3 ½° from the North to the East.