Maps are powerful tools to help us orientate ourselves and navigate the terrain we are in. Whether you are hiking the wilderness, or simply trying to find your way in the city, a map is essential and understanding the symbols on the map enhance our navigation skills and understanding. We can plan the fastest route, visualise what we expect to see, anticipate important landmarks, identify hazard s – in short it is a pictorial language that conveys important information simply and quickly. At sea we call a map a chart and it does all of these things too.

Familiarising yourself with the symbols takes time and effort, however there is always a legend to provide assurance. Knowing the symbols provides speed, which at times is essential. It is akin to learning a new language – the more you use it the more fluent you become.

So why is this skill, this awareness, being highlighted here? Well on the voyage of personal growth, I have learnt there are some key symbols to memorise. However before we jump into what they are, I wanted to share the relevance of why we need to know them. I touched on them briefly at the start, but here is the explanation in full:

The chart provides the birds eye view, encompassing where we are and where we want to get to. We know the fastest way from A to B is a straight line, however we also know that isn’t always possible or the easiest way to achieve that journey. Understanding the lay of the land can actually save us time! A passage plan is essential when sailing, and on our personal growth journey together, simply put it is our strategy to get to where we want to be.

SAFETY & PREPAREDNESS

Maps, Charts, even GPS indicate the potential hazards or points of interest. and it is in our interest to recognise these symbols on our voyage, because they keep us safe and allow us to be prepared. We will look at obstructions and anchorages, in the up-coming posts. I guarantee something will get in your way and sometimes you need to stop and rest.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Natural features help us interpret the external features around us. On a chart the most common and significant environmental symbol are the depth contour lines. I know I have been out of my depth many a time and looking into how we navigate that will be explored, friend or foe – it is all relative to the rest of the environment we are in.

EFFECIENT NAVIGATION

When you embark on a voyage, the symbol on the chart can translate very differently into what you see physically with your own two eyes, which is why the symbol is representative of what it could look like. It is a skill only honed with practice. When we can recognise the shape-shifting forms of symbol you gain the superpower to determine where you are much quicker and how to correct and/or adjust in the final reason to understand the legend, emergency situations.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

In unforeseen circumstances, for example, a lighting strike that takes out all of your electrical equipment [got that t-shirt too], knowing where you are on the chart can help guide you to safety quickly. It can be as simple as knowing which way to turn with seconds to choose.

In this digital age of navigation, the ability to read a map or a chart may seem like a lost art. However, understanding and recognising the symbols on the legend are a fundamental skill for any adventurer, explorer, traveller and sailor. The symbols are the key to unlocking the secrets of the landscape and navigating with confidence. As we journey on this personal growth voyage, think about the the symbols that make up your legend. Decoding our symbols is the key to a richer, safer, and more fulfilling exploration of our world.

from the chart-table, till next time, KAxx