Little and Large Natural Navigation Clues
Sometimes natural navigation is more challenging than others. I’m often asked, “What is the most difficult place to navigate using nature?” I think people expect…
Tag: wind
What do Scientists Read on Holiday?
Dear Mr. Gooley,I have stumbled upon your book on the secret world of weather in a small bookstore in Flagstaff, Arizona on a road trip.…
Frost in Coleridge’s Cottage
It was great to visit Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s cottage in Nether Stowey, Somerset. He wrote the poem ‘Frost at Midnight’ in this room. The first 3…
What are Lens Clouds? (Altocumulus lenticularis)
Lens clouds are saucer, lens or lentil-shaped clouds that form when wind blows moist air over mountains. Their formal name is Altocumulus lenticularis (lenticula means…
Wind Against Tide – A Sign of Choppy Water
The yacht is on a ‘swing mooring’ and will swing with the tide. This shows us that the water is flowing from right to left.…
What is a Wind Shadow?
A wind shadow is a place where the wind doesn’t reach. There is a calm, sheltered zone on the downwind side of all obstacles, a…
What is a Katabatic Wind?
Heavier gases sink, lighter gases rise. That is how a hot air balloon works: the warm air expands making it lighter than the surrounding air…
Which Way Are We Looking? Snowdonia
I spent much of last week exploring a part of the Snowdonia National Park in Wales that I hadn’t been to before. I took the photo…
Sounds Make a Map
A Guide to Exploring Soundscapes Sounds make a map. Here is an easy exercise to help you hone your understanding of sound maps. It is…