REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL EXPERIMENTAL MARÍTIMA DEL CARIBE
VICERRECTORADO ACADÉMICO – DIRECCIÓN DE DOCENCIA
COORDINACIÓN DE IDIOMAS
ENGLISH V.
UNIT III. Introduction to navigation.
Timeline of sea navigation.
A timeline is a graphic representation
showing the passage of time as a line.
Read and order the events chronologically. Trace a line.
The Chinese invent the compass contributing
substantially to ocean navigation. Early compasses are
nothing more than a floating magnetized needle in a
bowl of water. With the compass and their guide,
navigators of the sea venture further without fear.
Phoenicians explore the ocean with sailing ships.
However, they have little understanding of the
unpredictable and overwhelming environment of the
ocean. They “hug the coast” and go no further than the
coastline and near-shore environments.
Navigators use electronics since the first days of radio.
Electronic navigation is now the common satellitebased global positioning system. Today’s Global
Positioning System makes other electronic systems
obsolete.
600 B.C
500-700
900
1000
Polynesians develop and elaborate system for
navigating between the many islands of the South
Pacific. They use indicators such as the stars, sun,
planets, moon, winds, clouds, currents, and tides as
“landmarks”.
1768
1900-Present
James Cook begins the first of three voyages in which
he maps the Pacific Ocean. He uses a chronometer to
obtain the first accurate determinations of longitude.
This is one of the first ocean investigations conducted
for scientific purposes.
Vikings explore the Artic and Northern Atlantic Ocean
around Greenland, Iceland, and Newfoundland. They
use the North Star as a reference point to guide them.
Speaking
Group discussion
What do you think about the latest technological changes in sea navigation?
Do you consider that sea navigation has changed during the last century?
Do you consider that technology in sea navigation will continue changing?
What improvements in sea navigation do you think will be in one decade?
Grammar
Past Simple Vs Present Perfect.; Time Expressions
Time Expression
Ago
For, Since
Use
It is used with the simple past
tense and it is used to refer to a
time in the past.
For and Since are used with
the present perfect.
For is used with a period of
time.
Since is used to indicate a
point at which the period
began.
Example
I graduated from high school 3
years ago.
I’ve lived here for six months.
I’ve lived here since January.
Activity
Write a life timeline with the most relevant events in your life. Take the time line below as a model
and provide the year and any other events you consider important.
Oral practice.
In pairs, ask and answer these questions.
When did you start studying at UMC?
How long have you studied at this university?
What will you do after graduating?
Look at the pictures below. Match the pictures with the explanations and then place the
instruments in the timeline of sea navigation.
A
B
C
D
_____ Electronic chart, based on computer software and electronic databases to provide navigation
information.
_____ The sextant, a practical tool for celestial (sky) navigation used in the 1770s.
_____ Tablet computer, a tool to be used in sea navigation in a few years.
_____ Paper nautical chart, a printed map used to set up routes (before the electronic chart).
Sea navigation timeline.
Complete the paragraph with the correct verb tense provided in the box.
has replaced - will be - became - remains - was
Developed in the early 1700s, the sextant _________________________ a critical piece of
navigation equipment for sea captains. The sextant, a practical tool for celestial navigation,
________________________ in common use during that time. Though Global Positioning Systems
(GPS) ___________________________ the sextant in most situations, it _______________________
a useful backup tool in case human controlled systems such as GPS and electricity fail. Navigation
equipment __________________________ changing with the oncoming years as a result of the
advancements in technology.
How do ships navigate from place to place?
Marine navigation is literally the moving of a vessel from one place to another. All
navigation, whether it is done by reading the stars or by GPS, involves locating the
navigator’s position by using the known locations of other things. Nautical charts are
marked with lines of latitude (north—south) and lines of longitude (east -–west).These
are expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds. Mostly positions are given with respect to
latitude and longitude. These are given, latitude first and look like this: 49°30'02" N,
123°30'30" W. Modern navigation techniques use positioning provided by satellites.
NAVIGATION. Position, direction and distance.
Position
Coordinates of latitude and longitude can define any position on Earth.
Latitude (L, lat.) is the angular distance from the equator, measured
northward or southward along a meridian from 0° at the equator to 90° at
the poles. It is designated north (N) or south (S) to indicate the direction of
measurement. Longitude (l, long.) is the angular distance between the
prime meridian and the meridian of a point on the Earth, measured
eastward or westward from the prime meridian through 180°. It is
designated east (E) or west (W) to indicate the direction of measurement.
Positions are expressed in degrees and minutes of latitude and
longitude. Latitude is the position north or south of the equator and
longitude is position east or west of Greenwich.
Direction
Direction is the position of one point relative to another. Navigators
express direction as the angular difference in degrees from a
reference direction, usually north or the ship’s head. Course (C, Cn)
is the horizontal direction in which a vessel is intended to be steered,
expressed as angular distance from north clockwise through 360°.
Strictly used, the term applies to direction through the water, not the
direction intended to be made good over the ground. The course is
often designated as true, magnetic, compass, or grid according to the
reference direction.
Distance
Distance, as used by the navigator, is the length of the rhumb line
connecting two places. This is a line making the same angle with all
meridians. Meridians and parallels which also maintain constant true
directions may be considered special cases of the rhumb line.
Preferably to be expressed in nautical miles or cables (tenths of a
mile) otherwise in kilometres or metres, the unit always to be stated.
VOCABULARY
Read and complete these sentences with the correct maritime term related to sea
navigation.
1. Marine __________________ are precise, specialized clocks for finding longitude at sea.
They serve as portable time standards.
2. The marine __________________ is used to measure the elevation of celestial bodies
above the horizon.
3. When ____________________ are given, their unit of measurement should be made
clear (kilometres/nautical miles) and __________________ is expressed by a 24 hour UTC
notation.
4. _________________________ is the process of directing the movement of a ship from
one point to another.
5. The _____________________ of a place on Earth is its angular distance north or south
of the equator.
6. _______________________ is the direction in which a ship is intended to be steered.
7. _______________________ are mostly given with respect to latitude and longitude.
They are expressed in degrees and minutes (and decimals of a minute if necessary).
Learn more about sea navigation
The bearing of the mark or vessel concerned, is the bearing in
the 360 degree notation from north (true north unless
otherwise stated). Bearing (B, Brg.) is the direction of one
terrestrial point from another, expressed as angular distance
from 000° (North) clockwise through 360°. Relative bearings
can be expressed in degrees relative to the vessel’s head or
bow. More frequently this is in relation to the port or starboard
bow.
Heading (Hdg., SH) is the direction in which a vessel is
pointed at any given moment, expressed as angular
distance from 000° clockwise through 360°. It is easy to
confuse heading and course. Heading constantly changes
as a vessel yaws back and forth across the course due to
sea, wind, and steering error.
Look at the pictures and label them with the correct terms.
1. _____________________________________
2. _____________________________________
3. _____COURSE________________________
4. _____________________________________
5. _____________________________________
6. _____LANDMARK____________________
True North
Look at the picture. Read the statements and write TRUE or FALSE (if false, correct it).
1. My heading is 90° at this moment ___________
2. The pilot boat is bearing 45° on my port side bow
___________
3. My true bearing is 90° ___________
Complete the following radio communication with the correct verb tense. Use the verbs given.
A: What ______________ your position? (be)
B: It’s one five degrees three four minutes North six one degrees two nine minutes West.
A: _______________ you _____________________ your course?(alter)
B: Yes, I have. My new course ___________________ one seven degrees. (be)
A: You ________________________________ a dangerous course. (steer)
You are running into danger. There is a risk of collision with a vessel bearing one two degrees
from you.
Listening and speaking.
Have you ever heard any radio messages?
What type of message was it? Was it an emergency message?
Listen to this radio message and answer the questions below.
What’s the vessel’s name?
What’s her call sign?
What’s her position?
What is happening with her?
What does she require?
Listen again and check the answers.
WORDS TO BE REMEMBERED
Look at the picture below. Write as many maritime words as possible.
Now, answer these questions.
1. What is marine navigation?
2. What is bearing?
3. What is relative bearing
4. What is a nautical mile?
5. What is course?
Extra activities.
Listen to the following information and tick the correct GPS data.
a. My position is
b. WARNING: Dangerous wreck in position
15° 64’ N
061° 29 W
15° 34’ N
031° 29 W
15° 34’ N
061° 29 W
c. What’s your speed? My speed is
13 knots
16 knots
Listen to the following information and complete the chart.
103 knots