Navigation Contest Results
Below are the questions and answers for last month's Navigation Contest.
- 1. Of all the tools used in celestial navigation, which of the following instruments would be most frequently associated with loss of eyesight/damage to the eyes?
The cross-staff was the first successful instrument developed for measuring the altitude of celestial bodies at sea. While it was a major feat in celestial navigation, the cross-staff was also quite difficult to use. In order to get reliable results one had to position the end of the pole precisely against his cheek and observe the horizon and a star in two different directions while not moving the instrument when he shifted his gaze from one to the other all while standing on the pitching deck of a boat. Additionally, observations of the sun forced the navigator to look directly at the sun, ultimately causing irreparable damage to the eye. This could be a painful exercise and made it difficult to obtain an accurate altitude for the sun. This instrument was eventually replaced, first by the backstaff or Davis quadrant (neither of which required the user to stare directly into the sun). It was eventually replaced by the sextant we know today.
According to some folk lore, the reason pirates were typically depicted wearing a patch was because their eye was damaged from using the cross-staff to navigate the sea (we cannot, however, verify this information.)
C. Cross-staff
2. Who flies this flag? 
The U.S. Customs flag is sometimes flown on a Coast Guard ship carrying customs officers but is more typically flown from Customs patrol/pilot boats used to transport Customs officers. The U.S. Coast Guard places a badge in the stripes portion of this flag, distinguishing it from the Customs one pictured. Flag etiquette: this flag would never replace the American flag on a ship and would be located on a lower position on the pole. D. U.S. Customs
Brian Davis
is the $100.00 Weems and Plath gift certificate winner for the October 2009 Trivia Contest.
- Andrew Wilson
- Adam Owens
- Alan Donn
- William C. Benny
- Aline Boutz
- Trevor Barlow
- Brian Davis
- Breanne Weida
- Pat kelley
- Sandy Wills
- brad shipp
- Barbara Raeuber
- Mary Braggin
- Bruce Taylor
- Chris Rizzo
- John Szarek
- Charles Lafferty
- Cheryl McCauley
- Daniel Monk
- Dennis Burich
- John Michael
- Donald Petersen
- Edward Miller
- Jay Jones
- Fred Hallett
- Franklin Williams
- Fred Emmerson
- Linda White
- Tami Vollenwedier
- Robyn Rousseau
- Gary Smith
- Harold Gaines
- Bill Howell
- Hannah Beck
- James West
- James Samuels
- Janet Wetzel
- JeanClaude Harris
- Jeffrey Clinton Rapp
- Jill Nelson
- Jim Prudner
- Judith Rachmani
- James W. Burke
- kathleen russell
- kathleen russell
- Kathy Williams
- Ken Barnes
- Kurt Lowman
- Ken Schaefer
- Laurie Davis
- Lee Danielsen
- Roseanne Lewis-Maloney
- Lawrence Meekma
- Lucho Alvarez
- michael
- Michael Gainer
- Mindy DeLisi
- mitchell tanenbaum
- Holly Worley
- Ted Longley
- Martin Gardner
- Mitzi Gentry
- R. Goley
- Nile Simpson
- Laurie Boucino
- Harold A. Burks
- Rendle Gallant
- Renee Grosskreuz
- Raymond H. Goldstone
- Pat Connors
- Mike Poole
- Ron Schaper
- Dick Ward
- Sherry Beck
- Sean C. Murphy
- Susan Hartman
- Noel Nichols
- tammy christiansen
- Taco Nolf
- Pat Wallace
- Ray Kirkham
- Thornell Jones
- Valeriy Bovkun
- Victor Chacon
- Wendy McBride
- D M Ostertag
- David C Harwood
- Wendy Marble
