Navigation, Family Practices for Security, Experience, and Fun

Navigation, Family Practices for Security, Experience, and Fun

What if you had that one essential prepper/survival related item with you at all times that not only gave you security and peace of mind but was also family friendly, educational, entertaining, and fun? We all practice self-reliance in one form or another to some extent in various degrees. For many of us it can become mundane and the important reasons that got us started forgotten about. We become complaisant and lose interest more often than not because it does not include others, or we simply get bored.

 Outdoor activities are something I enjoy more than anything, especially with family. However, getting the family on board with an idea I may have can be akin to pulling teeth. The wife is usually fine, ready for a break from the house but not always excited. The kids generally want to run off with their friends or play video games. Now that I’ve found something that sparks their interest it’s all about what we will be doing next weekend? Where will we be going or can Jason and his brother come with us?

Besides my own interest in being outdoors it actually took three items to get everyone else’s attention in the family and make me pretty popular, a map, a compass, and a book. The latter I bought for myself but soon realized I had a little gold mine to share with the family. The book is titled “Prepper’s Survival Navigation” and can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indie Bound, Books-a-Million by searching the title and author, Walter Glen Martin. The book may even be in your local book store.

You can’t have one without the other. You’re going to find that after you get the book you are going to want a compass and topographical map. Both the compass and the maps can generally found at a sporting goods store. The maps are also available in most book stores, forest service or State offices, or google on line through several places. A good compass will generally cost around $20.00.

Now it’s not just about learning to read a compass and a map, which I thought I already knew. The book goes into great detail about declination, shadows and stars, distance, landmarks, pace count, dead reckoning, traveling in low visibility with a navigator and point person. The book also covers survival when the unexpected may happen. Medical emergency, fire craft, emergency signaling, winter/cold survival, and building shelters.

Once you have the tools the fun will begin. The kids are eager to learn navigation and have a lot of fun while doing it. It’s a great confidence builder. We get to go to different places we may have avoided before because we were not familiar with the area and for the fear of getting lost. For me, I find peace of mind knowing that in this day and age with so much uncertainty going on around us that in time of disaster or when my kids are out by themselves they have the skills to survive and find their way home.