As far as navigation has advanced, one of its most recognizable symbols is also one of the most classic, the compass rose.
If you are going to take sailing trips with us, knowing well what the compass rose is will help you better understand its importance in sailing.
You have probably seen this symbol throughout your life many times and it is one of the most famous in sailing.
The compass rose is a graphic symbol whose purpose is to show the course of the ship, as well as its orientation.
The importance of the compass rose transcends navigation, as it is a symbol that also has special relevance when orienting oneself on land.
Structure of the compass rose
The structure of the compass rose can vary depending on its complexity .
Despite the different wind roses that you may find, there are some basic elements that are essential and that you will be able to recognize in any of these symbols.
One of the most recognizable elements in any compass rose is the circle it has.
This circle is what serves to represent the horizon and, in addition, serves as a base for the compass rose to be divided into several sectors.
The compass rose also represents the cardinal points.
These cardinal points are reflected by their initial, being North
(N), South (S), East (E) and West (W).
Intermediate bearings are also shown in the compass rose. Intermediate bearings are the different directions that are between the cardinal points and, in the same way as with representations, there are also many directions that we can find.
One of the most frequent bearings is the lateral bearings.
Here there are several options such as the Northeast (NE), Southeast (SE), Northwest (NW) and Southwest (SW) course.
There are also the collateral bearings, which are those that divide the spaces equally between the lateral bearings and also the co-collateral bearings.
The latter are the ones that divide the spaces between the collateral directions into two equal parts.
What is the compass rose for: Importance in navigation
One of the keys to understanding what the compass rose is for is to know the divisions well.
As we mentioned before, these divisions serve to divide the compass rose into different segments from the center, which is the horizon.
From these divisions the courses can be established, both lateral and collateral and co-collateral as we have seen.
The compass rose identifies the direction and denomination of the winds depending on the direction of origin.
Although you may think that the compass rose has lost great importance due to the technological advances that exist in navigation, the truth is that this representation is still part of the most advanced navigation systems such as VOR, GPS or NDB.
What does the compass rose symbolize?
The compass rose mainly symbolizes orientation.
The use of the compass rose is mainly used by sailors to be able to carry out different courses.
The popularity of the compass rose has caused its symbolism to go far beyond navigation.
This popularity has allowed the compass rose to transcend into other aspects, for example, acquiring a deep cultural significance.
Due to the use made of the compass rose and its meaning, it is traditionally associated with the connection with the universe.
The cardinal points, for example, have also been associated with the passage of time with other cultural aspects such as the seasons of the year, the elements of nature or the cycles of people’s lives.
For this reason, it is common to find wind roses in other aspects that have nothing to do with navigation, even with different indications at each of their tips.
The compass rose also has a different meaning depending on the culture, since some understand it as an element of balance and harmony, while for others it is an element of protection and for others it represents the spirituality of the human being.
The use of the compass rose is centuries-old and we have seen how cultures such as the Celts used it in many rituals and ceremonies while the alchemists related each of the points of the rose with the four elements and the process of transformation of the matter.
How to use the compass rose
Although today we have technology such as GPS that can help us to orient ourselves or to know where we are, knowing how to interpret and use the compass rose is very important in situations where there is no technology or in which it can fail.
To use the compass rose, the first thing we must do is identify the north.
It is the upper part of the compass rose that points north.
Once you have located the north in the compass rose, the next step is to locate the position within the map or terrain.
With the position drawn on the map, it is only necessary to draw an imaginary line from the position where we are to the destination point towards which we want to go.
The intersection where this line that we have created is the direction we must follow.
Beyond the use that has to do with orientation, many sailors today use it as an element of good luck.
It is also common to see it as a tattoo and even in pieces of jewelry.
Obviously these uses have nothing to do with the nature of the compass rose itself, but due to its beauty there can be more uses than that of the navigation chart itself.
