Find your way with map and compass

Navigation means moving on the water in a controlled way: you know where you are and where you are going. In familiar waters you probably have no problems. But as soon as you head into less familiar waters, such as the Stockholm archipelago, navigation matters. You need a map and preferably a compass. A GPS or a chart app on your phone is a good complement, but it depends on batteries and is sensitive to water. A map and compass always work.

In good weather it is often enough to follow your route on the map so you always know where you are. But when you cross a larger bay, or approach the archipelago from open sea, you often see only a featureless line of land. What looks simple on the map is much harder at eye level – it is difficult to make out individual islands, narrow sounds and bays. With a map and compass you can still hold your course. In fog, which is common in spring and autumn when the difference between water and air temperature is large, you quickly lose your bearings without a compass.

Nautical chart or topographic map?

Along the Swedish coast and on the large lakes there are basically two types of map: nautical charts and topographic maps.

Nautical charts

A nautical chart gives very good information about the water: depths, shallows and all navigation marks such as buoys, cairns and lighthouses. Shipping lanes are clearly marked – and as a kayaker you should avoid them as far as possible in the boating season, because of the risk of being hit or caught by steep wake waves. The land, however, is rarely shown, apart from high hills, towers and similar landmarks that are visible from the water.

Charts come in different scales, from overview and coastal charts covering large areas to detailed archipelago charts, often at 1:50,000. There are also leisure charts for boaters, but they are quite unwieldy in a kayak.

Topographic maps

A topographic map shows both water and land. Shipping lanes and some lighthouses are included, but less clearly than on a chart. In return, the land is far more detailed: contours, buildings, jetties, steep shores and forest are clearly shown, so the shapes of islands are easy to recognise. Since kayakers almost always have land in sight, many prefer a topographic map, though opinions differ. In a group, you can bring both.

The Swedish topographic map at 1:50,000 (“Terrängkartan”) has the right level of detail. The road map at 1:100,000 shows less detail but can be enough along coasts with few islands.

Keep your map close at hand

Whichever map you choose, keep it on the front deck in a waterproof map case attached to the deck lines – otherwise the slightest gust can take it. Keep your phone with the chart app in a waterproof phone case.

Compass

A loose hand compass by the cockpit, tied to the deck lines so you don’t lose it, is often enough. Many paddlers also have a fixed compass on the front deck that is easy to read from the cockpit. Use the hand compass to take your bearing on the map, then hold the same bearing on the deck compass while you paddle.

To avoid staring at the compass, pick a landmark in the direction you are heading and paddle towards it. It is also easier to keep your balance in wind. A fixed compass makes things simpler, adds safety in fog and bad weather, and shows straight away if the wind is shifting.

How to take a compass bearing

Practise on land so you can quickly take the right bearing once you are in the kayak. A standard baseplate compass has a transparent plate with a direction-of-travel arrow and a rotating housing with a needle and north mark.

1. Place the compass on the map with its edge along the line from where you are to where you are going. The direction arrow should point towards your destination.
2. Turn the housing so that its north mark points to north on the map and the lines inside the housing are parallel with the map’s north–south lines. Careful – if you turn it the wrong way, the compass will be 180 degrees off.
3. Lift the compass off the map and hold it flat in front of you. Turn yourself, without touching the housing, until the red needle sits inside the north mark.
4. The direction arrow now points the way to paddle. Pick a landmark in that direction and paddle towards it.

Navigation gear

• Map or chart in a waterproof case, attached to the deck lines
• Hand compass on a cord, ideally with a fixed deck compass too
• Phone with a chart app in a waterproof case
• Spare clothes and food in dry bags in case the trip takes longer than planned

Planning a longer trip? Read about kayak touring in Sweden and our packing list. A sea kayak with a rudder or skeg makes it easier to hold your course on open water.

Want to practise in sheltered water first? Paddle around Långholmen and Reimersholme in central Stockholm – rent a kayak from us, or join a guided kayak tour in English.