The History of Navigation

Dag Pike

Pen and Sword Maritime 

£25

Dag Pike is from that notable generation of sailors (like Robin Knox-Johnston and Richard Woodman) whose initial sea-going experience was gained in Britain’s post-war merchant navy. They have witnessed, and helped to shape, a period of unimaginable change. Pike’s high profile achievements have been as navigator for record-breaking Atlantic crossings, including Destriero (average speed of 53 knots) and he has often acted as a marine expert witness.  Here he divides navigation into its different aspects, such as speed, position-fixing, weather, collision-avoidance. Intellectually this is a stimulating approach, though I found some occasional repetitiveness and lack of vividness in the writing when considering earlier centuries. His coverage of the technical developments of the later c20th is expert and his prophecies fascinating and provocative.