Here’s one MacGyverism that saved my hide. It’s one I used while out camping. I was out by my family cabin and couldn’t remember which way to get back to the cabin. I got hiking up behind the cabins and zig-zag’ed all over the place. It was getting late and I wanted to head back and I didn’t have a compass. Instead of just wandering aimlessly trying to find my way I used a few things I did have in my back pack. I knew the winds only blew north/south due to the valley shape and my wind vane at the cabin when I’m there. Finding the sun at my 3 o’clock position helped me figure which was east/west. Now to figure out if I was north or south of the cabin lots. Following my shadow east I found the lake but didn’t quite recognize the area. Using my binoculars I was able to find an island I do remember taking my boat out to once before with my parents, it was directly across the lake from our cabin. I found the island in what appeared to be south of me on the opposite side of the lake. I used a gauze pad as a writing pad and a felt to do a little calculations to make sure. I wasn’t able to figure out the distance but had an idea of where I was going. An hour of walking south I was back to the cabins. A little luck and geometry and I was home safe.

Originally posted at MacGyverOnline by PepperTech