NAT THE NAVIGATOR
Nat’s full name.
Nathaniel Bowditch
What did sailors call the food they ate at sea?
Rations
What was Nat’s home port city?
Salem
What direction do compasses always point, and why was this important to sailors like Nat Bowditch?
North because they could use it to orient their navigation
Nat's First Wife
Elizabeth Boardman
City Nat grew up in.
Salem, Massachusetts
What common sailor sickness did Nat help prevent by bringing lemons and oranges?
Scurvy
What country was the port of Canton located in?
China
What does “sail by ash breeze” mean for a boat?
Using the oars for power when there is no wind to move the ship
Nat's Second Wife
Polly
Job Nat had as a young apprentice.
Clerk/bookkeeper in a ship chandlery (store for sailors)
What tool did sailors use to measure the height of the stars above the horizon?
Sextant
Name one European country Nat visited on his early voyages.
Spain or France
What does sailing by ash breeze mean when you apply it to life?
When you get ahead in life by working hard and taking initiative
Which character hates Nat and why?
Zack Selby is an old-fashioned sailor and does not think it is wise to "book-sail".
What did Nat study on his own at night?
Math, navigation, Latin and other foreign languages
What was Nat’s job on board the ship Henry?
Supercargo (he handled the trading and business)
What major ocean did Nat cross to reach the East Indies?
The Indian Ocean
What does being "becalmed" mean when you are on a ship?
motionless through lack of wind
Which character that Nat taught becomes his second mate on one of the voyages?
Lupe
What was the name of the book Nat later published?
The American Practical Navigator
Name one skill every good sailor needed besides navigation.
tying knots, steering, reading maps, teamwork, etc.
What dangerous landmark did Nat’s ship sail around to reach Asia?
Cape Horn (South America)
What does being becalmed mean when you apply it to life?
You are stuck where you are in life, and need the Lord to move you to the next point
True or False: Nat wrote his navigation book in one year.
False. It took several years.