I’ve always wondered how people navigate when they get to the magnetic poles, as compasses would pretty much become useless, in theory. It turns out this is indeed the case, and what’s more GPS isn’t reliable due to the extreme temperature. This leaves the only viable and reliable means of navigating to be by sun position, or if it’s windy, by sticking a pair of lace underpants on the end of a ski pole to determine wind direction.
The earth’s strong magnetic field on this part of the ocean means that the compass needle simply spins uselessly in its housing. As such, we’re currently relying on more traditional methods for day-to-day navigation, using the sun (for those few precious hours each day when it graces us with its presence), and using wind direction, as indicated by the panties…
[Nothing To Do With Arbroath]
[via