Running Survey

Taking bearings of various points on the shore line as the ship runs along the coast. The track of the ship is the base line, and the intersection of the bearings fixes the positions of the shore line; the position of the ship is determined by altitudes of the sun measured on the sea horizon. This method is by no means accurate, owing to leeway, currents, deviation is steering, etc., but is profitably employed when landing is impossible from various causes.