Taking Bearings-Part 2

[Bruce]

When taking compass bearings, take the bearings off to each side one after the other.  The bearings on your beam will change quickly while the bearings ahead or astern will hardly change at all due to the boat's motion.  If you take the bearings on each side first and then take the bearing either ahead or astern, you will have a more accurate fix. 

Also check that the bearings you take are not about 180 degrees apart.  Ideally the three bearings will be spaced about 120 degrees apart for the most accurate fix.

If you are using the end of an island, remember to allow for the height of the tide.  With a gently sloping shoreline, at low water the end of the island can be some distance from the charted shoreline.