The group started well. They were part of a training group of Orienteering Ottawa youngsters ready to move from Novice to Intermediate. I have been spending my summer up north in Ottawa, Canada, and have volunteered to help with their junior training program, one evening a week for six weeks. This was their first session. There were four groups of different ages and levels of experience. My group seemed to be 11- and 12-year-olds with some previous experience, Level 2. The youngsters all could relate the map to the terrain and vice versa. Without the help of the compass, with one of their numbers in the lead, they all headed south beside the school’s running track to the control marker, which they could soon see in the distance.
Similarly, with Group #2, a new leader emerged, and they successfully followed the path on the map to the control point. This was a significant step forward in their training journey.
Their competitive juices seemed to be kicking in. Some would not wait for another person to take the turn leading. Most wanted to go, and they did. The leg was going to be a bit trickier. They had to take the trail about 40 meters, then turn onto the trail on the right, a less distinct trail. Following ONE, they ALL overran that small trail to another trail junction, this one with a much more distinct trail, made a right turn, and eventually found another marker but with a different code. We old-timers would say, ‘classic parallel error.’ Others might say, ‘Teachable moment.’
When I undertook a review and asked about measuring the distance they had to go to find that little trail, none seemed to know what I was talking about. On the novice course one rarely needs to measure distance. When the map is of easy terrain, one rarely needs to measure distance. Distance measurement is essential in the forest, even along trails, and when the features may not be so distinct. Reading and recognizing landmarks are also crucial as you go.
There is a little-known acronym that can be used to help novice navigators moving up to Intermediate and beyond as they remember what they should do to find their way through an orienteering course: “Dee Dee LAP” (DDLAP): Direction, Distance, Landmarks, Attack Point:
- Find your Direction.
- Measure your Distance.
- Pick out and remember what Landmarks you should be seeing.
- Choose an Attack Point to find and guide you into the control point.
Go through that acronym on every leg, and soon, you will recognize that you do not need all the initials on some legs. Direction and Distance may be enough on some very short legs through the woods. On others along a trail or series of trails, Distance and Landmarks may be enough. Pick out those essentials as part of the route choice process. If our group or anyone in the group had known they had only to go 40 meters to find that correct trail and could measure out that 40 meters, they would not have overshot it by twice that distance.
Our group continued around the set course, and more teachable moments occurred. Each of these moments is a step towards our shared goal of improving our orienteering skills.
Happy Orienteering!
Gord Hunter
Suncoast Orienteering
September 14, 2024