Ships use several navigation aids to find their way in the pathless oceans. In the olden days ships’ captains used the magnetic compass to find the direction, the sextant to workout the north south position and a block called the chronometer to determine the east-west position. Today they have the support of electronic and other modern equipments. The ships’ positions can be plotted by means of radio signals from transmitters and satellites and gyro-compasses. Radar and sonar systems warn the ships of rocks and approaching vessels. Light-houses and buoys mark the paths for the ship approaching harbour.
