[Day 1, Early Evening] Stars in Their Multitude

[Usagi Zenko]

He frowns. "Then...how does navigation work? There's no landmarks I can see to guide you by, if the color and shape of the waves or something isn't it." he sounds a bit frustrated with his lack of knowledge, although that is more guided at himself then the Shiba.

[Akodo Jishaku]

Jishaku looks from the Captain to the hare and waits for the Phoenix to finish before responding. "Actually the answer is closer to yes and no. Ideally you need to be aware of the ocean currents so that you can use them to your advantage rather than be swept off course. As for telling waves apart? I refer you to Shiba-san's answer." He smiles amiably and looks at the Captain to see if his answer was satisfactory.

[Usagi Zenko]

The frown deepens. "Ocean currents?" comes the words from the clueless Hare.

[Shiba Nozomi]

That poor, poor man. He's never been on a boat before. Must be a shock.

"Well, Usagi-s-san... North is that w-way... and we k-keep heading that way..." Small fingers indicate different places on the horizon.

"B-but that's about all I kn-know... I got all m-mixed up in the Sea of..." Nozomi pauses, not really wanting to mention the unholy place, and fidgets some with her pendant. "Ano... earlier."

[Hida Musasha]

The big man's forehead fills with creases, "Sad thing is, I can find my bearing better there, than I can out here."

[Bayushi Nobuyoshi]

One of the best things about being on duty on the aftdeck in the early evening? You could overhear lessons being given by the captain without being expected to really participate. After all, you're on duty. Nobuyoshi does make certain to give the appropriate bows to those when he passes them on watch, and deeper to the Captain, of course. He hadn't heard that there'd be a lesson tonight....all the more reason to overhear it.

[Asahina Narumi]

The Asahina, wishing to expand her seafaring knowledge, also makes her way to the lessons. A few steps later than the others, she bows deferentially in apology but doesn't bring attention to herself otherwise, content to listen as well she can. This is quite the foreign topic to her after all.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

The Daidoji speaks softly. "I should think the process is similar to divination. After all, without landmarks we are left with the sky." He gestures above. "The stars are more or less fixed, depending on the season. They guide fate, why not a ship as well?"

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

He listens to them and chuckles at some of the ideas put forth. The man nods to the Lion and the Crane, "Both Akodo-san and Daidoji-san are correct to a degree. There are indeed currents beneath the waves that help to carry a ship to its destination. It is helpful to know where they are when you're charting a course, but won't necessarily help to tell you where you are."

Uminushi lifts a hand and points up at the stars.

"Those are your landmarks. However, as noted by Daidoji-san, they change by season and also by location. If you travel South far enough, the skies you see will be different from the ones hanging over the Empire."

[Usagi Zenko]

Zenko nods, trying to absorb the idea. "How do you know where you're going during the day?" he asks finally, thinking he's found a flaw.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"With the help of a compass and the course you plotted the night before," he replies with good humor.

[Usagi Zenko]

He nods. "Hai...I suppose you don't have to avoid unexpected roadblocks or sudden mountain ranges..."

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Oh, there are the occasional mountain ranges that reach from the sea floor to break the surface of the ocean. Though we call those islands for the most part," the man starts to grin, eyes glittering with ill-hidden humor, "Unless, of course, they're the sort of islands built on the backs of giant sea turtles. Those you really can't account for."

[Akodo Jishaku]

Jishaku grins at that. He could imagine the young Toritaka would want to hear about that sort of thing tomorrow, and filed away the image of giant mountainous sea turtles.

[Asahina Narumi]

Narumi listens to the explanation. She knew the layout of the stars well, so she wondered if she might not be good at plotting courses, when a question comes to mind.

"Yoritomo-taisa, how does one translate the placement of the stars with the path of the ship other than determining a direction? I do not understand how you could find the points on a map with such a method." She asks in a polite tone.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Captain" he corrects reflexively before answering the Crane's question, "By measuring the angle between the horizon and a celestial object and noting the time, we can use a few calculations to get a rough estimate of our location on a map. You can do the same with the Sun and the Moon as constants but, generally, the stars are a bit more reliable"

The Yoritomo makes no comment regarding various Celestial events in the recent past involving the movement and disappearance of one or the other.

[Asahina Narumi]

"Hai, Captain," she replies, acknowledging the answer. It's no wonder I didn't understand. "So it requires advanced training with numbers for calculating large differences?" She asks, almost meekly and a bit disappointed. Obviously not a strong point for the priestess.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

"Yes, for the most part," he replies with a shrug, amusement in his eyes, "I'm of the mind that most people can take the readings and note the time. That's why we're starting with that first. The formulas and how to apply the results of those calculations to a map is another class."

[Usagi Zenko]

"Wait wait, what?" His eyes are large, "Islands on the back of giant turtles?"

He starts looking out at the ocean for just those things in particular.

[Asahina Narumi]

I can at least do that. Narumi thinks to herself, now intent on listening, waiting to see if any other questions would be asked of Uminushi or if he would continue the lesson.