Deviation

Determining direction while moving on water on a globe that rotates (on its axis), revolves (around another celestial body) and acts like a magnet is no small feat.

This undertaking becomes far more ambitious when one aims to reach the northernmost point of such planet – both a fixed geographic location surrounded most of the year by darkness and floating sea ice, and an area where multiple magnetic fields pointing downwards are in a constant state of flux.

Although compasses can certainly be helpful when traveling to the North Pole, they must be constantly calibrated – not only to calculate the angle between true and magnetic north (declination), but also to correct errors that can be caused by local magnetic fields (deviation).

At times, adjustment is required also for other types of navigational aids – the instruments that guide our conduct. When both our life path and the inner tools we rely on throughout our human journey deviate from our wishes, can we turn to hope to find our destination?