How the Wind Rose shaped history’s greatest journeys

From The Cartographic Institute

Origins of the Wind Rose: From Myth to Maritime Utility

Maps have been integral to human civilization for centuries, serving as indispensable tools for navigation and exploration.
Among the various elements on maps, the wind rose (Compass Rose) stands out as a unique feature.
It is a crucial element that has evolved over time.
This essay explores the history of the rose.
It traces its origins, development, and significance in the world of cartography.

The wind rose finds its roots in ancient civilizations.
Seafarers and explorers sought innovative ways to navigate the vast oceans.
Early examples of wind indicators date back to ancient Greece.
Mariners used primitive depictions of wind directions on navigational charts.
However, it was not until the medieval period that the compass rose took a more structured form.

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Purchase: Jansson Wind Rose, Anemographic Chart, or Map of The Winds Circa 1650 Art Print

 
Medieval Navigation: The Wind Rose Takes Shape

The Renaissance marked a period of great advancements in various fields, including cartography.
Nautical charts became more sophisticated, and the wind rose underwent further refinement.
Cartographers like Gerardus Mercatorand Abraham Ortelius improved compass roses significantly.
They incorporated them into their maps with greater precision.
The increased accuracy of these diagrams facilitated more reliable navigation for sailors and explorers.

The Age of Exploration: Guiding Empires Across the Seas

The 18th and 19th centuries saw significant scientific advancements, including improvements in meteorology and understanding of wind patterns.
This scientific knowledge influenced the design of wind roses, incorporating more accurate depictions of prevailing winds and trade routes.
It became not only a navigational aid but also a reflection of the emerging scientific understanding of meteorology.

The 20th century brought about a revolution in mapmaking with the advent of technology.
Cartography transitioned from traditional hand-drawn maps to computer-generated graphics.
The rose underwent a digital transformation, becoming a dynamic element that could be customized based on real-time weather data.
This technological leap further enhanced the accuracy and utility of wind roses in modern navigation.

 

Digital Wind: The Wind Rose in 20th and 21st Century Mapping

In the 21st century, despite the prevalence of GPS and advanced navigation systems, it remains significant on maps.
This feature is still important.
It continues to provide valuable information for sailors, aviators, and even outdoor enthusiasts.
Traditional knowledge and modern technology have combined to create wind roses.
These are not only visually appealing but also highly informative.

The history of the wind rose on maps is a journey through the evolution of navigation and cartography.
The rose has evolved from its humble beginnings in ancient times.
Now it has sophisticated digital representations in the modern era.
It has played a vital role in guiding explorers and travelers across the globe.
We advance in technology.
The wind rose stands as a testament to the enduring importance of understanding the forces of nature.
It also highlights harnessing these forces in our quest for exploration and discovery.

Report speculates US or NATO sank Russian ship carrying nuclear equipment

A Russian "shadow fleet" vessel carrying submarine nuclear reactors sank in the Mediterranean Sea.

From Maritime Executive 

 

Ursa Major was listing when Spanish rescue teams reached the ship

A new report from the US news outlet CNN, based on leaked information, is adding new speculation to the Russian claims that its cargo ship was attacked and sunk, possibly by the US or NATO.
The heavy-lift cargo ship Ursa Major went down under mysterious circumstances off the coast of Spain in December 2024, with the vessel’s owners asserting it was the victim of a terrorist attack, while Russia has remained quiet about much of the incident.

CNN is citing data from the Spanish investigation into the sinking of the vessel.
It also notes an unusual level of Russian activity at the site and also believes the United States sent two planes capable of detecting nuclear material over the site.

The vessel was well-known to military analysts, as it had been involved in moving Russian equipment out of Syria and was sanctioned by the United States.
Built in 2009, it was acquired by the Russians in 2017 and first sailed as the Sparta 3 and, starting in 2021, as Ursa Major.
The ship was 9,500 dwt and 142 meters (467 feet) in length.

According to the report from CNN, the ship loaded its cargo first at Ust-Luga and then at a Russian container port at the beginning of December 2024.
The declared cargo was two deck-loaded cranes, containers which were said to be empty, and two “manhole covers” bound for Vladivostok.
CNN reports that Spanish authorities were suspicious, noting that the cargo could have been more easily moved on the internal Russian railway network.

Portuguese naval forces were tracking the ship as it made its way along the coast and entered the Mediterranean.
At times, it was also accompanied by two Russian military ships.

According to the investigations, Spanish authorities contracted the vessel on December 22 when they noticed it had slowed and basically stopped in the Mediterranean south of Cartagena.
The captain reportedly radioed back that the ship was fine, but about 24 hours later, he issued a distress call.

The 14 surviving crewmembers went into a lifeboat and were picked up by a Spanish rescue boat.
Two other crewmembers were said to have died in the engine room.
The Russian military ships reached the scene and demanded the return of the crew and ordered vessels to keep two nautical miles away from the ship.

According to CNN, the Spanish refused and said they were conducting a rescue operation.
They boarded the ship, and CNN saw a video that shows the ship being searched.
The rescuers found the engine room locked and were unable to enter, but they searched the accommodations and containers and found mostly trash and items like fishing nets.
They said the ship had a heavy list but seemed stable when they left, and they took the surviving crewmembers to Spain.

Four hours later, they report the Russian vessels fired flares over the Ursa Major, and then there were four explosions.
The Spanish National Seismic Network told CNN the explosions were of a magnitude that they detected them.

The report by the Spanish says the captain was reluctant to talk, likely fearing for his safety, but finally said on the prior day the ship had slowed suddenly, and they were investigating.
He claimed they found a large hole that was 50 cm by 50 cm (20 inches by 20 inches), and the metal was bent inwards, but felt no explosion.

Interviewing experts and reviewing the still confidential Spanish report, CNN speculates the explosion could have been caused by a Barracuda supercavitating torpedo.
It notes that only the United States, several NATO countries, Russia, and Iran have these high-speed torpedoes.
Sources told CNN the damage to the ship is consistent with this type of attack, while others told CNN it was more likely a limpet mine.

Elements of the Spanish report had previously been leaked, reporting that the captain admitted the ship was carrying components for two nuclear reactors “similar to those used in submarines.” Further, the captain reportedly said he expected the ship to be diverted to North Korea.
CNN speculates that the deck-loaded cranes were to help the ship offload the components in North Korea.

It is impossible because of the 2,500-meter (8,200-foot) depth to search the remains of the ship and locate its data recorders.

CNN, however, reveals continued activity at the site of the wreck.
A week after the Ursa Major went down, it claims a Russian spy ship was positioned over the wreck for several days.
CNN reports there were four more explosions at the site.
In addition, it says public records show the U.S.
sent its sophisticated nuclear detection planes over the site in August 2025 and again in February.

Predictably, all the authorities declined to comment in response to CNN’s inquiries.
It points out the strange nature of the incident but concludes the secrets of the Ursa Major rest on the sea floor.

 

Links :

• Maritime Executive : Report: Lost Russian Ship Was Carrying Nuclear Submarine Reactor Parts 
• IBT : Russian Cargo Ship Ursa Major Sinks Off Spain After Mysterious Explosions 

How oceans move water across the planet

This is how oceans move water across the planet! pic.twitter.com/sCIVVZ9cHj

— All day Astronomy (@forallcurious) May 8, 2026

Links :

• GeoGarage blog : Perpetual ocean : currents looks like a living Van Gogh painting /  New map of global ocean temperatures is a work of art /

Nividic lighthouse

pic.twitter.com/BfeVYQ0GJi

— L'Oeil de Sauron 👁️‍🗨️ (@Hall_Of_FameX) January 11, 2026

The Nividic lighthouse, built in 1912 off the coast of Brittany, France,

was the world's first automatic lighthouse.

 

Localization with the GeoGarage platform (SHOM nautcal raster chart)
 

Russia's shadow fleet ships defying PM's threat and entering UK waters

 

Getty Images

From BBC by Tom Edgington,Joshua Cheethamand, Thomas Spencer

Graphics by Sally Nicholls / Additional reporting by Nicholas Barrett and Yi Ma 

Almost 200 so-called Russian "shadow fleet" vessels have entered UK waters since the prime minister threatened to intercept them nearly seven weeks ago, BBC Verify analysis suggests.

In March, Sir Keir Starmer announced that British armed forces "are now able to board sanctioned vessels that are passing through our waters".

However, BBC Verify has identified 184 UK-sanctioned vessels making 238 journeys through UK waters since then and the government has not publicly stated or offered evidence that any have been boarded.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) say it is "disrupting and deterring" shadow fleet vessels, without providing specific details.

One former Royal Navy commander has called the lack of action "pathetic".
Each ship entered the UK's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - an area that reaches up to 200 nautical miles (230 miles; 370km) from the coastline.

Most of the journeys were through the English Channel.
In at least 94 instances, the ship briefly crossed into UK territorial waters - a smaller zone that extends up to 12 nautical miles (14 miles; 23km) from the coast.

BBC Verify understands the UK's interception policy applies to both the UK's territorial waters and the EEZ.
Russia has been operating a "shadow fleet" of tankers with obscure ownership structures to evade international sanctions imposed on its oil exports.
All 184 UK-sanctioned ships were tracked by BBC Verify using data from MarineTraffic between 25 March and 15:00 BST on 11 May.

All of the ships we have identified appear on the Foreign Office sanctions list and are noted for their links to Russia.
The sanctions ban the vessels from entering UK ports and also prohibit British firms and individuals from providing financial, insurance, or brokerage services to ships that supply or deliver Russian oil.
The government has said it is targeting Russia's oil revenues to "choke off funding for Russia's war machine" in Ukraine.

The vast majority of ships tracked were oil tankers (173), 10 were Liquified Natural Gas tankers, while one was listed as a "multipurpose offshore vessel", according to MarineTraffic.
MarineTraffic data is based on ships' onboard tracker systems - known as AIS (Automatic Identification System). 
However, these systems can be turned off to conceal a ship's true identity and location.

MarineTraffic data shows many have data gaps west of Scotland and Ireland.

Former Royal Navy warship commander Tom Sharpe told BBC Verify it was "utterly confusing" and "pathetic" that no boardings had been carried out.
"We have the military capability, whether that's warships, boarding teams, Customs and Excise.
"We've got no maritime spine in us. I see it time and time again with the way we operate our warships. We are risk averse, we're poorly coordinated."

One sanctioned oil tanker - Universal - appears to have been escorted by a Russian warship, based on satellite images obtained by BBC Verify.
By matching vessel dimensions and other reports, including one by the Telegraph, experts from the intelligence firm MAIAR concluded the warship was highly likely to be the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich.

Ship-tracking data shows the tanker entered UK waters in the early hours of 8 April before transiting the Channel.

Alessio Patalano, professor of war and strategy at King's College London, said the fact the tanker had been escorted by a warship suggested the UK was "keeping the Russians under pressure".

The Kremlin has criticised the UK's threat to detain Russian vessels calling it "another deeply hostile step directed at Russia" and warned such actions "have consequences".

 

Royal NavyThe Royal Navy has been monitoring Russian ships in the UK waters

It is possible legal constraints may be preventing the UK from actively boarding and seizing tankers, said James M Turner KC, a shipping lawyer at Quadrant Chambers.
"The position with very few exceptions is that you can't seize vessels that are flying the flag of another country," he told BBC Verify.

Turner explained that if a ship travels through UK waters under a flag it is entitled to fly then there is "very little" a coastal state can do - regardless of whether the vessel has been sanctioned or is carrying sanctioned goods.
"I am wondering how this policy was formulated. It will have been carefully vetted and lawyered but it is incapable of being applied unless a tanker is false-flagged or has no flag.
"This is a case where rhetoric and reality do not coincide".

A "falsely-flagged" ship is one that incorrectly reports it is registered to a certain flag state. This is often used to help conceal the ship's true identity.

The tracking data also reveals several ships - including an oil tanker called the Yi Tong - changing their usual travel pattern.
Yi Tong is registered to a Chinese company called Pacific Shipmanagement based in the eastern province of Shandong.
In 2025, the ship travelled to and from the Port of Ust-Luga in north-west Russia to China via the English Channel.
Last month, however, the Yi Tong took a longer route around Ireland and the north of Scotland - avoiding the Channel and the UK's territorial waters.

The re-routing suggests the UK's policy is having some impact, added Prof Patalano.
"The Russians are probably already thinking how to test the UK more, and we should expect ships taking a longer route bringing some measure of challenge to UK defences and infrastructure."
Longer journeys use additional fuel, making it more costly and time-consuming for those involved in the sale of the ships' cargo.

BBC Verify asked the MoD if the UK's armed forces had intercepted any sanctioned vessels since 25 March.
The MoD did not answer our question directly but said it was "disrupting and deterring" the shadow fleet and more than 700 suspected vessels had been challenged since October 2024.
It added it would not comment on specific operations "as this could compromise our ability to successfully take action against these ships".
We went back to the MoD to ask what it meant by "challenging" vessels, but it did not provide us with further details.

Links :

• BBC : Listen: What is the 'Shadow Fleet'? / UK now 'ready' to seize Russian shadow fleet ships, Healey says / The ghost ships in the English Channel and the question of what to do about them / Sanctioned oil tanker enters UK waters day after government crackdown threat