The point of this thread escapes me. In reasonable conditions and weather, northerly direction is readily apparent and one can orient a map in interesting country by terrain association - "that big pointy peak on the horizon is our objective;we follow this canyon until we begin to climb, etc. etc."

Don't forget about local variation, caused by anything from local ore deposits to your favorite neck knife, etc. These can sometimes throw a compass reading off considerably. Declination changes, although usually the changes are insignificant for most users.

I carry a compass always and use it about once a decade (on land). Use it but don't rely on it completely. Pay attention to your surroundings. Even GPS receives can be off a bit in some situations.