Running survey

A running survey is a rough survey made by a vessel while coasting. Bearings to landmarks are taken at intervals as the vessel sails offshore, and are used to fix features on the coast and further inland. Intervening coastal detail is sketched in.

The method was used by James Cook, and subsequently by navigators who sailed under—or were influenced by—him, including George Vancouver, William Bligh and Matthew Flinders.

In land surveying, the term can refer to establishment of a boundary by a combination of distance measurement, using Gunter's chain or similar, and direction, using a magnetic compass or astronomic means. The results obtained by such methods are irreproducible and open to legal challenge.

References

↑ Ministry of Defence (1987), Admiralty manual of navigation. Volume 1. General navigation, Coastal Navigation and Pilotage, HMSO, p. 527, ISBN 0-11-772880-2
↑ Ritchie, G. S. (April 1970), "Developments in British Hydrography Since the Days of Captain Cook", Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, Journal, 118 (5165): 270–283
↑ Ritchie, G. S. (1978), "Captain Cook's influence on hydrographic surveying", Pacific Studies, 1: 78–95, retrieved 2011-08-06
↑ Snowdon, K. J. (1984), "Captain Cook as a Hydrographer", Cook's Log, 7 (4), Captain Cook Society: 290, ISSN 1358-0639, retrieved 2011-08-10
↑ David, Andrew (1993). "Vancouver's Survey Methods and Surveys". In Fisher, Robin; Johnston, Hugh J. M. (eds.). From maps to metaphors: the Pacific world of George Vancouver. Vancouver: UBC Press. pp. 51–68. ISBN 978-0-7748-0470-7.
↑ Flinders, Matthew (1814). A Voyage to Terra Australis: Undertaken for the Purpose of Completing the Discovery of that Vast Country, and Prosecuted in the Years 1801, 1802, and 1803, in His Majesty's Ship the Investigator. London: G. Nicol & Son. LCCN 04032254. OCLC 1931791. Wikidata Q133873351.
↑ "The Running Survey". Southern Australian. Vol. I, no. 6. South Australia. 7 July 1838. p. 4. Retrieved 17 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.

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[1] Ministry of Defence (1987), Admiralty manual of navigation. Volume 1. General navigation, Coastal Navigation and Pilotage, HMSO, p. 527, ISBN 0-11-772880-2

[2] Ritchie, G. S. (April 1970), "Developments in British Hydrography Since the Days of Captain Cook", Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, Journal, 118 (5165): 270–283

[3] Ritchie, G. S. (1978), "Captain Cook's influence on hydrographic surveying", Pacific Studies, 1: 78–95, retrieved 2011-08-06

[4] Snowdon, K. J. (1984), "Captain Cook as a Hydrographer", Cook's Log, 7 (4), Captain Cook Society: 290, ISSN 1358-0639, retrieved 2011-08-10

[5] David, Andrew (1993). "Vancouver's Survey Methods and Surveys". In Fisher, Robin; Johnston, Hugh J. M. (eds.). From maps to metaphors: the Pacific world of George Vancouver. Vancouver: UBC Press. pp. 51–68. ISBN 978-0-7748-0470-7.

[6] Flinders, Matthew (1814). A Voyage to Terra Australis: Undertaken for the Purpose of Completing the Discovery of that Vast Country, and Prosecuted in the Years 1801, 1802, and 1803, in His Majesty's Ship the Investigator. London: G. Nicol & Son. LCCN 04032254. OCLC 1931791. Wikidata Q133873351.

[7] "The Running Survey". Southern Australian. Vol. I, no. 6. South Australia. 7 July 1838. p. 4. Retrieved 17 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.