met re ▁( 2 9 1 0 - foot ) ▁Mount ▁K ak ul ima . ▁ ▁Asia ▁In ▁the ▁South ▁China ▁Sea ▁and ▁Indian ▁Ocean , ▁a ▁navig ator ▁could ▁take ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁fairly ▁constant ▁mon so on ▁wind s ▁to ▁judge ▁direction . ▁ ▁This ▁made ▁long ▁one - way ▁voy ages ▁possible ▁twice ▁a ▁year . ▁ ▁Med ieval ▁age ▁of ▁navigation ▁ ▁The ▁Arab ▁Empire ▁significantly ▁contributed ▁to ▁navigation , ▁and ▁had ▁trade ▁networks ▁extending ▁from ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁and ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea ▁in ▁the ▁west ▁to ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁and ▁China ▁Sea ▁in ▁the ▁east , ▁A part ▁from ▁the ▁N ile , ▁Tig ris ▁and ▁Eu phr ates , ▁navig able ▁rivers ▁in ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁regions ▁were ▁un common , ▁so ▁transport ▁by ▁sea ▁was ▁very ▁important . ▁Islam ic ▁ge ography ▁and ▁navig ational ▁sciences ▁made ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁magnetic ▁comp ass ▁and ▁a ▁rud iment ary ▁instrument ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁kam al , ▁used ▁for ▁cel est ial ▁navigation ▁and ▁for ▁meas uring ▁the ▁alt itudes ▁and ▁lat itudes ▁of ▁the ▁stars . ▁The ▁kam al ▁itself ▁was ▁simple ▁to ▁construct . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁rect angular ▁piece ▁of ▁either ▁b one ▁or ▁wood ▁which ▁had ▁a ▁string ▁with ▁ 9 ▁consecutive ▁kn ots ▁attached ▁to ▁it . ▁Another ▁instrument ▁available , ▁developed ▁by ▁the ▁Arab s ▁as ▁well , ▁was ▁the ▁quadr ant . ▁Also ▁a ▁cel est ial ▁navigation ▁device , ▁it ▁was ▁originally ▁developed ▁for ▁astronom y ▁and ▁later