Cardinal Bearing

A bearing expressed by a named cardinal or intercardinal direction rather than by degrees.

The four cardinal directions are north, east, south and west; intercardinal and secondary-intercardinal points divide the compass further. A named bearing can be true, magnetic or compass-referenced, and that reference must be stated when it matters.

Cardinal wording is useful for approximate directions and weather or lookout reports but is less precise than a numerical bearing. It should not be confused with a cardinal mark, whose name indicates the safe side of a navigation danger.