SURVEYING: A PROFESSION OF UNPREDICTABLE ENCOUNTERS & UNBELIEVABLE STORIES
Surveying has never been a job for the faint of heart. Since the earliest days of mapping the wilderness, surveyors have found themselves in unpredictable situations—whether it was George Washington charting the wilds of Virginia at 17 years old, Thomas Jefferson creating the Public Land Survey System in 1785, or Lewis and Clark hacking their way through uncharted territory.
Before GPS and total stations, surveyors set their monuments using whatever they had available—sometimes a large rock, like the one on Pearl Street in Boulder that still holds it’s place as a survey monument, was the most official boundary marker on record. And while technology has advanced, one thing hasn’t changed: a day in the field for a surveyor, is always an adventure.
In honor of National Surveyors Week, we’re sharing some of the strangest, funniest, and most unbelievable moments from the field—straight from the surveyors who lived them.
Surveying a Nudist Camp
The company I worked for at the time had been hired to locate a survey corner on a property. When I arrived on site, I was confronted by a completely nude gentleman who was very determined that I did not belong at his place of residence. After spending a few minutes trying to explain what I was doing there, and that I had the right to be there to complete the job, I gave up. I wasn’t about to argue with him (or get any closer), so I left, notifying my company of the situtation so they could take the appropriate steps to get the job done.
A different surveyor had to go back later—with a sheriff escort.” - The Surveyor Who Saw Too Much
The Greatest Tackle in Surveying History
“When I first started my surveying career in Texas, my crew chief and I were in the middle of nowhere, cutting lines through the woods to map a small creek. We were deep in the brush when we heard something running—at full sprint.
Before we could even react, a full-grown white-tailed buck came crashing out of the tree line…headed straight for my party chief. There was no time to move. But instead of diving out of the way, my chief did the most football-player thing I’ve ever seen—he squared up, lowered his shoulder like Brian Urlacher, and laid the deer out.
Everything went silent. The deer, clearly just as shocked as I was, lay there for a moment before shaking it off and running back into the trees. To this day, it’s the greatest tackle I’ve ever seen.” - Garrett Eldridge, Assistant Project Manager
Survival 101: The Dismal Swamp
“I surveyed the Great Dismal Swamp. And trust me—it lives up to its name.
We had to take a survival course and carry enough supplies to last three days in case we got lost. Between the thick forest, swampy terrain, and general hostility of the environment, getting turned around was a real possibility. Not to mention the slithering wildlife we were constantly having to keep an eye out for. Just another day at the office”.
- Jeff Weygandt, PLS Survey Construction Manager
Surveyor vs. Tortoise: A Slow-Moving Standoff
“Surveying a 60-mile pipeline is a challenge in itself, but for this particular project, that wasn’t the trickiest part. The area was home to an endangered species of tortoise, and there were very strict rules in place to protect them, such as:
We were only allowed to drive on the narrow easement next to the pipeline.
We had to drive exactly 10 mph—no exceptions.
If there was a turtle crossing the easement, we were required to stop and wait - no matter how long it took - for the turtle to cross the road.
We also had a biologist with us at all times, and if a tortoise happened to be crossing, the entire convoy had to come to a full stop until it made it safely to the other side, no matter how long that took. There were some days when I swear we spent more time waiting for turtles than actually working.” - Shell Shocked Surveyor
I Smell Trouble
“Garrett and I were working on a hotel project when a worker hit a gas line with an excavator. We both immediately knew that was bad. But it got worse when we saw the guy casually pull out a cigarette and light up—right next to the busted pipe.
We just looked at each other and silently agreed that the further away we were the better, and walked straight over to the firetrucks. We weren’t about to stick around to see how that played out. Luckily, nothing happened, but it was a solid ‘Well, that could have been bad’ moment.” - Cameron Carr, Survey Crew Chief
In Surveying - Expecting the Unexpected Is Just Part of the Job
From the first survey monuments carved into boulders to modern-day GPS mapping, surveyors have always been on the frontlines of exploration, problem-solving, and (apparently) unexpected encounters—whether it’s rowdy wildlife, onsite (almost) disasters, or the occasional nudist colony.
So here’s to the surveyors—the ones keeping the world in line (literally) and the ones who, depending on the day, have some of the most unbelievable stories from the field.
Happy National Surveyors Week!