You experience the worst thing you can't imagine: being stranded on a deserted island with no inhabitants somewhere and falling victim to circumstances. Has all hope been lost? Is there absolutely no hope of being saved? Do not give up. Maybe the opposite happened. It's actually quite easy to survive on a desert island, you might be able to live comfortably or get help. Of course you have to know what to do.
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Part 1 of 4: Dealing with it Calmly
Step 1. Stay calm
The first and most important thing you should do is stay calm and try to think with a cool head. Panic will only make you lose control and eventually lose your chance to survive. There's no point in driving yourself crazy. Pincher Martin's novel by William Golding can illustrate well how you are made helpless and unable to do anything, unless you are "in control" like the main character in a story who lets panic take over him. Try "making friends" with objects or animals around you, and talk to them to calm down. “Security, water, shelter and food” should be the top priority, in that order.
Step 2. Observe the surroundings and decide on some precautions
Start with the question “is the area around you safe”. Take another look around you and check for any wild animals lurking not far from where you are. Is there a risk of flooding? The first important step is to decide if the place you are in is really physically safe.
Part 2 of 4: Establishing Needs
Step 1. Find a source of clean and fresh water
Almost everyone lost at sea is found within hours or days. Science says that the human body can survive up to 2 weeks without food, but only 3-4 days without water. If you can't find a natural source of fresh water, start looking for ways to collect rainwater.
- Any water source doesn't matter! As long as there is a water source, you can survive. If the water is not drinkable right away, you can always find a way to purify the water or desalinate seawater.
- If you find a fresh water source, try boiling it for 2-3 minutes. This step will purify the water.
- If you have a desalination tool, even better! If not, don't worry. There are several methods that can be used to do desalination.
- One method that can be tried is distillation or distillation. To distill water, make a solar still, or a device that can be used over a fire.
- Solar stills can be made by filling a large, flat container with seawater or even urine, which can be reused in an emergency. Place a smaller container in the middle with a rock inside to keep it from sliding. Cover it with a thin sheet of plastic or similar material and place the stone in the center, just above the cup. If placed in direct sunlight, the water will evaporate and condense on the plastic sheet. The water will run off the plastic sheet and drip into a smaller container.
- For the method using fire, create steam and condense the steam using a large piece of metal or glass placed in the steam. This allows the condensed water to flow into another container.
Step 2. Create a shelter
You need a place to shelter from the weather as well as wild animals. The best option is usually a natural shelter like a cave, or you can build your own.
The next step after finding a natural shelter is to build a shelter that can last a long time. The shelter serves as a master base, a warm and shady place to sleep, store food supplies and other items, and a hiding place from predatory beasts. Make sure the shelter is above the ground to avoid insect attack
Step 3. Look for food sources
The ocean is full of life. Try building a low V-shaped rock wall at low tide, with the pointed V point facing the sea. At high tide, the fish will swim into the trap, and get trapped as the tide flows out.
- There are lots of edible tubers and fruit, but be careful! Some types of tubers and berries are poisonous and can be fatal if consumed. Make sure you make sure the tubers and fruits are safe before consuming them.
- There are many edible tubers and fruits, but be careful! Some types of tubers and berries are poisonous and can be fatal if consumed. Make sure you make sure the tubers and fruits are safe before consuming them.
Step 4. Take the time to evaluate your resources
Did you manage to find a source of fresh water? Do you have a long distance radio, satellite phone, or other means of communication? Try to find residents who might inhabit the island. Remember that other people can be your greatest resource.
Step 5. Make a fire
It may seem trivial, but on a desert island, fire has a number of benefits. At least, the fire can ignite the spirit. Fire can also be used to purify water, cook, and be a source of light for you and can be a clue for rescue teams to find you as soon as they see one! If you can't make a fire, don't worry. Continue with the next step and keep trying.
Step 6. Repel wild beasts
If you can sense the presence of a wild animal around you, light a fire at night to keep the beast from coming near. If you have a fire extinguisher, use it to fend off the animal in an emergency. Traps and warning signals (such as the sound of twigs snapping) can be used to prevent animals from entering your protected zone or to alert you to their presence.
Part 3 of 4: Working Together
Step 1. If you are stranded with someone else, act according to a mutually agreed upon agreement
Everyone has to work together and make sure all needs are met, and available resources are used to the best of their ability.
Step 2. Bury the dead
If any member of the group dies, bury them properly and perform a funeral service. This act marks the last chapter of his life and provides the respect he needs while removing a potential source of disease.
Part 4 of 4: Getting Help
Step 1. Arrange rocks or other objects large enough in an open area to signal for help
In William Golding's novel Pincher Martin, the stranded man makes a sculpture out of rock that can be seen by passing ships. The officially recognized danger signals in the mountains are grouped into 3 (or 6 in the UK). The distress signal consists of 3 shots or piles of stones arranged in a triangle, or 3 blows of whistles, or 3 flashes of light, each shot successively, followed by a one minute pause and repeated until a response is obtained. Three shots or flashes of light is the correct response. If you can see clearly from the boat, try making a big red X.
Step 2. Try to make contact with a passing ship
Make something big with an unusual shape, use a bright color or something shiny. Use the radio, if available, to contact any rescue team that may be in the area. Make a signal with a mirror, fire, flashlight, or whatever else you can use to draw attention to you. This can be done while you wait.
Step 3. Don't give up
Desperation can be fatal. You need a steel will to survive without food for weeks. Believe it or not, without the will to live, you will not survive. Try to imagine a happy life that you will enjoy someday. If you give up now, it will all be over.
Tips
- Build a tall pile of wood and burn it to create a smoke signal. Dry wood produces good smoke.
- Make a hat to protect your skin from the sun.
- Make fishing rods from tree branches and vines. As bait, use worms. You can make hooks with the top of an aluminum can in the shape of a figure 8, knotted branches, or even pieces of bramble.
- When trying to make a fire, make sure you have firewood, fuel and tinder ready. The best way to make a fire is to use wood in the shape of a cone/triangle.
- Each situation is unique and requires its own situational analysis. Take time to think about what you have, who is with you, what you need, and so on.
- Use dry wood as fuel because of the high success rate.
- If there are coconut trees growing on the island, you're in luck. You can use every part of the coconut tree to survive.
- Don't waste time looking for rivers. Many islands do not have rivers. If you can't find water on the island, build a rainwater catcher on the beach. If there is dirty or salty water, filter the dirt using a cloth, or boil the water, do a distillation, or ideally use a water purifier.
- Tropical beaches are usually not empty, especially in areas that are frequently hit by storms. You can find lots of driftwood, but it's possible that there's other debris as well.
- To make a stone knife, use small stones to inlay larger stones. You can also use this technique to make spear heads or ax blades.
Warning
- If you have clothes, don't tear them to get raw materials. Sun exposure can be fatal.
- Do not walk on the seabed with bare feet. Stingrays and rockfish are common in shallow water, and are often deadly.
- Shark attacks can occur in knee-deep water.
- Learn the tides before you fish with a pike. You'll have a hard time surviving on a deserted island, but things will only get worse if you're dragged into the sea by the waves.
- If you have a tropical disease: drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated, don't peel off the scabs that form on the wound, don't push yourself too hard, and stay away from vomit that contains the disease.
- Stay away from rocks at the bottom of the sea, and if you must go there in search of food, prepare well. You not only face the problem of rock fish, but also sea eels which are notorious for having a fierce bite.
- Do not take the path of cannibalism, especially if you are not alone on the island. It takes more energy to recover from the loss of a limb than it gains.
- Those who have lived in temperate climates will be familiar with mosquitoes, but remember, in the tropics mosquitoes are the deadliest animals you will encounter. Use whatever you can to prevent mosquito bites: spray the body with insect spray (Warning: Use DEET and permethrin with extreme caution. These materials are flammable and toxic if overused). Some plants may contain substances that repel mosquitoes. Fish nets can also be used as mosquito nets. If all these precautions can't be taken, try to be at the beach as often as possible.
- Don't eat jellyfish, or fish with backbones, or fish that can puff up, or fish that look like they have a beak.
- If you are near places that were colonies of European countries in the past (for example, South America, Africa, or the Pacific Islands), watch out for rats. These rodents can cause great harm to you and your food supply.
