4 If you are in a cold water/weather environment, get warm.
You are more likely to die of exposure or hypothermia than of anything else. Put on dry clothes and stay out of the water; prolonged exposure to salt water can damage your skin and cause lesions, which are prone to infection. Stay covered. Modern life rafts have canopies, which protect passengers from sun, wind, and rain. If the canopy is missing or damaged, wear a hat, long sleeves, and pants to protect yourself from the sun.
5 Find food, if you can.
Life rafts include fishing hooks in their survival kits. If your raft is floating for several weeks, seaweed will form on its underside and fish will naturally congregate in the shade under you. You can catch them with the hook and eat the flesh raw. If no hook is available, you can fashion one using wire or even shards of aluminum from an empty can.
6 Use the wind to your advantage.
If you were not able to issue a distress call before you abandoned ship and you do not believe that help is on the way, improvise a sail. Tie two paddles securely to opposite sides of the raft. Stretch a sheet or poncho between the upright paddles. Use a third paddle as a rudder.
7 Read the clouds for signs of land.
Dense, puffy clouds with a flat bottom (cumulus clouds) in an otherwise clear sky usually form over land. White, fluffy clouds indicate good weather. A darker color spells rain. A greenish tint is known as “lagoon glare,” which results from sunlight reflecting off shallow water, where it may be easiest to catch fish.
8 Let animals be your guides.
Seals in water are a guarantee than land is nearby, since they rarely venture far from shore. Single seabirds often leave land far behind, but flocks of birds are almost never more than six miles from the shore. They fly out to sea in the morning and return in the late afternoon to roost. Base your direction of travel on the time of day, heading in the opposite direction of the birds’ flight in the morning and following them to shore in the evening.
9 Try to get to land, if you know where it is.
Most rafts include small paddles, but life rafts are not very maneuverable, especially in any wind above three knots. Do not exhaust yourself—you will not be able to move any significant distance without great effort.
10 If you see a plane or boat nearby, try to signal them.
Use a VHF radio or a handheld flare kit to get their attention. A small mirror can also be used for signaling.
WARNING!
Any craft that sails in open water should have at least one life raft. Smaller boats may have only life jackets, so these vessels should stay within easy swimming distance of land.
Do not drink salt water directly from the ocean. Spread a tarp for collecting rainwater and dew. If the tarp is coated with dried salt, wash it off in seawater before spreading it; there will not be enough salt introduced by rinsing the tarp in seawater to harm you. Drink as much rainwater as you can to remain hydrated, especially when your freshwater supply is limited.
Sunburn is a serious concern while afloat at sea. If your life raft does not already have a roof, rig one using whatever material you have available and cover all exposed skin. Your face and neck are especially vulnerable and in need of protection.
If you see sharks in the water near you, remain still and quiet. Do not put any body parts or equipment in the water. If you have a fish on the line when you spot a shark, let the fish go. Do not gut the fish into the water when sharks are near.
HOW TO EAT AT SEA IF YOU’RE ALLERGIC TO FISH
Test possible food sources for poison.
There is a wide variety of non-fish animal and plant life in the ocean, including sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and many varieties of snails. To analyze any potential food, place it on your tongue. If it stings your mouth or tastes revolting, spit it out. If the taste is acceptable, swallow a thimble-sized portion and wait one hour. Since most poisons produce symptoms in a short time, if you still feel fine, eat a small serving. If no symptoms occur within the next 12 hours, the food can be considered edible.
Eat seaweed.
Red, brown, and green seaweed are all excellent sources of protein, carbohydrates, iodine, and vitamin C. Dry thin leaves in the sun until they are crisp; then use them to flavor soups or broths. Thick varieties are best if they are washed in freshwater and boiled before they are consumed.
Make a bird trap.
Tie a loose noose knot with a piece of thin twine. Place fish entrails or another bait in the middle of the circle, then hold one end of the twine in your dominant hand. When the bird lands in the circle, cinch the line around its legs. Eat all of its meat and save the feathers, which can be used for insulation and fishing lures to catch more bait.
Collect plankton.
Plankton is the foundation of the food web for a good reason: it contains protein, fat, and carbohydrates. If you are unable to find any other edible plants or animals, tie a cotton shirt or another piece of permeable fabric to a sea anchor to collect and strain a remarkable amount of plankton from the sea. Remove all spiny material and stinging tentacles before eating. Exhaust all other food options first—it is easy to consume too much salt water along with plankton, and depending on your location, there is a danger of ingesting poisonous dinoflagellates.
WARNING!
Shoe leather and other items of clothing are not viable sources of energy, even when you are starving. The human digestive tract is not built to process leather, and the nutritional value of fabrics such as cotton or wool is insignificant. However, the taste of leather bears enough similarity to overcooked meat that chewing on it may deliver a psychological benefit in truly desperate situations.
Plankton Net
Remove arm from long-sleeved shirt.
Tie sleeve at wrist. Attach three strings to sleeve so it will open in the water.
Drag net behind raft to collect plankton.
Rip Currents
A long line of sandy or muddy water and debris heading out to sea, perpendicular to the shore, are signs of a rip current.
If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until you are free of the water’s pull—a typical rip current is less than 10 feet across.
Never attempt to swim directly to shore in a rip current; you will quickly tire and will not be able to fight the power of the current.
COLD WEATHER
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HOW TO SURVIVE BEING STRANDED IN SNOW
1 Get as far off the road as possible.
Drive or push your vehicle fully clear of the roadway, but be sure that your car is still visible to any vehicles that may pass by and be able to offer assistance.
2 Make your car visible to potential rescuers.
Turn on your emergency flashers. When the snow stops falling, raise the car’s hood to signal distress; when snow begins to fall again, close the hood. Set up flares along the roadside between your car and the road. Hang a brightly colored cloth such as a red scarf or a torn-off piece of blanket from the antenna.
3 Spell out HELP in the snow.
Use rocks and sticks to spell the word HELP in six-foot-long block letters next to the car so your position is visible from the air.
4 Stay near the car.
Do not leave the vicinity of your vehicle unless help is visible within 10 yards. Blowing and drifting snow can be extremely disorienting, causing you to wander away from your car deeper into the snow and become lost. Shelter is your most important priority in inclement weather.
5 Put on all available clothing.
If traveling with clothes, put them on in layers. Wrap yourself in blankets stored in the trunk. Strip the leather or vinyl from your seats and wrap yourself in them.
6 Run the engine for 10 minutes once an hour.
Clear snow from the exhaust pipe, and crack one upwind window to keep carbon monoxide from building up in the car. While the engine is running, turn on the heater to keep body temperature above 90°F, warding off hypothermia and frostbite.
7 Remain active.
While sitting in the car, periodically rotate your torso from side to side, move your torso from side to side, and move your arms and legs to keep blood flow moving.
8 Huddle for warmth.
If traveling with others, sit in a row in the backseat, wrapping your arms and legs together to stay warm. Take turns sleeping.
Spell out “HELP” in the snow with rocks and sticks.
9 Forage.
If the snow stops, walk along the shoulder of the road in either direction of your car in search of water, cast-off fast-food containers, edible plants, or roadkill. Never let your vehicle out of sight.
10 Eat snow.
Keep hydrated by eating chunks of the cleanest snow you can find.
11 Build a signal fire with a tire.
Remove the spare tire from the trunk, or remove one tire from the car using a tire jack. Set the tire on the roadway or on the ground near the road that’s cleared of snow. Fill up the center of the tire with dry sticks and paper products from your car, and ignite it with the car’s cigarette lighter or any other means of ignition. Keep the fire burning until it achieves the 400°F necessary to ignite the tire itself. Once lit, a tire will produce a thick black smoke. Do not inhale the smoke, as it contains carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and numerous other toxic chemicals.
HOW TO FISH ON ICE
1 Find bait or fashion a lure.
Small fish sometimes congregate near the surface in shallow waters. If the ice is thin enough to see through, drop a heavy rock and gather the fish that have been stunned. If finding live bait is impractical, make a lure by tying feathers from a bird or a down sleeping bag to the base of a fishing hook, camouflaging its barb.
2 Identify the best spot for catching big fish.
Large fish tend to favor deep pools. Investigate your surroundings to determine where the deep water is likely to be, such as on the outer banks of a bay. Remember that ice fishing is like all fishing: some spots will be more productive than others for reasons that are difficult to parse.
3 Read the ice to minimize your danger of falling through.
Dirty ice tends to be weaker than thick ice. Snow-covered ice tends to be thinner than bare ice. Always avoid rocks or other objects that protrude from the surface of the ice; underlying currents and eddies can have a warming effect. When walking on river ice, stick to the inside portion of any bends; the faster-moving water on the outside of bends makes for weaker ice.
4 Cut a hole in the thick ice.
Use a saw or a long knife to carve out a hole in the ice. Never use a naturally occurring hole, which is likely to be surrounded by dangerously thin ice. If your tools are insufficient, build a small fire to melt a hole in the ice.
5 Bait your hook.
If you are using live bait, insert the hook below the dorsal fin, making a hole beneath the backbone.
6 Lower your line as deep as possible.
7 Slowly pull the line toward the surface.
Jiggle it up and down as you raise it.
8 If your hole is productive, keep it from freezing over when not in use.
Cover the hole with branches and snow. Check it routinely, and chop through any new layer of ice that has formed.
BE AWARE!
Make hooks of various sizes to maximize your potential catch. The sturdiest hooks are made from strips of metal or carved bone. Carved wood can also be used; season it over a fame to harden it first.
When you catch a fish, investigate the contents of its stomach. If it contains freshly swallowed fish, save them as bait. Use partially digested food as chum, tossing it through your hole to attract more fish. Learn what the fish like to eat and try to bait your hook with similar food.
Warm the pole with your hands until your tongue comes loose.
HOW TO TREAT A TONGUE STUCK ON A POLE
1 Do not panic.
2 Do not pull the tongue from the pole.
Pulling sharply will be very painful.
3 Move closer to the pole.
Get as close as possible without letting more of the tongue’s surface area touch the pole.
4 Warm the pole with your hands.
A tongue will stick when the surface of the pole is very cold. The top few layers of the tongue will freeze when the tongue touches the pole, causing bonding. Place your gloved hands on the area of the pole closest to the tongue. Hold them there for several minutes.
5 Take a test pull.
As the pole warms, the frozen area around the tongue should begin to thaw. Gently pull the tongue away from the pole. You may leave a layer or two of skin on the pole, which will be painful, but the tongue will quickly heal.
Alternative Method
Use warm water.
Pour water from a water bottle over the tongue and the pole. Do not use water that is cold, or it may freeze and exacerbate the problem.
WARNING!
Do not try to loosen your tongue with your own saliva: Although saliva is relatively warm, the small amount you will be able to generate is likely to freeze on your tongue.
Dig your snow cave into the drift, at a right angle to the prevailing wind.
HOW TO BUILD A SHELTER IN THE SNOW
Building a Snow Trench
1 Map out a trench so that the opening is at a right angle to the prevailing wind.
You need to find a space large enough so that the width and length are just a bit longer and taller than your body when lying down. You need only a minimal depth to maintain a cozy space for body heat conservation.
2 Dig the trench with a wider, flatter opening on one end for your head, using whatever tools you have or can create.
A cooking pan or long, flat piece of wood works well as an entrenching tool.
3 Cover the top of the trench with layers of branches; then a tarp, plastic sheeting, or whatever is available; then a thin layer of snow.
A “door” can be made using a backpack, blocks of snow, or whatever materials provide some ventilation and yet block the heat-robbing effects of the wind.
Building a Snow Cave
1 Find a large snowdrift or snowbank on a slope.
Plan your cave with the opening at a right angle to the prevailing wind.
2 Dig a narrow tunnel into the slope (toward the back of the slope) and slightly upward.
Create a cavern big enough to lie in without touching the sides, roof, or ends.
3 Make the ceiling slightly dome-shaped.
A flat ceiling has no strength and will in most cases collapse before you are finished digging. The roof should be at least 12 inches thick. If you can see blue-green light (from filtered sunlight) through the top, the roof is too thin.
4 Put a small vent hole in the roof.
The hole will provide fresh air and a vent for a candle, if you are going to use one. Do not add any heat source larger than a small candle. Excessive heat will cause the ceiling to soften, drip, and weaken.
Building a Quin-Zhee
If snow depth is minimal and you have a lot of time and energy, build a quin-zhee. A quin-zhee is a snow shelter that was developed by the Athabascan Indians, who lived mainly in Canada and Alaska.
1 Pile up a very large mound of packed snow.
The pile needs to be big enough for you to sit or lie down comfortably inside when it is hollowed out.
2 Wait an hour for the snow to consolidate.
3 Dig in and build a snow cave.
BE AWARE!
A preferable alternative to building a snow shelter is a man-made structure or vehicle. If none is available, search for anything that will help protect your body from heat loss. Caves, downed timber, or rock outcroppings can help protect you from the elements.
If you cannot stay dry in the process of building a snow shelter, or you cannot get dry after you have built it, do not build it! Moving enough snow to create a shelter big enough for even just one person is hard work, and any contact of your skin or clothing with snow while digging will amplif
y your body’s heat losses.
When building a shelter, the oldest snow will be the easiest to work with, since it consolidates over time.
Snow is an excellent insulating and sound-absorbing material. From within a snow shelter, you will be unlikely to hear a search party or aircraft. You may want to make a signal aboveground that can be noticed by a search party (a tarp, the word “HELP” or “SOS” spelled out in wood).
In any shelter, use whatever you can find to keep yourself off the ground or snow. If pine boughs or similar soft, natural materials can be found, layer them a foot or more high, since the weight of your body will compress them considerably.
When you are inside, the warmth from your body and your exhaled warm air will keep your shelter somewhat comfortable.
HOW TO TREAT FROSTBITE
1 Remove wet clothing and dress the area with warm, dry clothing.
2 Immerse frozen areas in warm water (100°F–105°F) or apply warm compresses for 10 to 30 minutes.
3 If warm water is not available, wrap gently in warm blankets.
4 Avoid direct heat, including electric or gas fires, heating pads, and hot water bottles.
5 Never thaw the area if it is at risk of refreezing; this can cause severe tissue damage.
6 Do not rub frostbitten skin or rub snow on it.
Ultimate Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook Page 33