Focus on Survival
Getting stranded on an island might sound like the beginning of a cool movie, but the real-life version would actually suck pretty hard. Your priorities shouldn’t be finding a muscle man on the beach—they should be staying safe. Before wandering inland, let’s dive into what you should do to get found quicker.
1. Stay Near Your Last Known Location
Unless your current position is legitimately dangerous, avoid setting off on a long journey across unfamiliar terrain. Rescue crews are more likely to start looking near the place where your boat or group was last located. Sticking around nearby also prevents you from wasting energy.
2. Find Fresh Water
Safe drinking water matters way more than food, so you need to be on the hunt for rainfall, streams, or water trapped in clean containers. Never drink seawater, either; it’s a rookie mistake, and its salt content can worsen dehydration rather than relieve it.
3. Build a Simple Shelter
Your shelter doesn’t need to be a glamping cabin, nor should it be. It needs to keep you alive, though, so use branches, broad leaves, fabric, or wreckage to create protection from the elements. You should also choose stable ground away from tides, loose cliffs, and obvious animal activity.
4. Make Yourself Easy to See
Rescue depends on visibility, so don’t be shy about making large signals in an open area. You can easily arrange rocks or vegetation into an oversized “SOS,” and you should also use a mirror or a controlled fire when aircraft or boats appear.
5. Don’t Take Reckless Chances
Hunger isn’t fun, but neither is experimenting with unfamiliar berries, mushrooms, shellfish, or animals. Eat recognizable packaged supplies first and be sure to ration them sensibly. In reality, you should only gather wild food when you can identify it with confidence.
