How to Live on a Deserted Island

Taking it in Stride

Stay calm. The most important thing for you to do at first is to remain calm and try to think clearly. If you start to panic, you can lose control and end up forfeiting your chances of survival. You won't do that well if you've driven yourself crazy. William Golding's novel 'Pincher Martin' is a great example that illustrates how you can't do anything unless you 'take control', because the main character in the story lets panic get the better of him. Try making a "buddy" out of an object or animal near you, and talk to them to calm down. You should make 'safety, water, shelter and food' your main priorities, in that order.

Look around you and decide on some safety precautions. Start by asking yourself if the area around you is safe. Look around again and check if there are there any wild animals lurking in close proximity? Does it appear like there could be a flooding risk? The first important step is establishing whether the place where you are is physically safe.

Establishing the Necessities

Look for a clean and fresh water supply. This must be your top priority. Almost all people who are lost out at sea are found in a matter of hours or days. Science tells us that the human body can survive up to 2 weeks without food, but just 3-4 days without water. So if there is no natural source of fresh water, start looking for a way to collect rainwater. Any source of water is great! As long as you have found a source of water, you can try to purify or desalinate it later. To find the purest water possible, get to higher ground. Rivers and creeks are more likely to be found in higher regions, flowing downwards. If you can find any source of water, follow it up to where it's coming from, since that water is going to be much safer to drink right off the bat because it hasn't been contaminated by as many things going down. If freshwater is available, try boiling it for 2-3 minutes. This will purify it. If you have a desalination device, that's even better! If not, don't fret, there are actually several methods by which you can desalinate water. One such method is distillation. To distillate water, construct a solar still, or one that works over a fire. A solar still can be built by filling a large, flat container with salt water or even urine which can be reused, if the need arises. Place a smaller container in the center with a rock inside it to hold it in place. Cover it with a thin sheet of plastic or whatever similar material you have and place a rock in the center above the cup. If placed in direct sunlight, the water will evaporate and it will condense on the plastic sheet, which will then run down the sheet and drip into the smaller container. For a method that works over a fire, create steam and condense the steam by using a large piece of metal or glass placed inside the steam. This will allow the condensed water to run into another container.

Create a shelter. You will need a shelter as protection from the elements and from natural predators as well. The best options are usually a natural shelter such as a cave, or one that you build. The next step to follow after having found a natural shelter, is to build a more enduring shelter. A shelter acts as a home base, a warm and shady place for you to sleep in, a place for storing your resources, and a hiding place from beasts of prey as well. Ensure that the shelter above the ground so that bugs don't crawl all over you.

Find sources of food. The ocean is filled with life. Try building a low V-shaped wall made of stones at low tide, with the pointed part of the V pointing out towards the sea. At high tide, fish will swim into it, and get trapped as the tide flows out. There are a lot of edible roots and berries that you can actually consider eating, but do remember to watch out! Some of these roots and berries are poisonous and eating them would probably be fatal. Only eat them if you are sure they are safe to eat. The most reliable source of food on a deserted island are bugs. Yes, bugs! They can be found everywhere and they are an excellent source of protein, too. If you decide to fish with the bugs instead of eating them, a hook can be fashioned by carving out a stick into a hook shape and putting a barb on it. Tie string to it and you're in business.

Take the time to evaluate your resources. Have you found a source of fresh water? Do you have a long range radio, satellite phone, or any other means of communication? Try to find other people who might be inhabiting the island. Remember that people can be your greatest resource.

Start a fire. This may seem a bit trivial, but on a deserted island, fire has a number of uses. At the very least, it boosts morale. Fire can also be used to distill water, to cook, and to provide light for you and for your rescuers who can find you if they spot the fire! If you can't start a fire, don't worry, just move on to the next step and keep on trying.

Ward off dangerous animals. If you know somehow that there are dangerous animals in the vicinity, use a fire at night time to help keep them at bay. If you have a fire extinguisher, you could use that to ward them off in an emergency. Traps and warning signals (such as snapping twigs) can be used to prevent animals from entering your shelter zone or alert you to their presence.

Working Together

Act on all of the approved ideas together as a group, if you have one. Everyone must work together and ensure that all needs are met, and ensure that all your resources are put to good use.

Bury dead companions. If anyone in the group dies, bury them and hold a funeral, or in extreme cases, cannibalize them. This brings some closure, and gives the due respect required while removing a potential source of disease as well.

Getting Rescued

Arrange rocks or other large objects in a clear path to signal for help. In William Golding's novel 'Pincher Martin', the stranded man actually built a figure out of rocks, which could be seen by passing ships. Recognized mountain distress signals are based on groups of three (six in the UK). A distress signal consists of three fires or piles of rocks placed in a triangle, or three blasts of a whistle, or three flashes of a light, each lit in succession, followed by a one minute pause and repeated until a response is received. Three blasts or flashes is the appropriate response. If you are in clear view of boats, attempt to make a large red X somehow.

Try to make contact with the passing boats. Build big and unnatural looking shapes, with bright colors and something shiny. Use a radio, if available, to contact possible rescuers. Use signal mirrors, fires, flashlights, and whatever else available on hand to draw attention to yourself. This can be done while you wait.

Never give up. A desperate act can be lethal. Willpower is what you need to survive without food for weeks. Believe it or not, without the will to live, you won't. Try to envision the great life that you will enjoy one day; if you give up now, that will be the end.