How to survive on a desert island…
We’ve all fantasised about living on our own desert island.
Far away from the stress and strain of modern life, the only concern on your island is how you dismount from the hammock after a few too many coconut cocktails.
If this dream was to suddenly become a reality, though, and you were dumped on a remote desert island, how many of us would know what it takes to survive beyond the first few weeks?
What essential tasks would we need to carry out to prevent us from trying to swim back to the UK?
Read on to find out …
Find a fresh water supply
It may sound obvious, but a fresh water supply is the top priority if you want to survive for any length of time. Interestingly, most people who are stranded tend to look for food first – but you can live for two weeks without any grub and only 3-4 days without water.
Fire! Fire! Fire!
It’s amazing what the roar of a dancing fire can do to swell the morale of us humans (remember how happy Tom Hanks’ character was in the film Castaway…) More than that, though, fire can be used to boil water, cook, provide light, and also act as a signal for any rescuers looking for you.
Search for food
So now you have a fresh water supply and a roaring fire, it’s time to look for food. But wait! Be wary of juicy looking berries as many of them can be extremely poisonous – and the last thing you need is a mouthful of toxins. The most obvious source of food is housed in the water all around you. Catch some fish by fashioning a hook from a stick, slap a bug on it and tie it to some string. Once caught, cook it on the fire. Job done!
So that’s the basics you would need to survive on an island – but what luxuries could you not live without? How long could you stomach island life before attempting to use your other half as a makeshift canoe?
Whether you’d miss your iPhone, your makeup or even your favourite teddy bear, let us know by leaving a comment below or connecting with us at Facebook or Twitter – we would love to hear from you!
By Sarah Anglim at 15 Aug 2013