Top 15 Shipwreck Survival Tips
Published on July 1, 2007 - 22 Comments
This is a list of the most important things to remember if you are shipwrecked. The list comes from Yan Martel’s prize-winning novel Life of Pi.
1. Always read instructions carefully
2. Do not drink urine. Or sea water. Or bird blood
3. Do not eat jellyfish. Or fish that have spikes. Or fish that have parrot like beaks. Of that puff up like balloons.
4. Pressing the eyes of fish will paralyse them
5. The body can be heroic in battle; if a castaway is injured, beware of well-meaning but ill-founded medical treatment. Ignorance is the worst doctor, while rest and sleep are the best nurses.
6. Put your feet up at least 5 minutes every hour
7. Unnecessary exertion should be avoided. But an idle mind tends to sing, so the mind should be kept occupies with whatever light distraction may suggest itself. Playing card games, twenty questions, and I spy are excellent distractions.
8. Green water is shallower than blue water
9. Beware of far-off clouds that look like mountains. Look for green. Ultimately, a foot is the only good judge of land.
10. Do not go swimming. It wastes energy. Besides, a survival craft may drift faster than you can swim. Not to mention the danger of sea life. If you are hot, wet your clothes instead.
11. Do not urinate in your clothes. The momentary warmth is not worth the nappy rash.
12. Shelter yourself. Exposure can kill faster than thirst or hunger.
13. As long as no excessive water is lost through perspiration, the body can survive up to 14 days without water. If you are thirsty, suck a button.
14. Turtles are an easy catch and make for excellent meals. Their blood is a good, nutritious, salt-free drink; their flesh is tasty and filling; their fat has many uses; and the castaway will find turtle eggs a real treat. Mind the beak and the claws.
15. Don’t let your morale flag. Be daunted but not defeated. Remember: the spirit, above all else, counts. If you have the will to live, you will. Good luck!
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1. Adam - August 16th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
You forgot to mention befriend a volleyball. Sheesh.
2. jfrater - August 16th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Adam: haha.
3. markus - August 23rd, 2007 at 8:30 pm
These are from “Life of Pie” by Yann Martel.
4. jfrater - August 24th, 2007 at 12:07 am
markus: thanks - it does say that in the first paragraph you know
5. Nick - September 9th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Adam-haha,castaway quote,hilarious,oh,and dont forget,make sure its definetly a voit or somthing,cause the wilson brand with later leave you to go floating in the ocean.
6. Punjar - October 4th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Always eat the fat guy first. Then eat people based on who’s most annoying. Just because you’re stranded doesn’t mean it has to be with some jerk. If you sense people getting annoyed with you, kill one of them before they go after you, no sense in them eating you when theres a perfectly good dead guy just laying there.
7. jfrater - October 4th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Punjar: You almost sound like you are talking from experience…
8. heavybison - October 12th, 2007 at 1:52 am
This reminds me of the first Tarzan book i read as a kid..
9. Madeline Ashleigh - October 18th, 2007 at 10:48 pm
Ok, next time I’m shipwrecked, I ‘ll know exactly what to do.
10. Mean - November 1st, 2007 at 10:22 am
lol yeah but i have to admit punjar’s got some pretty good pointers there… and another thing, you must also eat those useless ones first, those who only eat and doesnt work on anything but lie around. stick with those people with good hunting skills and foraging for foods…
11. dofnup - November 20th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
#16 - Watch Survivorman before you are shipwrecked for all sorts of survival tips and tricks!
12. Barnacle - November 25th, 2007 at 5:21 am
If you read Papillon you get a fair idea of what not to do when drifting about on the coasts of south america, even though most of Henry Charriere’s stories have not been verified.
Cannibalism is one way to totally screw up the relationships of everyone who survives.
From reading Thor Heyerdahl, your chances of being found are vastly increased if you happen to drift across a shipping lane, so a makeshift sail is a must, to vary your course from that of the current.
13. mooster - December 3rd, 2007 at 12:00 am
Do not, under any circumstances, let the first mate touch any important equipment, supplies, or safety gear. And keep in mind that the professor might not be as bright as he seems…
14. Chandy16 - January 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
#1 Don’t eat humans, you’ll regret it if you get saved the very next day.
15. Snowkid32 - January 23rd, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Weird. Didn’t Bear Grylls drink Urine when he was in Australia or whatever?
16. Goose - January 28th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Bear Grylls is a retard.
17. xoxo - January 28th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
i second the bear grylls comment, he’s a dip. a dip who fakes his show and uses ANY excuse to take his clothes off.
18. G - March 13th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I’ve come to think that Bear has a bet with his mates - that he can show his nob at least once in every episode of a series..
respect though hes knows his stuff (apart from how to make a raft - they always fall apart) and hes friends with Sir Ranulph Feinnes so that must stand for something
19. rulexs - April 7th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
nice list….
20. Mark - May 29th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Nah, I think the diaper rash is a necessary evil if you have to keep warm.
21. Glowbug - June 5th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
The most useful tip for shipwreck survival was missed - Bring an inflatible raft with you when you’re on a cruise. Yeesh….