How to Cheat Death on a Deserted Island: 7 Survival Tips

“What if your plane crashes, or your boat hits a rock, and you find yourself on a deserted island – out of supplies and all alone! What do you do then? Do you let the initial shock get a strong hold on you and accept defeat, or do you fight for another chance at survival in the civilized world no matter how slim your odds are?

Finding yourself thousands of miles away from civilization in an unknown island can be daunting, and succumbing to death may seem to be the only viable option. But if you love your life, you cannot give up so easily! You must strive hard and try to make use of whatever you have got for the sake of another shot, with the help of the following tips:

1. Take a deep breath
In a life or death situation, losing your calm is the worst thing you can do. But, it is also the most common.

As a matter of fact, our body is designed to produce fear responses when it finds itself in a scenario that it perceives as dangerous. While this is a very basic survival mechanism and is usually helpful, it can hinder you in a time like this if you are not careful.
The thing is when you are not calm your mind cannot think properly, and when that happens, you lose the ability to make the right decisions.

So, no matter how scared you feel inside, take a deep breath and calm yourself down. Accept that you are on a deserted island, and think of ways to deal with your situation from there, because trying to be delusional will only hurt you. Watch your thoughts, too. Turn any negative thoughts you may encounter into positive ones consciously.

It is perfectly normal to feel fear, anxiety, stress, nervousness, and a lot of other things when you are in a truly tense situation. But, if you want to survive, you must put your feelings aside and think logically. No matter how compelling, you cannot let your feelings drive you when your existence itself is at stake.

2. Do some damage control
Once the initial shock is over and you are sufficiently calm, check your body for any injuries. If you have injuries, take immediate action to treat them even if you are not the best caretaker you know.

Of course, you cannot go to a hospital. Also, the chances are that you may not have any first aid kit with you, either. So, you may want to make use of everything from your handkerchief to any medicinal herb that may be present in your vicinity to get back in shape.

Also, do not do anything foolish, like allowing your injuries to heal themselves. Even if your injuries seem small, do not ignore them. This is especially advisable if your surroundings are very hot, or very cold. In a survival situation, catching an infection is the last thing you want!

3. Start searching for water
While food is important to stay alive, you can survive for about a week in the absence of food. But, surviving for such a long time without water is not possible. So, make sure that you start looking for drinkable water as soon as you can. Try locating a waterfall, spring, or lake nearby.

That said, if you find yourself next to a sea, never ever drink seawater, though. Water found in a sea contains a dangerously high level of salt, and so drinking such water can be deadly for you. Seawater can raise your blood pressure, increase heart rate, cause kidney failure, and damage your body in a number of other ways. If you drink a lot of seawater and do not get medical help later, you will be literally dead after a while.

In case you cannot find any reliable water source nearby, you may want to collect rainwater. Collecting dew is not a bad idea, either. For the purpose, you can use a bottle if you have it. In case you do not have a bottle, try using something else, like your shoe. As disgusting as it sounds, in an extreme situation, you can drink your own urine, too.

4. Build a temporary shelter
After you solve the water puzzle, it is time to build your own little cottage in the wild. Of course, given your situation, you cannot hope to build something lavish and idyllic. But, at least, you can build something that can do the job of protecting you during your stay.

Make use of tree branches to build the frame of your tent and cover it using big leaves and other coverings found in nature. If you have a raft, you can set it against a big rock or other similar structure to build an instant tent, too. Just make sure that your tent is strong enough to protect you from rainfall, the wind and other harsh elements of nature.

Note that it is best to be done building your shelter before it is dark, as remaining exposed at night in an unknown location is not a smart idea from a safety perspective. After all, on an island where no human presence is evident, it is very much possible that wild animals are present.

Also, if possible, try to build your structure somewhat above the ground. That way, you will be able to avoid having to tolerate insects and bugs getting inside your tent and crawling all over your body.

5. Begin food hunting
Even though it is possible to get by for a few days by drinking only water, if you can find food, go ahead.

If you are fortunate enough to find yourself in a location where lots of fruits are nearby, you are good. However, if not, you may want to go for fishing. You can take a thin branch and make it a fishing pole. Then, find a river nearby and start fishing with your new pole!

In case fishing does not seem like a practical option, you may consider eating edible plants and bugs. However, be very careful if you choose this route. You must have a good knowledge about different plants and insects. Otherwise, you may end up eating something poisonous and harming yourself in the process, instead of helping yourself.

If you find yourself with a few meals ready to eat packages, though, that is the ideal case scenario. A good MRE package not only contains lots of calories but also gives you the option to eat relatively tasty food no matter where you are. With the help of flameless ration heater, you can have your food heated even in the absence of water and fire. Not just that, most good MRE packs come with spoons and other extras.

XMRE, we are manufacturer that makes MRE meals in the USA and delivers all over the world, we are one of the most trusted MRE makers. Each of the packages is lightweight and military grade, for more info click here. You can carry them however you want, without having to worry about them getting damaged.

6. Build a fire
Building fire is one thing you need to consider, as well. Dead tree barks, dry leaves, and many other natural things should come to your aid in this regard.

With the help of fire, you can cook any fish that you end up catching. You can also use fire to warm your water, or make it suitable for drinking. Other than that, if the location seems really cold, fire can help you spend time in comfort. In a really cold weather, fire can help you avoid diseases that occur due to excessive cold.

But, make sure that you do not build a fire that is too great in size, especially during the night. If you do, you may end up attracting the unwanted attention of wild and dangerous animals. If possible, do not build a fire at night, at all.

7. Help yourself get rescued
While all of the above tips are well and good, you cannot just sit there and enjoy your mini vacation, though. If you want to survive that, you must find a way to get out.

In case your woes started as a result of a plane crash, the chances are that a rescue team will start looking for you immediately, as planes are monitored very carefully. The same can be said about a large ship. However, if you were on your own, then it is possible that nobody really knows that you are in trouble. And even if someone does, the person has no idea where you are!

There are two options you are left with. You can either wait for a rescuer, or you can leave your comfort zone and try finding someone for help. Both the options have their own pros and cons.

If you stay in the same place, you have predictability working in your favor. However, what if nobody arrives? What if you remain stuck there and something unfortunate happens?

If you take the other route and start searching for rescuers on your own, you can have the advantage of actively seeking survival. But, again, this method may not always work.

The best case scenario is if you find yourself on a beach and build your tent nearby. This way, you can wave to any passer-by and have someone help you. In any case, it is strongly recommended that you keep your ears open for the sound of a helicopter, or a boat.

Minimizing the odds
If you are an adventurer, the best thing you can do is minimize the odds of finding yourself in trouble in the first place.

First of all, always tell someone where you are going and when you intend to return. This way, if anything should happen, you will, at least know that someone knows where you are. You may even want to describe each and every detail regarding your route and give the person a map before embarking on your journey.

Secondly, take a GPS with you. This idea may not always work, but is a good supplement that should not be ignored.

Thirdly, no matter where you go, take a few MRE packages with you, preferably made by us. Compromising on food is not something you want to do if staying alive is important to you. Besides, packing an MRE is far easier than packing a stove and lots of other things.

Fourthly, always take small things like knife, match, torch and others. Even the smallest thing may help you in the biggest way when your life is at stake, you never know!

And lastly, never ignore any of the above advice no matter how big of an expert you are. Most people who get into trouble do so because they get too confident at some point and start thinking that trouble cannot find them. Do not commit the same mistake! Trouble can find anyone. So, whether you are doing your stuff for 5 years or for 50, always be sure to tell someone before you leave the house and take all the important stuff with you. Just because you completed 1000 trips without any harm does not mean that the next trip will unfold the same way. Confidence is good, overconfidence is not.

Surviving a life or death situation is all about acting smart and utilizing the most of what you have got. In many ways, it is about holding on to your sanity, too. To get out of trouble, you must act toward preserving your mental agility and not lose hope no matter how bleak things may start to seem. There are incredible stories of people who cheated death itself, who survived against all odds. So, as long as it is not the end, you must not give up. You must keep pushing till the last breath if your situation demands no less than that.”