Water And Ocean Survival

If you suspect you are near land (noises or you see people) and people you can blow a whistle, pop a flare (avoid burning the raft with hot cinders falling from the flare) or wave a piece of bright material. Keep a lookout on duty twenty-four hours a day and their job is to keep the raft pumped up with air, bail out water, keep an eye out for leaks, as well as watch for rescue aircraft or land.

If a rescue aircraft is near, use a signal mirror to flash into the cockpit of the aircraft, but then move the flash back to the tail of the aircraft, so you do not blind the pilot. If it is overcast and no sun, use a flare from the survival kit or an emergency radio (most kits will have one or two radios with spare batteries) to get the aircrafts attention. If an aircraft sees you it will rock its wings up and down to indicate you have been sighted, or communicate with you over the radio. Due to its limitations, (fuel or rescue capability) the aircraft might fly away, but don’t worry because your position will be sent and another aircraft will soon come for you. A lot of times a large aircraft will fly low over you, rock its wings to communicate your sighting, and then fly away. You can expect a quick rescue following a wing rocking from a search aircraft.

Survival on a large body of water is not all that much different than survival on land, in the jungle or the arctic, believe it or not. The key considerations remain the same, water, shelter, warmth, food, first aid, signals, and rescue. Remember that all life rafts and boats should have a survival kit, first aid kit, and signaling devices. The key difference with open water survival is the lack of a fire, water procurement, and the simple fact you are stuck in the raft/boat until you make land or are rescued.

Take care, stay safe, and remember that survival is never easy, but it can be done with the proper gear and the right attitude—in any environment.

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