Desert Island Survival

Most people are familiar with the game desert island, where people select what they would bring with them if they knew they were to be stranded on a desert island from something like a boat or plane crash. But oftentimes it is played where players select their favorite books, movies, or personal mementos. If you were truly to find yourself stranded, none of these things would be practical for survival or ensure you stay alive. You can't just bring as many items as you want in a survival scenario, so it is important to have a concise list of vital items. So, what should you actually have with you if you were to end up in a desert islands survival situation?

Obviously no one wakes up one morning with the intention of being stranded on a . But, if you are at the beach in a storm or on a boat ride, there are things you should have with you in case of an emergency.

Here are the top five things that would make survival easier on a deserted island:

Knife. A tactical knife is the most important tool to have with you on a remote island. There are countless tasks that a knife would make easier. Whether you are using it to catch fish, hunt, build a shelter, starting a fire, or cut away brush, a knife is key to your success. A knife can also help you create other tools, such a spears or arrowheads by sharpening sticks and rocks. It can also be beneficial in the search to find food. For instance, if there are coconut trees on the island, a knife would help you access the nutrients inside of the coconut. Beyond that, the palms and remaining branches or the coconut tree make excellent supplies for shelter.

Waterproof Matches. Having waterproof matches with you while stranded on an island would be like winning the survival lottery. Trying to start fire with sticks or smaller branches alone would be very challenging, especially if the wood on the island is wet and has damp sand underneath. Waterproof matches would make it significantly easier to start a fire by lighting a flammable brush, like dry leaves or a few smaller logs. A fire is one of the main survival essentials as it provides light, protection from wildlife, a good source of warmth, and a cooking or food preparation method for fish or game you catch.

Flashlight. A flashlight would be another key item to help you survive. Preferably, you would have a hand crank flashlight, rather than one that operates on batteries. This would let you continue survival activities in the cooler temperatures of dawn and dusk, scare off predators, and even possibly be used to create rescue signals for help to an aircraft flying overhead with the reflection of light off of a mirrored surface.

Water Filter. The next item you would want to survive on a desert island is a water filter. In any survival scenario, having a fresh drinking water should be a priority. The best fresh water source to find would be a natural spring or waterfall. Nevertheless, it would be most likely that the water source surrounding the island is salty and undrinkable. If there are no running streams or waterfalls on the island, you would need to be able to filter the seawater to make it drinkable water. If you do not have a water filter with you, use containers to collect rainwater and clothing to repeatedly filter the salt out of seawater before drinking. Another good tip to remember is to boil water to create safe distilled drinking water, in order to kill any disease-causing organisms. 

Fishing Net. Finally, a fishing net would be of great assistance in catching food. While it is possible that there would be animals on the island to hunt, it is almost guaranteed that there would be fish in the waters surrounding the island. If you do not have a fishing net, you can weave one from the green fibers inside sapling trees, thin vines, or palm fronds.

Survival on a desert island can be made infinitely easier with a few basic tools and these survival tips. Anytime you are at the beach or on a boat, consider bringing these key survival items with you in case of an emergency to make your survival experience easier.