Terrain Training Tuesday: Six months in a Leaky Boat Part 1

Did you know that four-fifths of the Earth’s surface is open water?  Unfortunately this is one of the most difficult environments to survive in, as water and wind chill the body rapidly. Short-or long-term survival depends upon rations and equipment available and your ingenuity. You must be resourceful to survive.  Lucky you’re a member of the HiiRagi Army, resourcefulness and ingenuity are second nature to us.

Now, you’re at sea and it’s all gone to crap.  The boat is sinking due to the incompetence of others and now you’re paying the price.  The decision to abandon ship is usually very difficult, but cut your losses and take care of yourself. In some instances, people have perished in their life raft while their abandoned vessel managed to stay afloat. Other cases indicate that people waited too long to successfully get clear of a floundering boat.

So decision made.  Go and put on some (preferably woollen) clothing, including hat and gloves, and wrap a towel around your neck.  Grab your survival kit and any sweets or chocolates that you have.  Don’t panic, remember to breathe, keeping calm is the key to your survival.  Grab a life jacket if you can and your life will be much easier. If not, air trapped in your clothing will aid buoyancy so keep your clothes on (despite other advice to the contrary).

If by some misfortune you have been swept overboard keep afloat and try to attract attention.  Sound travels well over water and movement always attracts attention. But I think we'll just let Kurt and Goldie go, someone else will save them I'm sure...

Now where’s that frickin’ life raft?