Lost at Sea Survival Tips

As much as we hope you will never ever be lost at sea, some things are inevitable. It is better to have a plan than to not have one at all. Sometimes becoming lost or stranded can happen and you cannot figure out which way you came from or maybe you simply ran out of gas. We want to help you think about and consider what you can do to get out of a bad situation like this as fast as possible. Some of these tips may sound a little over the top but we are mentioning them just in case you are ever in the worst case scenario.

Items to Have before Heading out for Sea:

There are some items that you are required to carry with you on board. Life vests, throw-able flotation, horn, fire extinguishers, and flares. We also recommend carrying a VHF radio with someone who knows how to properly use it. A GPS, first-aid kit, blankets, towline, some non-perishable food, and lots and lots of water. Each of these things can become very useful when situations go bad and can be easily stored inside a storage box.

Calm, Cool, Collective:

The worst thing to do in a bad situation is to panic. When you panic you begin to waste your energy that you may need a little bit later. If you can get some sleep and try your best to relax. This will also help you not drink any water unless you absolutely need to. Keeping positive and peaceful thoughts are also very important, and remaining calm will help you make clearer thoughts and decisions on what your next move will be. If you are panicking you may cause others to begin panicking also. A boat or ski full of people in panic will not progress into finding help or land!

Any Land Nearby?:

First, look around and see if you can spot any land right away and if you can’t, again remember to stay calm and do not lose hope. There are a few things you can look for in the water when you do not see land right away. Look at the water around you and as far as you can see, if there is lighter colored water that indicates shallow water and land is usually right by shallow water. Wave patterns can also be observed, waves refract as they approach land. Lastly, birds! If you see many birds together flying towards a certain direction, then that can be your key back to land!

Signaling for help:

Signaling for help if you cannot find any signs of land nearby is your next best bet. Stay on the lookout for any aircraft like airplanes or helicopters. Even a ship in the distance can help you. Before even heading out to the sea, you should have some sort of signaling kit that will have a flare gun inside. Other ships or people on shore may be more likely to see your flare and right away know that something is wrong. Other ways people have tried signaling for help is waving a white piece of clothing around or using a mirror, phone, or some type of reflective article to reflect the light from the sun and attract the attention of the plane or ship.

DO NOT Drink The Seawater:

Unfortunately, when you are lost at sea you may run out of the water and become very thirsty. Do not drink the seawater. Drinking salt water will only make you thirstier and after drinking so much of it, can make you sick. Try to pack a large amount of extra water before heading out so that you are not put in a thirsty and scary situation. It is better to overpack water than to under pack. If you are in a tropical area, or an area where it begins to rain, you may also want to consider collecting rainwater with a cloth or container. This is only to survive!

Food:

If you do not have any food left over, luckily for you the ocean is filled with fish. Fish do gather near the bottoms of boats, so if you have a container or not do your best to swoop some up. You can also look for other options if you cannot find fish, these options include plankton, seabirds, or seaweed. If you do have food left over, conserve as much as you can. If you eat it all in one sitting or in a short amount of time you will be forced to resort to the more rough way of acquiring food.

As we mention before, we hope you are never in this situation but sometimes life throws the unexpected at you and it can happen. Just remember to stay calm and positive about the outcome and never leave unprepared. Try to distract yourself with the beauties of the ocean to help you get by until help finally reaches you. Overcoming a situation like this will make you stronger so stay positive, always. We hope this helps you when creating your “Lost at Sea” plan, which we hope never has to happen!

Related:

-How to Launch a Boat Safely

-10 Things You Should Carry in Your Jet Ski/Watercraft

-10 Tips and Tricks for New Boat Owners

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