Finding themselves in the wild by fate or by their own free will, these people experienced all the hardships of primitive life, learning to make fire and fresh water, hunt, distinguish useful plants from poisonous ones, and build dwellings from scrap materials. The show “The Island with Bear Grylls,” which airs on Sundays at 11:55 Moscow time on the Discovery Channel, will tell about twelve such daredevils who decided to test their strength by spending a month on a wild island in the Pacific Ocean. In our selection we will talk about them and other interesting cases of survival on uninhabited islands.
Alexander Selkirk, 4 years and 4 months
It is believed that the prototype of Robinson Crusoe was the Scot Alexander Selkirk. In 1703, 27-year-old Alexander was hired as a boatswain on the ship "Sank Port", where, thanks to an erroneous entry in the ship's log, he turned from Selcraig into Selkirk. A year later, the ship set off on an expedition to the shores of South America. During the voyage, the Scot managed to infuriate the entire crew of the ship with his hot-tempered and scandalous character. During the next conflict that occurred near the island of Mas a Tierra, Selkirk wished to be put ashore.
Drawing. Alexander Selkirk / ©Wikipedia
Tired of his antics, the captain immediately granted the request. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the brawler tried to take back his words, but it was too late. The crew left him on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean, generously providing him with a survival kit, which included a gun with a supply of gunpowder and bullets, an axe, a knife, a flint, a pot, tobacco, a chest, navigation instruments and several books, including the Bible .
Selkirk was lucky, since the island turned out to be not completely wild - once upon a time, Spanish colonists lived here, leaving behind domestic goats, which had already gone wild by the time the new neighbor arrived. Alexander tamed them, obtaining a constant source of meat and milk. In general, his island diet was quite varied: in addition to goat meat, it included game, shellfish, seal and turtle meat, as well as turnips, cabbage and berries. The danger for Selkirk and his supplies were rats, which cats helped him deal with, also probably left by the Spaniards.
However, a much more serious threat to the life of the hermit was posed by Spanish ships, which sometimes stopped off the coast of the island to replenish their supplies of drinking water. At that time, England and Spain were at war over the Spanish inheritance, so Spanish flags did not bode well for the British sailor. So, when he saw them, Selkirk did not try to light fires to announce himself, but, on the contrary, ran away and hid far in the jungle. During his stay on the island, Alexander built himself two wooden huts and an observation post, from where he looked at the horizon. He made clothes from goat skins, which was easy for him, since he was the son of a shoemaker and mastered the leather craft. In order not to forget how to speak English and hear at least some speech, he often read the Bible aloud.
After more than four years of living as a savage, Selkirk was lucky: in 1709, the English ship Duke sailed to the island under the command of Woods Rogers, who picked up the sufferer. Selkirk was able to return to his hometown of Largo only in 1711. Upon his return, he began to tell his adventures everywhere and with pleasure, thanks to which he became a local celebrity. However, he never got used to the urban environment, so he joined the Royal Navy as a lieutenant. Alexander Selkirk died aboard the Weymouth in 1721, presumably from yellow fever. He was buried off the coast of West Africa, and the island of Mas a Tierra, to which Selkirk gave more than four years of his life, was renamed Robinson Crusoe Island in 1966.
Continue preparing for survival.
Start building a shelter with whatever materials you have. It should be strong enough to withstand the rain or winds you may encounter. You can sleep in blankets, sheets or towels, depending on what you have available. Try to dry clothes if they are wet and hold on to them if possible.
When the shelter is ready to begin searching for food . Depending on the island, you may find bananas, coconuts and other fruits. If you want, you can cook them using coconut as your pot. This is what your food will look like for a while. Another great source of food can be fishing. You can make a stick from bamboo sticks.
Be careful of sharks while fishing. Don't leave shallow water, predators are less likely to come there.
You should also be careful not to be attacked by other animals . You really don't know what wildlife is on your island. The first nights you take turns staying awake and watching for any predators that might be stalking.
Trigger the reference alarm. . The best way to do this is to light a huge fire that can be seen from a great distance. Use branches, small or large pieces of wood, anything that can burn is good and place the tinder in the middle. If you don't have lighters or matches, try lighting the fire with glasses or other lenses to concentrate the sun's rays onto the tinder.
There is a possibility that the lenses are also not available. Then you should use the Plow of Fire method:
During the day, add some damp wood and leaves to the fire. The thick smoke will be noticed by any aircraft or boat that passes nearby. You can also write SOS in the sand using a few large branches. The letters must be large so that they can be seen from the air.
Once you've done all this, wait for help to arrive. Waiting time can be more enjoyable if you can fill it with enjoyable activities such as mind games or sports.
Island with Bear Grylls, 1 month
Cases when people find themselves on a desert island as savages voluntarily are no less interesting than surviving against their will. In the reality show “The Island with Bear Grylls,” twelve people, accustomed to the benefits of civilization, will go to an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean for a whole month to test their strength in extreme conditions. Before disembarking, each participant will receive a brief briefing to explore the local flora and fauna, and will receive a survival kit: a machete or knife, a day's supply of water, a first aid kit, a jerry can, a whistle, a headlamp, as well as sun and mosquito repellents. For many, life on the island may seem like a paradise vacation, but for the project participants it will be a serious test of endurance. Under the supervision of experienced traveler and survival specialist Bear Grylls, desperate daredevils will have to not only arrange their lives in the wild jungle, but also look for one hundred thousand pounds sterling hidden on the island.
Participants in the project “The Island with Bear Grylls” / ©Discovery Channel
The new islanders will live in the jungle at the very peak of the dry season: they will have to withstand temperatures up to +35 degrees, constant sunshine and high humidity, enjoying rare rains. At the same time, danger will await them from all sides: the island is surrounded by cliffs and rocks, and in the depths it is covered with dense jungle and mangrove forests, which are literally teeming with insects and snakes. To avoid starvation, participants will have to fish, but even fishing can be a risky endeavor in conditions where the coastal waters are full of large stones and dangerous marine inhabitants.
The show's cast includes a 20-year-old fitness enthusiast and a 75-year-old grandmother of six grandchildren, as well as a nurse, doctor, photographer, businessman and other professions, none of whom had any experience of surviving in the wild before arriving on the island. Each of the twelve heroes of the show will have to look for bundles of money hidden in different parts of the island. You can keep the find for yourself, give it to another participant, or hide it, but those leaving the show before the end of the month must refuse the money they found. Who will manage to survive in extreme conditions and take home the coveted prize of 100,000 pounds can be found out in the program “The Island with Bear Grylls”, which airs on Sundays at 11:55 Moscow time on the Discovery Channel.
Find yourself a practical place to sleep
Regardless of the climate, the air temperature drops at night. Therefore, it is important that you find a place to sleep that is well protected from the wind. Survival experts advise digging a basin and covering the ground with freshly picked grass.
Now everyone is jealous of my mirror: my husband decorated it with logs of wood (photo)
The most powerful AMG: Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series debuts at the end of July
Japanese artist Gotte paints hamsters with human problems
This natural material can serve as good thermal insulation. That's why experts also recommend placing grass under your clothes and using the plants as a warming sleeping bag. In addition, it is recommended to create a headdress from scrap materials, since the body loses a lot of heat from the body through the head.
Pavel Vavilov, 34 days
When it comes to uninhabited islands, many people imagine tropics somewhere in the Pacific Ocean and deserted beaches full of coconut palms. However, there are also wild islands in the North - the Soviet fireman Pavel Vavilov had a chance to live on one of them. Vavilov was born in 1909 and in his youth worked as a sailor on river ships, and then got a job as a fireman on ships sailing along the Northern Sea Route, where he was later promoted to driver. During the Great Patriotic War, he began serving on the icebreaker ship "Alexander Sibiryakov", which was engaged in the delivery of people and food to the polar stations of Severnaya Zemlya.
On August 24, 1942, the ship set out on its next voyage. The next day, near Belukha Island, the Alexander Sibiryakov was spotted by the German cruiser Admiral Scheer. A battle ensued and the Soviet ship was sunk. Some sailors died during the shelling, while the rest tried to escape on two boats, one of which was damaged by the Germans during the shooting. Pavel Vavilov and his comrades were in it, most of whom were pulled into the funnel formed after the ship was flooded. Vavilov grabbed onto the wooden wreckage of the ship and thanks to this he remained on the surface. He was able to climb into an empty boat, where he changed into the clothes of a dead comrade and discovered several axes, a barrel of fresh water, two boxes of matches, a package of biscuits and a revolver with a supply of cartridges. They also managed to catch a bag of fur clothing, a bag of bran and a sleeping bag from the water. Paul saw dry land nearby and went there.
Pavel Vavilov / ©Wikipedia
This is how he ended up on the uninhabited Belukha Island, and the building that he noticed while sailing turned out to be an abandoned lighthouse. Vavilov only approximately understood where he was, so he decided not to push his luck and abandoned the idea of sailing to the mainland on a boat. Instead, he remained on the island to wait for help. His only neighbors were polar bears. There was nothing to eat or drink on the island - the terrain was rocky and there was almost no vegetation. Pavel decided to hide from the bears at the lighthouse, and a sleeping bag and fur clothes helped escape the cold, which was already felt in August. The source of fresh water was ice and snow: he melted the ice and diluted bran in the water, which was the only dish in his diet.
It was impossible to fish because of the strong surf, there was no one to hunt, and there was almost nothing to collect. The wooden parts of the building were used for firewood, but Pavel saved them, so he could not even make a signal fire. As a result, several ships passed by without noticing Vavilov. A month later, people from a steamship passing nearby saw a lonely man on the island, but the ship was unable to land on the shore because of the waves. The crew transmitted information about the survivor, and soon a seaplane was sent for him. For four days he could not land and only dropped bags of food and tobacco to Pavel. Then the plane finally landed on the water and picked up Pavel. After being rescued, Vavilov did not leave his favorite work and continued to work on steamships and icebreakers of the Arctic Fleet.
Explore the area
Once you have secured food, water, and a good place to sleep, you should explore the island. Keep track of all the details and pay attention to everything that may be important to you.
“It’s not my fault”: 6 phrases you won’t hear from successful entrepreneurs
38-year-old Andrei Shirman, known as DJ Smash, became a father for the first time
An eco-bus appeared in St. Petersburg: it has chargers for smartphones
This doesn't just apply to finding other food items. Trees and leaves are also important objects to pay close attention to. Survival experts say this may help you discover a better place to stay or good dry firewood.
Marguerite de La Roque de Roberval, 2 years old
Marguerite was a Frenchwoman of noble blood, and her brother Jean-François de La Rocque de Roberval was patronized by King Francis I himself. In 1541, Jean-François became the governor of New France (the territory of modern Canada) and a year later went to the New World by ship, taking with him yourself and your sister. During the voyage, young Marguerite began an affair with one of the crew members. Outraged by his sister's inappropriate behavior, Roberval dropped Marguerite off Demon Island, which today is known as Harrington Island and is part of the Canadian province of Quebec. Such a cruel decision was apparently dictated by Puritan morality, but there are suggestions that it was simply beneficial for Roberval, who was mired in debt, to get rid of his sister in order to inherit her land. Along with Marguerite, her lover and maid were also expelled from the ship.
Drawing. Marguerite de La Roque de Roberval / ©Wikipedia
Marguerite became pregnant and had a child on the island, who soon died. After some time, the maid passed away, and then the young man. Marguerite had to learn to shoot and hunt wild animals in order to provide herself with food. In 1544, the girl was accidentally discovered by Basque whalers sailing by and helped her return to the mainland. Sailing to France, she gained fame and was granted an audience with Queen Margaret of Navarre, who wrote down her story. Marguerite herself settled in Nortron in southwest France and became a teacher. There is no information about any accusations or actions against the brother, who was still alive and well when Marguerite returned.
Jungle (2017)
A group of adventurers goes into the Amazon jungle in search of gold. Israeli Yossi Ginsberg is confident that he can survive anywhere. But when there are only endless thickets and wild animals around, and food supplies are running out, people’s patience comes to an end and a simple struggle for life begins. An adventure film about hunger and survival in the jungle based on a true story.
Watch the trailer
Original title : Jungle Actors : Daniel Radcliffe, Thomas Kretschmann, Alex Russell... Country : Australia, Columbia, UK Rating : Kinopoisk – 6.8, IMDb – 6.7 Age restrictions : 18+ Good quality : from 01/22/2018
Ada Blackjack, 2 years old
Ada Delituk, a member of one of the indigenous peoples of North America, the Inuit, was born in the small settlement of Spruce Creek in 1898. After her father's death, she was sent to Nome, Alaska, where she learned to write, read, cook, and sew at a missionary school. At age 16, Ada married and took the surname Blackjack. Two of the couple's three children died in infancy, and Ada's husband also died a few years later.
To feed her son Bennett, who was ill with tuberculosis, 23-year-old Ada got a job as a seamstress, but there was still not enough money, as a result the boy had to be sent to a shelter, but his mother promised that she would definitely come back for him. Soon after, Ada was offered a two-year Arctic expedition to Wrangel Island, which required an English-speaking seamstress. Having learned that she would receive $50 a month, Ada realized that the money accumulated during the expedition would help her take her son from the orphanage, and agreed.
Four polar explorers set off on the trip: Lorne Knight, Fred Maurer, Allan Crawford and Milton Galle - they were to be accompanied by Ada. The team members took with them hunting equipment and food supplies, which should have been enough for six months - then they planned to get food on their own. On September 14, 1921, all five landed on the shore of a snow-covered, mountain-covered island. The area was full of bears, of which Ada was very afraid, but after the hunt she made clothes from their skins.
Ada Blackjack / © oceanwide-expeditions.com
In the summer, the crew waited for a ship with supplies and letters, but it never arrived, unable to get through the ice. The timber supply was exhausted for several miles around, and hunting was going poorly. And then Lorne Knight fell seriously ill, the symptoms resembled scurvy. As a result, in January 1923, Crawford, Maurer and Halle went to the mainland for help and food. Their ship never returned, and they were never seen again. Ada now had to care for the sick Knight alone, learn to set traps for animals, shoot, carry firewood and tan skins. In June, the girl discovered a nesting site of seagulls and began feeding Knight, who was no longer able to eat on his own, raw eggs. Soon Lorne died, and Ada was left completely alone. She trapped arctic foxes, shot birds, kept a diary and took photographs. Just in case, the girl even wrote a will in which she wished that her salary for work on the expedition be divided between her mother and sister; she asked her to take care of her son.
On August 19, 1923, the ship Donaldson appeared off the coast of the island with a rescue expedition. The team brought Ada home. She was flocked by journalists and photographers to hear the story of the Robinson woman, but Ada was not interested in fame - she only cared about seeing her son as soon as possible. The money received for the expedition and the proceeds from the sale of arctic fox skins brought from the island was enough to pay for his treatment. Subsequently, the resilient woman remarried and gave birth to another son, who was named Billy.
Salt
Salt – sandbox, survival. The game is often compared to Minecraft, but other than the idea, they have nothing in common. In Salt you will explore various islands that are created randomly, fight pirates, search for resources and food. Attention is paid to the possibility of building a raft or ship and their further modernization.
As soon as you think that the game is simple, it immediately throws up various challenges. For example, you might discover a mysterious island with strange buildings, or you might be suddenly attacked by annoying pirates. Thanks to random generation, you can surf the open world forever.
Buy
Pedro Luis Serrano, 7-8 years old
Pedro Luis Serrano was a Spanish navigator who, according to the most common version, was the sole survivor of a shipwreck in the Caribbean Sea near Nicaragua in either the 1520s or 1540s. Having sailed to the nearest land, Pedro found himself on a small uninhabited island, which was a sandy strip eight kilometers long. The land was completely deserted, there was not even fresh water on the island, and the only inhabitants were sea turtles. They helped the sailor not to die of hunger: he ate sun-dried turtle meat, and made bowls from the shells to collect rainwater.
Serrana Bank Island, where Pedro Luis Serrano lived / ©Wikipedia
There weren't even stones on the island, so Serrano had to look for them by diving into the sea to get fire by friction. Due to the lack of wood, the Spaniard collected seaweed washed ashore, dried it and made a fire. Sometimes ships were seen in the distance, but they passed by without noticing the lone islander. Pedro lived like this for three years. But one day, not far from the island, a ship was shipwrecked and the only surviving sailor swam to the shore - Pedro had a companion in misfortune. The companions lived on the island for another four years until they were rescued by the crew of a ship that approached the island.
Dead Island
Dead Island is a unique experience of surviving on an island after a zombie apocalypse. Because the developers from Techland chose tropical Banoi in Papua New Guinea as the island - an incredibly beautiful place that embodies all the prevailing ideas about Heaven on Earth.
But instead of relaxing on the beach and cocktail parties, the player will have to crush skulls and chop off the limbs of the zombies occupying this wonderful place. Fortunately, for this, a huge arsenal of melee weapons, a crafting and upgrade system, as well as an exciting combat system with gradually unlocking passive and active skills were added to the game. It’s just that normal parkour is lacking here, but Techland completely corrected this omission in their other zombie survival game - Dying Light.
Buy
