How to survive on a Tropical Island? If you ever end up stranded on a tropical island, it doesn’t matter how you got there, and surviving an aircraft disaster or a boat getting blown off course in a storm may turn out to be the easy part.
How to survive on a Tropical Island?
It may be difficult to concentrate, but it is critical if you wish to survive the island as well as you did whatever circumstances got you there. What the tide brings in can also be swept away, so the first thing you should do is collect anything that drifted in with you and place it firmly above the water line.
Get Fresh Water to survive on a Tropical Island
Your first worry is water, and you will ultimately need to explore the entire island, but for the time being, while gathering and stacking any usable materials, be careful of your surroundings and any potential hazards so you are not caught off guard. Larger islands provide promise for inland water sources, but if it’s calm and not flowing from a stream or waterfall, chances are it won’t be drinkable. Here are a few pointers to help you get through any water problems.
The presence of coconut trees in the vicinity would be ideal. Immature nuts are high in both water and nourishment. It involves figuring out how to get to them, but once you do, there’s plenty of fresh water to go around.
Still build solar water heaters
The tropics are only green because of the amount of rain they receive. A rubber raft would be an amazing way to collect rainwater, with the only concern being a container to store it in between storms. If all you can find is an empty bottle, look for leaves that could be rolled into funnels, then place one in the bottle’s neck and let the rain fill it up. Unless all else fails, you can drink seawater if you boil it first.
If none of your scavenged items will suffice as a pot to boil it in, look for something locally available that will hold water and will not burn easily, such as an animal skull as well as soft wood that you can hollow out with a rock. The wooden pot will need to be replaced on a regular basis, but it will keep you from becoming thirsty.
Look for food
The next essential is food. The water, no matter how vast or small the island, can provide more than enough food. If spearfishing fails, try tidal pools for octopus or squid. Again, be careful of your surroundings since you never know what may be crawling about the beach that is tasty, including lobster or crab. No solely meat diet is beneficial for you, so here are a few other items to consider when it comes time to eat.
Look for Marine Purslane, a form of seaweed that grows on rocks and spreads across the sand. This basic green herb is high in minerals and delicious whether cooked or raw. Going deeper into the interior after you’ve explored enough to be aware of local dangers could pay you with fresh fruit or nuts that grow in the tropics. It is critical to maintaining good health by eating a well-balanced diet. When there is no vitamin stored around the block, a lack of sufficient nourishment leads to ailments that can be fatal.
Making a Fire and a Shelter to survive on a Tropical Island
Shelter and fire are obviously critical. You could go without either for a while, but being wet with no method to warm yourself guarantees you’ll become sick. If you’re lucky, there will be natural shelters you can use, such as caverns; but, before you move in, make sure no one else is living there. One method for searching for further residents is to light a fire (using a hand-built bow drill) much further inside so that smoke penetrates every inch of the inside.
Adding wet fuel will produce even more smoke, and you need all the help you can get for this operation. The purpose is safety, not comfort, and anything that keeps your body off the floor while you sleep is sufficient. If there are no caves or adequate rock formations accessible, here are a few other options for protecting yourself from the environment and any predators that might be on the island with you.
Construct a lean-to shelter
Lean-to shelters are simple to construct and will suffice until you have time to create a more permanent structure. The foundation for your temporary construction will be large rocks, felled trees, or even a sand hill. Look for large branches, stick one end into the ground, and lean the other against a supporting object. Once you have enough length to cover your complete body, it’s a simple matter to pick foliage and drape it thickly enough over the frame to keep rain and sun out.
Construct a teepee shelter
Tee-pees provide better protection than lean-tos and are less difficult to construct. Gather at least ten branches, keeping in mind that the thicker the branches, the more safe your shelter will be. Make the frame by using three of the branches to form the tripod as well as the rest evenly spaced around it. Canvas from a sail would be excellent but if that isn’t available cover the frame with the same kind of heavy brush or foliage you would use for a lean-to.
Keep the fire burning
Keeping a fire going is much easier than starting a new one. Fire is required for more than just warmth; the smoke can warn passing ships during the day, and flames can be seen for miles at night in the event of a plane flying overhead. Fire ploughs can start a fire, but it takes a lot of effort. If your hands aren’t up to it, anything that reflects sunlight straight onto your tinder will work if you’re patient.
Once you’ve started a fire, you might wish to build a shelter for it to keep it going even if it rains. Finally, it never hurts to keep a sufficient quantity of wood, kindling, and tinder in a water-proof location so that if your fire goes out, you won’t have to scour a wet island for something dry to burn. One of the things that will keep you alive and comfortable for as long as you are trapped is staying dry and warm.
