STRANDED! How to Survive if Marooned on a Deserted Island

How to survive on a desert island. Stay calm. The most important thing for you to do at first is to remain calm and try to think clearly. If you start to panic, you can lose control and end up forfeiting your chances of survival. You won't do that well if you've driven yourself crazy. William Golding's novel 'Pincher Martin' is a great example that illustrates how you can't do anything unless you 'take control', because the main character in the story lets panic get the better of him. Try making a "buddy" out of an object or animal near you, and talk to them to calm down. You should make 'safety, water, shelter and food' your main priorities, in that order.

Look around you and decide on some safety precautions. Start by asking yourself if the area around you is safe. Look around again and check if there are there any wild animals lurking in close proximity? Does it appear like there could be a flooding risk? The first important step is establishing whether the place where you are is physically safe.

Establishing the Necessities-

Look for clean and fresh water supply. Almost all people who are lost out at sea are found in a matter of hours or days. Science tells us that the human body can survive up to 2 weeks without food, but just 3-4 days without water. So if there is no natural source of fresh water, start looking for a way to collect rainwater.
Any source of water is great! As long as you have found a source of water, you can try to purify or desalinate it later.

If fresh water is available, try boil it for 2-3 minutes. This will purify it.
If you have a desalination device, that's even better! If not, don't fret, there are actually several methods by which you can desalinate water.
One such method is distillation. To distillate water, construct a solar still, or one that works over a fire.
A solar still can be built by filling a large, flat container with salt water or even urine which can be re-used, if the need arises. Place a smaller container in the center with a rock inside it to hold it in place. Cover it with a thin sheet of plastic or whatever similar material you have and place a rock in the center above the cup. If placed in direct sunlight, the water will evaporate and it will condense on the plastic sheet, which will then run down the sheet and drip into the smaller container.
For a method that works over a fire, create steam and condense the steam by using a large piece of metal or glass placed inside the steam. This will allow the condensed water to run into another container.

Create a shelter. You will need a shelter as protection from the elements and from natural predators as well. The best options are usually a natural shelter such as a cave, or one that you build.
The next step to follow after having found a natural shelter, is to build a more enduring shelter. A shelter acts as a home base, a warm and shady place for you to sleep in, a place for storing your resources, and a hiding place from beasts of prey as well. Ensure that the shelter above the ground so that bugs don't crawl all over you.
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Find sources of food. The ocean is filled with life. Try building a low V-shaped wall made of stones at low tide, with the pointed part of the V pointing out towards the sea. At high tide, fish will swim into it, and get trapped as the tide flows out.
There are a lot of edible roots and berries that you can actually consider eating, but do remember to watch out! Some of these roots and berries are poisonous and eating them would probably be fatal. Only eat them if you are sure they are safe to eat.
The most reliable source of food on a deserted island are bugs. Yes, bugs! They can be found everywhere and they are an excellent source of protein, too. If you decide to fish with the bugs instead of eating them, a hook can be fashioned by carving out a stick into a hook shape and putting a barb on it. Tie string to it and you're in business.

Take the time to evaluate your resources. Have you found a source of fresh water? Do you have a long range radio, satellite phone, or any other means of communication? Try to find other people who might be inhabiting the island. Remember that people can be your greatest resource.

Start a fire. This may seem a bit trivial, but on a deserted island, fire has a number of uses. At the very least, it boosts morale. Fire can also be used to distill water, to cook, and to provide light for you and for your rescuers who can find you if they spot the fire! If you can't start a fire, don't worry, just move on to the next step and keep on trying.

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