Thankfully, the vast majority of us will never have to deal with a stranded at sea type scenario.
For those that do, however, here are some general pieces of advice.
Calm yourself
It’s not surprising that people who find themselves in the open water have a wild fear for their life. However, panic definitely won’t help you — it can cloud your judgment and make you lose the necessary rhythm of breathing.
Therefore, the first thing you should do is try to calm down.
Choose the right swimming style
• In calm water, it’s better to swim on your back because you’ll get the opportunity to relax as much as possible and breathe evenly.
• If waves splash around you, it’s better to swim on your belly. For example, try the breaststroke. Take a breath of air, then lower your head into the water and exhale. If you don’t have to keep your head above the water’s surface all the time, you’ll save more energy.
Find something that floats
If you’re in the open sea as a result of a shipwreck or an airplane water landing, there must be plenty of things around you that perfectly keep afloat. It will be even better if it’s a boat or a raft with which ships are equipped.
Save yourself properly
• If you have no idea where you are, don’t row. Rely on the current. It has more chance of carrying you to land.• Don’t rush into the water if you see a ship in the distance. Don’t try to catch up to it. It’s better to give a signal with a mirror or a piece of can.
• Don’t try to signal by fire so as not to endanger your temporary shelter in the form of a raft.
• If you were lucky enough to get a few flares, don’t send them up in a void — wait until a ship appears at a distance.
These are just the basics – you still have to figure out how to deal with the need for food, water, avoiding the sun and dealing with any predators.
If, though, you find yourself alone in the middle of the ocean or a huge lake, these are the general rules you need to immediately apply to give yourself a fighting chance!
To learn more about survival on the open sea, please visit Brightside.