Lost at Sea. Survival Stories Package

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Christina Blankenship
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1 Survival Stories Package Lost at Sea Steven Callahan survived more than a month alone at sea in an inflatable raft. In January 1982, Callahan set sail from the Canary Islands on a small boat he built himself. The boat sank six days into the trip and Callahan was left adrift on a five-foot (1.5 meter) life raft. With only three pounds of food and eight pints of water, a solar still and a makeshift spear, Callahan managed to survive on his own until his rescue 76 days later. He probably could not have accomplished this without the still (which can make sea water potable) and the spear. During his two-plus months at sea, Callahan's raft traveled approximately 1,800 miles (2,898 kilometers). Throughout the entire ordeal, Callahan constantly fought death. Not only did he lose an incredible amount of weight, leaving him malnourished, Callahan was very badly sunburned and had to repeatedly fight off sharks. Although left helpless to watch as ships passed without noticing him, Callahan's determination to live was unyielding. He ate whatever fish he could catch and found ways to occupy his mind. His quick-thinking saved his life time and again. Even when his raft sprung a leak, Callahan was able to keep the raft afloat and managed the leak for 33 more days until his rescue. A solar still, like the one pictured above, can make sea water potable.

2 Survival Skills Like other survivors before him, Callahan had a certain amount of valuable experience to rely upon; Steven Callahan was an expert sailor and shipbuilder when he set out to sea. He used his skills and knowledge of sea life to make clean water and catch food. However, most people that read his memoir, "Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea," believe that it was Callahan's determination that kept him alive. He was often terrified, but he knew that he had to fight his negativity. If at any point he had given in to his negative thoughts, he probably would not have survived until his rescue. Steven Callahan's experience at sea is a lesson in two very important survival skills - determination and a positive attitude. Survival Tips: Did You Know? You can last about 2 and half days without water in 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) as long as you spend the entire time resting in the shade. If the temperature remains below 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) you could last as long as 12 days. You should build shelter at nightfall to conserve energy and fluids. If lost in the desert, do not abandon clothing because it's too heavy or hot. Temperatures can drop drastically at night, so you'll need it later. In the heat, try not to lie directly on the ground -- instead make a raised bed so that air can circulate beneath you. If possible, it's better to travel at dusk or dawn to reduce your exposure to the sun; significantly increasing your chance of survival. If stranded with little water, it's better to drink water slowly and at room temperature. Drinking cold water too fast can give a dehydrated person severe stomach cramps. Questions Refer to the article above for answers to the next three questions. 1. How long did Callahan spend alone in the life raft? 2. How far did Callahan s raft travel? 3. Callahan s experience is a lesson in what two important survival skills? Refer to the Survival Tips box above for answers to the next two questions. 4. How many days at 49 C can a person last without water? 5. Why should you keep all your clothes if you are lost in a desert?

3 Lost on the Board When Eric LeMarque set out for a day of snow boarding in California's Sierra Nevada mountains one bright, cold day in early March of 2003, he had no idea that by night's end he would be lost and moving further away from safety by the minute. While looking for a fresh path of powder, the 34-year-old former Olympic hockey player disastrously veered off course along the 11,000-foot (3,353-meter) Mammoth Mountain. Because he was just out for a bit of outdoor recreation, LeMarque had very little in the manner of supplies and equipment. He had no food, no extra clothing and the battery on his cell phone was dead -- certainly not enough to back up a few hours, let alone seven nights lost on the mountain. But, he did have an MP3 player. While it might seem like the least-likely device to do so, it was probably this little gadget that saved LeMarque's life. After realizing he was lost, LeMarque's first reaction was a good one; he gathered kindling and attempted to build a fire. Depending on the situation, staying put and waiting for help is usually a good option. When he couldn't get a fire going, he decided to keep moving. Unfortunately, he headed in the wrong direction. Over the next couple of days, LeMarque travelled further and further away from safety. Along the way, he faced frigid temperatures, hunger and after falling into rushing water, almost went careening down an 80-foot (24-meter) waterfall. LeMarque's seven-day ordeal left him so badly frostbitten, that he suffered irreparable tissue damage to his lower extremities; both his feet and much of his legs had to be amputated. After losing 35 pounds (16 kilograms), LeMarque was severely malnourished. According to Newsweek, at one point -- at the height of his exhaustion, LeMarque was hallucinating and imagining his situation was a video game. He was thinking, "the game is over... Let's reset it. I give up." However, LeMarque didn't give up and he did survive. Pack This! No matter if it's just for one day of hiking or a week of camping, there are several items you should include on your packing list: Plenty of food and water Some extra clothing A map A compass A flashlight and extra batteries Sunscreen Matches in a waterproof container A fire starter or candle A pocket knife or utility tool A first aid kit A cell phone, GPS or other communication device could also come in handy.

4 Questions Refer to the article above for answers to the next five questions. 1. What was Eric doing when he got lost? 2. What did Eric first try to do when he realized he was lost? 3. Why did Eric need both his feet and much of his legs amputated? 4. How much weight did Eric lose? 5. What did Eric hallucinate? How Eric Saved His Own Life The will to live and some clever thinking kept Eric LeMarque alive. Well, that and a little help from the entertainment industry. After recalling a scene in a movie, LeMarque fashioned a working compass. Using that and an increasingly strong radio signal from his MP3 player, LeMarque successfully switched direction and started moving back toward safety and, ultimately, his rescue. He made some other key decisions that no doubt helped him to survive. Instead of eating the most readily available item (snow), LeMarque ate pine seeds and tree bark. Eating snow can be very dangerous because it lowers body temperature. He further avoided lowering his body temperature by not camping directly on the cold ground. Using his snow board like an axe, LeMarque created an insulated surface of tree shavings between his body and the freezing, snow-covered earth. These sound decisions ensured that, at the very least, Eric LeMarque would not freeze to death. By using equipment for nontraditional purposes - like an MP3 player as a directional device or a snow board as an axe, LeMarque's creativity helped him overcome being ill equipped. However, as he told Newsweek reporters, the next time he goes snow boarding (he definitely plans to do so), he'll be sure to be much better prepared.

5 Questions Refer to the article above for answers to the next five questions. 1. What did Eric eat? 2. Why can it be dangerous to eat snow? 3. What did Eric use as an axe? 4. What little gadget helped save Eric s life? 5. What did Eric say he will do next time he goes snowboarding?

Surviving Despite an Injury When Joe Simpson and Simon Yates started their journey to scale the Siula Grande, a 21,000-foot (6,401-meter) mountain in the Peruvian Andes both were extremely excited

6 Surviving Despite an Injury When Joe Simpson and Simon Yates started their journey to scale the Siula Grande, a 21,000-foot (6,401-meter) mountain in the Peruvian Andes both were extremely excited about the adventure. No doubt, their excitement grew as the two young men made it up the Siula Grande without incidence. That excitement changed to dread when snowstorms moved in, disorienting the climbers; their descent would prove devastatingly more difficult. To navigate the huge crevasses that faced them, they decided to continue their journey roped together. Suddenly, the unthinkable happened. Simpson fell, violently shoving the bones of his lower leg up into his kneecap. It was evident that they couldn't continue climbing. With 300 feet (91.4 meters) of rope, Yates and Simpson devised a plan. Yates would lower Simpson 300 feet (91.4 meters) and wait for a tug on the rope. This signal would indicate that Simpson had anchored himself and it was safe for Yates to climb down. Unfortunately, night fell and a snowstorm hit so suddenly that when Yates lowered Simpson over a precipice, he accidentally left him hanging in mid-air. There was no way to know what, if anything was beneath Simpson. The conditions of the blizzard made it impossible for the two to communicate. Yates held on to the rope for over an hour. But, after realizing that unless he cut the rope, they both would die, Yates was forced to make a difficult decision. He had to cut the rope. Photo courtesy Mark Horrell Siula Grande

7 Questions Refer to the article above for answers to the next three questions. 1. How tall is Siula Grande? 2. Describe Simon s terrible injury? 3. What tough decision did Simon Yates have to make? Falling to Safety When Yates cut the rope, Simpson fell into a crevice. After a series of snow bridges slowed his fall, Simpson landed on an ice ledge. In almost total darkness and bitter cold, with an unknown drop on either side of him, Simpson decided to use the remains of the rope to lower himself down into the depths below. In his book, "Touching the Void," Simpson explains, "In seconds my whole outlook changed. The weary frightened hours of night were forgotten...i could do something positive. I could crawl and climb and keep on doing so until I had escaped from this grave." He lowered himself until he hit a floor and, when dawn arrived, Simpson was able to climb out to the side of the mountain. Simpson wasn't entirely in-the-clear yet; he still had to get down the mountain and cross a rocky field in spite of his broken leg. He continued to force himself to press on by chanting, "Move, stop dozing, move!" An incredible amount of determination brought Joe Simpson down from Siula Grande. In the end, Simon Yates survived as well, after a harrowing descent to safety. The Aftermath Joe Simpson's book, "Touching the Void", about his experience on the mountain has also been made into a major motion picture. While many people have focused on the decision that Yates made to cut the rope, Simpson is first to point out that he would have done the exact same thing. In fact, he has said that he was surprised that Yates even attempted to stay with an injured climber. Joe Simpson's experience was certainly frightening and for most, almost unthinkable. But, as with many survivors, Simpson's will to live was stronger than the alternative -- the decision to give in to his pain or despair. After several surgeries, Joe Simpson's leg is fully healed and he continues to mountain climb.

8 Questions Use a dictionary to find definitions for the following words: 1. Crevasse 2. Weary 3. Harrowing Refer to the article above for answers to the next two questions. 4. Why isn t Joe Simpson angry that Simon Yates cut the rope? 5. What was the main thing that kept Joe Simpson alive and moving?

When Animals Attack Early one morning in November of 2003, Bethany Hamilton did something she regularly did -- she went to Makua Beach on Kauai in Hawaii to go surfing.

9 When Animals Attack Early one morning in November of 2003, Bethany Hamilton did something she regularly did -- she went to Makua Beach on Kauai in Hawaii to go surfing. A 13-year-old competitive surfer, Hamilton often went surfing with her best friend and fellow competitor, Alana Blanchard. On this morning, Bethany and Alana were joined by Holt and Byron -- Alana's dad and brother. At about 7:30 a.m., a tiger shark, probably 12 to 15 feet in length, suddenly bit off Hamilton's left arm, just below the shoulder. Photo courtesy Carl Roessler A Tiger shark "Nobody saw the shark," said Bethany's 21-year-old brother, Noah, who also said that it was a calm day with clear water. After Hamilton was bitten, instead of panicking and possibly drowning, she paddled over to her friends with only one arm. Along the way, she even made sure to warn other surfers and swimmers nearby -- shouting that there was a shark. Loads of Hamilton's friends and family attest to her quiet strength, pointing out that she has never cried about the incident. Even her doctors were surprised at her determination.

Photo courtesy http://www.bethanyhamilton.com/ Bethany Hamilton surfing (before the shark attack).

10 Photo courtesy Bethany Hamilton surfing (before the shark attack). Questions Refer to the article above for answers to the next three questions. 1. How old was Bethany Hamilton when she was attacked by the shark? 2. What kind of shark attacked her? 3. What part of Bethany s body was bitten off by the shark?

Bethany Stays Focused The truth about any animal attack is that predicting an occurrence is nearly impossible. The best defense against an attack is knowledge.

11 Bethany Stays Focused The truth about any animal attack is that predicting an occurrence is nearly impossible. The best defense against an attack is knowledge. If there have been shark sightings on a particular beach, it is something that surfers and swimmers should know. Hamilton's attack was the fourth time in 20 years that a Kauai surfer lost a limb to a shark. Though the incidence is rare, one of the keys to survival is being aware of potential dangers. The best defense against a shark attack is a good offense. The following measures, from the U.S. Department of Land and Natural Resources, can reduce the risk of being bitten by a shark: Don't swim alone Swim in guarded areas Avoid swimming at dusk Don't swim with bleeding wounds Avoid murky water Don't wear bright jewelry or highly contrasting colors Refrain from excessive splashing Don't swim if sharks are known to be present Be alert if turtles and fish are fleeing the area Remove speared fish from the water Get out of water if dolphins are jumpy Most shark attacks are a surprise -- but Hamilton was able to stay focused after the attack. Instead of being overwhelmed by the incident, Bethany kept her composure and swam for help. The quick thinking of Photo courtesy Destination Surf those around her proved vital. Alana's dad, Holt, used a A surf leash like this was used as surf leash to apply a tourniquet to stop Bethany's a tourniquet for Bethany's arm bleeding. Taking quick action is important -- in a survival situation, the quicker a victim gets help, the better the chances of survival. Fortunately, the loss of Hamilton's arm has not diminished her dreams, she has simply changed her focus. Hamilton plans to pursue a career in photography, standing on the other side of the camera when an accident happens.

12 Questions Refer to the article above for answers to the next three questions. 1. What does this article suggest is the best defense against animal attacks? 2. List three things you can do to reduce the chance of being attacked by a shark. 3. Use a dictionary to find a definition for the work tourniquet. 4. What did Holt use as a tourniquet for Bethany s arm? 5. What career does Bethany plan to pursue now?

Part 1 Read the included informational text Real Stories of Survival

Part 1 Read the included informational text Real Stories of Survival 2015-2016 7 th Grade Summer Reading Dear Parent/Guardian, All students entering seventh grade for the 2015 2016 school year will be required to read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen over the summer break. During