Survival Guide: The Book All Survivalist and Preppers Need ( 3 in 1 ) (2016)

Book 2

SURVIVAL

Making Provisions For Water

Water is one of the very important things you need to survive during an emergency. In fact I will keep water on top of my list because you can survive without other things like food for a longer period of time, but you cannot go without water for long. It may not come as a surprise to you that you can stay for 3 weeks which is approximately 21 days without food and still survive, but you can’t survive without water for 3 to 4 days. This is to show you how important water is to your survival. So the question now is; how do you scout for water, or how will you make provisions for water when you are stranded in a desert or in an island?

Some of the ways you can source for water during an emergency include:

ü Rain Water

If you are stranded in a desert, then this option may not be for you as it is very unlikely for rain to fall in a desert place. You can skip to other options mentioned below. Rainwater comes in handy in an emergency situation, especially if you are stranded in a bush land. You can look around for a small container (your survival bag should have pots, bottles and other containers) to collect water when it is raining or you can use a large leaf. To collect water using a leaf roll the leaf to give it a cone shape, fold the side you are holding and use the upper side of the leaf to collect raindrops. You can only use the second method to collect water which you will drink immediately because you can’t save water using a leaf.

ü Look For Streams/Waterfalls

Another method you can use is to walk around your surroundings to search for a nearby stream or waterfall. A stream or waterfall will take care of your drinking and bathing needs and it is actually the best option but if there isn’t any stream near you, you can still use other methods. Ensure that your trip to scout your surrounding is done during the daytime when you can see clearly to avoid running into danger. Also, if you can’t swim, remember to only use the riverbed.

When going on such a trip, you have to find a way of keeping track of your surroundings to avoid getting lost again. You can make marks on tree trunks as you go, or you can pick heavy stones and drop as you go or even tie twine on shrubs as you go.

Telltale Signs That A River Is Nearby

· Sound Of Rushing Water

The first sign that there is a river or stream nearby is that you will hear a sound of rushing water. All you need to do is to stand still and listen for the sound in the background. It might not always be a sound of rushing water; it can be a trickling sound if the water isn’t fast moving.

· Via The Presence Of Some Insects

Some insects usually stay near water bodies and seeing them around means that there is a pool of water nearby. The most popular of them all is mosquitoes. Look out for mosquitoes in your environment; it’s a sign that there is water not far from where you are.

· Birds can also signal where water is

Follow the direction towards which birds fly in the evening and in the morning.

· Damp Soil

Is the soil around the area damp? If yes, then it means that there is a stream or river nearby.

· Cool Temperature

Is the area cool? If the place is generally cool than other parts of the bush land, then it may be a sign that there is a waterfall nearby.

Also, look out for tracks of wildlife and lush green vegetation since this is a sign of nearby water. A muddy area is also a sign that there is water. Simply dig a hole then strain the water using a cloth

ü Look For A Dry River Bed

A dry river bed can provide water for you, as some riverbeds still bring out water if you dig a shallow hole on it. If you see a riverbed around you, you can bore a hole with a strong stick (or use the hand shovel in your bug out bag) to see if you can get water from there. A dry riverbed is very easy to notice, because the ground looks all cracked up, while the soil is kind of moist if you dig into the soil.

ü Soil Still Water

This method can be used to collect early morning dew to serve as water for your use. To use the soil still water method, you need to find plastic sheet, some stones and a container to collect the water.

When you get the items, you need to dig a hole in the soil; the hole should be dug directly above trees with big branches. When you are done making the hole, you then place the container inside the hole, and place leaves all around the container. After that, use the thin plastic sheet to cover the hole then place bigger pebbles or stones on the edges of the plastic sheet to hold it in place while you place a smaller pebble in the middle of the plastic sheet. This way, dew that fall on any part of the sheet rolls to the middle and drops into the container. You can use this method to source for clean drinking water daily depending on how big your container is, or you can do this in several areas to help you collect enough water.

Other sources include lakes, oceans etc. Ice is also a good source of water but before you use it for water, ensure to melt it first since drinking ice can cause dehydration.

Here are some other ideas on how to collect water:

Wrap a leafy green shrub or tree branch using a plastic bag in the morning then insert a rock inside the bag to create a point where the water will collect. When the plant transpires, it produces moisture, which you will collect at the low point. As you do this, ensure the vegetation is not poisonous.

If you are near a beach (don’t drink ocean water, as it is too salty and will cause dehydration), simply dig a hole that’s 3-5 feet deep behind a sand dune (about 100 feet away from the waterline) then place rocks at the very bottom to ensure the sand doesn’t become too active. You can then place wood around the sides if that is possible in order to ensure the walls do not cave in. You may be able to collect up to 5 gallons of water in a few hours. If the water is too salty, try moving a little farther away from the waterline. You can try the same approach in lakes; not necessarily the ocean.

How To Purify Water

Are there really ways in which you can purify the water you’ve collected so far, or will you have to drink germ filled dirty water just because you are stranded? The good news is that there are simple methods you can use to purify your water to make it safe for drinking and they include:

ü Filtration With Cloth

You can use a clean cloth or wash out a dirty cloth then place it on a container to filter your water to remove debris and dirt before use.

ü Boil The Water

This method is quite safer than the method mentioned above because it kills germs and other impurities. The best way is to boil the water first; ensure that you bring it to boil, bring down the water to cool down, and then filter with a clean piece of cloth. Ensure to aim for 10 minutes of consistent boil.

ü Water Purification Tablet

If you’re lucky enough to have a purification tablet in your survival kit, it will make the whole process easier; all you need is to drop the required quantity inside your drinking water and allow it to purify the water.

Tip: If you had packed the water purification supplies that we discussed earlier, you shouldn’t have no problem in purifying water. But if you are short of supplies, boiling will be your next best option.

After water, the next thing on our discussion is food. How can you scout for food when you are in the wild when all your supplies are depleted? We will learn how to do that in the next chapter.