How to Live on a Deserted Island

Co-authored by Britt Edelen

Last Updated: November 26, 2024 Approved

The worst possible thing has happened: you find yourself stranded on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere and are a victim of circumstance. Is all hope lost? Is there is absolutely no hope of being rescued? On the contrary, the opposite might be true. It is actually relatively easy to survive on a deserted island, even to thrive or perhaps even to find rescue provided that you know what to do.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Taking it in Stride

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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.
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.

Part 2

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Establishing the Necessities

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1
Look for a clean and fresh water supply. This must be your top priority. 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. ^{[1]
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Research source} 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. To find the purest water possible, get to higher ground. Rivers and creeks are more likely to be found in higher regions, flowing downwards. If you can find any source of water, follow it up to where it's coming from, since that water is going to be much safer to drink right off the bat because it hasn't been contaminated by as many things going down.
- If freshwater is available, try boiling it for 2-3 minutes. This will purify it. ^{[2]
  X
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- 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 reused, 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.
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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. ^{[3]
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- 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.
3
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. ^{[4]
  X
  Research source} 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.
^{[5]
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Research source} 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.
^{[6]
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Research source} 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.
If you know somehow that there are dangerous animals in the vicinity, use a fire at night time to help keep them at bay. If you have a fire extinguisher, you could use that to ward them off in an emergency. Traps and warning signals (such as snapping twigs) can be used to prevent animals from entering your shelter zone or alert you to their presence.

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Working Together

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Everyone must work together and ensure that all needs are met, and ensure that all your resources are put to good use.
If anyone in the group dies, bury them and hold a funeral, or in extreme cases, cannibalize them. ^{[7]
X
Research source} This brings some closure, and gives the due respect required while removing a potential source of disease as well.

Part 4

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Getting Rescued

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In William Golding's novel 'Pincher Martin', the stranded man actually built a figure out of rocks, which could be seen by passing ships. Recognized mountain distress signals are based on groups of three (six in the UK). A distress signal consists of three fires or piles of rocks placed in a triangle, or three blasts of a whistle, or three flashes of a light, each lit in succession, followed by a one minute pause and repeated until a response is received. ^{[8]
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Research source} Three blasts or flashes is the appropriate response. If you are in clear view of boats, attempt to make a large red X somehow.
Build big and unnatural looking shapes, with bright colors and something shiny. Use a radio, if available, to contact possible rescuers. Use signal mirrors, fires, flashlights, and whatever else available on hand to draw attention to yourself. This can be done while you wait.
A desperate act can be lethal. Willpower is what you need to survive without food for weeks. Believe it or not, without the will to live, you won't. Try to envision the great life that you will enjoy one day; if you give up now, that will be the end.

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How do I test if a fruit or anything else is edible?

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Watch and see if the fruit or plant is being readily eaten by other mammals, like pigs or rodents. Look at it carefully and smell it. If it has a pleasant aroma and looks inviting, that's a good sign. Take a tiny bit and rub it on your skin. If it doesn't burn or cause irritation, move on to your lips, then your tongue, then finally eat a small amount. Give your body time to react to the fruit and if it doesn't make you sick, try eating progressively larger quantities. In general though, you should never eat any food that you're unsure about, especially when it comes to berries. Only resort to the above method if you must.

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What if I ate something poisonous and I don't have any medicine?

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Don't eat something poisonous is the first rule. If you do, then induce vomiting. Test a very small amount instead of eating a whole lot of something. Rub a small amount on your lips. Wait a few hours, if no discomfort, burning sensation on lips or other ill effects move on to tongue. A small amount rubbed on tongue. Wait a few hours. If no ill effects or burning sensation etc move on to swallowing a small amount. If no ill effects, then swallow a bigger amount. If you're stranded on a deserted island, you need to keep your wits about you in what you choose to eat.

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How do I make rope on a deserted island?

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If vines are available, even thin ones, they can be used to tie things together. Other long plant materials such as tall grass and strips of fibrous tree bark can be used as well. Tie a few strips together to make two separate bundles connected at the end, twist one bundle tight and let it pull the other bundle into it as you switch bundles to repeat the process. Add more lengths of material about an inch or two before the end of the last bundles to add more length. Tie off the end when you have enough length. When you're done, the rope should look almost like braided rope and should have considerable strength. If you make enough, they can be tied or woven together to make a net.

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Before eating a new kind of plant, perform the Universal Edibility Test. If you do not remember the exact procedure, remember to try the food gradually and with a clean palate: swallowing comes last. Test the most common plants first and dedicate around 4-8 hrs in this endeavor, while doing other things. ^{[9]
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To make a stone knife, use a small rock to forcefully chip away at a larger one. Also use this technique for making spear heads or axe blades.

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If the island has coconut palms you are in luck. Every part of a coconut palm is useful for survival.

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To build a signal fire, add fresh leaves and sticks to an already burning fire, which should be as large as possible. If you add materials like plastic or polyester to the fire, it will produce black smoke. However, only burn unusable trash.
Use a 9V battery and steel wool to make fire. Rub the battery on the steel wool and blow a little bit. Be careful, the steel wool would burn super hot!

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Warnings

If you have clothes, don't rip them for raw materials. Exposure, especially to sunburn, can be deadly.

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Know the tides before you go spearfishing. There are difficulties to surviving on an island, but they are far worse if you are pulled out to sea.

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Don't walk on the seafloor with bare feet. Rays and stonefish are common, and are often deadly.

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Shark attacks can happen in knee-deep water.

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When looking for insects to eat, do not disturb a nest of stinging insects, spiders, or ants! Enough bugs attacking you at once can kill.

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Stay away from crags on the seafloor, or if you must go there for food, come prepared. Not only are stonefish an issue here, but eels have been known to pack ferocious bites.

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Do not drink salt water. The salt dehydrates you and makes it worse only when you have no other water.

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Stay on the coast whenever possible.

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Do not eat jellyfish or fish with the appearance of spines, fish that puff up, or fish that appear to have beaks.

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If you do catch a tropical disease: stay hydrated, don't pick at scabs that form, don't over-exert yourself, and stay away from diseased vomit.

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If you are near places where there has been extensive European colonization in the past (i.e: South America, Africa, or Pacific Islands), watch out for rats. They can cause a lot of danger to you and your food supply.

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Do not eat berries that are white and/or bitter; most white and/or bitter berries are poisonous. If you are not 100% sure what they are, don't eat them.

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Do not resort to cannibalism except as a last resort, especially if you're the only one on the island. It takes more energy to recover from loss of limb than is gained by the food itself.

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Only drink urine as a last resort, only when there is no obtainable source of water. Do not store the urine in a bottle as only fresh urine is sterile. Also only drink the first passing of urine, because drinking highly concentrated urine can cause kidney failure. You need to make a desalinator to do this. You have to get the water out while leaving the salt and impurities behind. Otherwise, it's worse than salt water.

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Those who have lived in temperate climates are used to mosquitos, but remember, in the tropics they are the most deadly animal you will face. Use anything you can to prevent them: spray your body with bug spray (Warning: Handle DEET and permethrin with extreme caution. They are flammable and poisonous in large amounts). Some plants may have bug-repelling properties as well. Fishing nets can be repurposed for mosquito nets. As often as possible, especially if none of these procedures can be performed, stay on the coast.

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Leaves of three, let them be! These plants could be poison ivy. ^{[10]
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Things You'll Need

Knife (a knife is the most versatile tool ever invented; there is nothing you can't do with a knife. If you don't have one with you, make one; breaking rock is a good place to start)
Duct tape (can be helpful in so many more ways than you'd imagine)
Dental floss (for a D.I.Y clothesline, shoelaces, fix frayed cords, sewn to patches and clean your teeth)
Food
Wire to make snares with (it's an easy way to get food if you know what you're doing)
Rope
Pots and pans or metal cans (cooking, water storage, etc.)
Tarp (useful barriers against wind and rain, use as a blanket or a shelter, such as a makeshift tent)

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How to Live on a Deserted Island

Steps

Taking it in Stride

Establishing the Necessities

Working Together

Getting Rescued

Community Q&A

Video

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Tips

Tips from our Readers

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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