Q&A for How to Survive on a Deserted Island With Nothing

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  • Question
    What would you do if you were left alone on an island?
    Britt Edelen
    BA in English Literature, Brown University
    Britt Edelen comes to wikiHow after graduating in 2019 from Brown University, where he studied English and German literature and philosophy. While at Brown he contributed frequently to campus publications and worked in the university’s Writing Center. More recently, he has had several articles published in various journals devoted to literary criticism. During his time at wikiHow, Britt supervised and collaborated with writers and editors to continue producing high-quality content and promote wikiHow’s mission of enabling everyone to learn anything.
    BA in English Literature, Brown University
    Expert Answer
    The first thing you would need to do is look for fresh water you can drink. You can only survive a few days without water.
  • Question
    Can you get lost on an island?
    Britt Edelen
    BA in English Literature, Brown University
    Britt Edelen comes to wikiHow after graduating in 2019 from Brown University, where he studied English and German literature and philosophy. While at Brown he contributed frequently to campus publications and worked in the university’s Writing Center. More recently, he has had several articles published in various journals devoted to literary criticism. During his time at wikiHow, Britt supervised and collaborated with writers and editors to continue producing high-quality content and promote wikiHow’s mission of enabling everyone to learn anything.
    BA in English Literature, Brown University
    Expert Answer
    Yes, that's why it's best to stay in one place once you find shelter. This can reduce the chance of getting hurt and increase the likelihood of rescuers narrowing your location down.
  • Question
    What if you're the only survivor?
    Community Answer
    Survival is still possible, even if you are the only survivor. Unfortunately, this will require you to handle every aspect of survival yourself. You will need to prioritize your needs and tackle the most serious issues first. For example, finding water and building a shelter might be the first two things you do.
  • Question
    Where do I find coconuts?
    Community Answer
    Coconuts are found at the top of coconut trees. They won't look like the ones you find in a grocery store with a brown fuzzy shell. They will have a hard green shell. Make sure you don't collect the ones on the ground. They have no water in them. The ones that are full of water are up in the trees.
  • Question
    What if you have absolutely no supplies with you on the island? Can you still survive?
    Community Answer
    Even if you arrive at the island with nothing, you can still survive. There may be fish near the island to eat and water can be taken from streams or pools and boiled. Simple tools can be made from natural items on the island.
  • Question
    What potential dangers could threaten the survival of a group?
    Community Answer
    Many of the same dangers that survival poses to an individual would also threaten a group. Finding water, food and building shelter are the biggest challenges. Having more people means you can split up the tasks of survival. However, it can also mean that you will need to find enough water and food for everyone.
  • Question
    What if a child or baby is with you?
    Community Answer
    For children, give them very basic tasks. For babies, it's unlikely they will remember it, so don't tell them until they are older. Make sure you prioritize them. If there are predators on the island with you, they'll try to prey on the weak.
  • Question
    How do I find clean water?
    Community Answer
    Look for a freshwater river or stream. You can also drink water that collects on plants. Make sure you boil any water before drinking it.
  • Question
    How do we protect ourselves from harsh climatic conditions?
    Infodesk
    Community Answer
    Shelter is the best option for that. Save as many materials from your downed transportation as possible, as they may prove useful later. Newspaper and the insides of seat cushions makes great insulation.
  • Question
    How do I boil water without supplies?
    Community Answer
    Build a fire and put two stilt-like sticks beside it. You can make a makeshift bowl out of large leaves and boil the water by hanging the "bowl" on a stick, that is, balanced between the "stilts."
  • Question
    How are you going to inform others you are stranded on the island?
    Pinrui Huang
    Community Answer
    Build a large, smoky, controlled bonfire by using live wood and grass to make huge flames and a lot of smoke.
  • Question
    What do I do if I am stranded on an island and the only water is from the ocean?
    Black Niche
    Community Answer
    Build a solar still. If you are on the beach, dig a hole down to water level. Place a container in the center (such as half a bottle). Put a plastic sheet over the top of the hole, weight it down, and place a rock or something slightly heavy over the cup. If you can, line it with greenery as well. It should work as long as the tide doesn't flood it and the container doesn't tip over.
  • Question
    What happens if all the survivors start eating each other?
    Community Answer
    Run for your life and hide. You need to do everything you can to ensure your survival.
  • Question
    What should I do if rules are broken on a deserted island?
    Community Answer
    If somebody breaks a rule, your response should depend on the exact rule that was broken. If their rule breaking has compromised your safety in some way, then they should be separated from the group and closely monitored. If their rule breaking was minor, I would find less severe ways to punish them so you don't risk splintering your group (and your survival odds) apart.
  • Question
    What if loneliness sets in and I have trouble sustaining sanity?
    Community Answer
    This is a legitimate concern with isolation. Gathering clean drinking water, scavenging food and wood, and other survival tasks will keep you busy and your mind occupied. If you've been stranded with writing implements and paper, keeping a journal and writing letters to friends and family (even though they can't be sent) can help. You could try befriending animals on the island for companionship. Even talking to yourself aloud can help alleviate feelings of loneliness.
  • Question
    Haw big does a shelter have to be when surviving on a deserted island?
    Community Answer
    It all depends on how many survivors are on the island. You might need to make several shelters or one big shelter.
  • Question
    What if one survivor is vegetarian? Would they live off of pineapples or something?
    Community Answer
    When you are stranded, your main concern would be surviving on whatever you can get. I doubt someone would be petty enough to care about eating meat if the only other option is starving! Though the likelihood of this happening is small, it can happen and you have to make sacrifices and rough it.
  • Question
    What if there are people already living on the island?
    Community Answer
    Try to make friends with them, or at least a peaceful alliance.
  • Question
    How do I build a cabin in less than 2 hours?
    Black Niche
    Community Answer
    You cannot build a true cabin in that time, but you can create an adequate shelter. A great way to make a shelter is to dig a pit and cover it with poles, sticks or branches.
  • Question
    If I land on a rock with no greenery, what are my odds of survival?
    Community Answer
    You will probably die, but it's possible that you could survive on fish that you caught from the water. You might even be able to build a raft out of driftwood or other items that float by.
  • Question
    Why should I build a raft, if there are sharks and the island is full of dangerous predators?
    Infodesk
    Community Answer
    You may see another island close by and want to travel there to potentially find resources or better/safer shelter opportunities.
  • Question
    What happens if there are people who survived and are trying to kill the others?
    Community Answer
    Explain that there is no need to kill others. Emphasize why each person is important to the survival of the group. As a last resort, defend yourself by any means necessary.
  • Question
    How should people deal with conflicts on deserted islands?
    Community Answer
    Avoid them at all costs! If conflicts do arise, then everyone should get together in a group, talk through the issue, and find a compromise that keeps as many people happy as possible. Focus on survival over petty differences and disagreements.
  • Question
    How can I keep an infection from spreading while stranded?
    Community Answer
    Continue to clean and dress the infected area daily, more than once if necessary. In the absence of medication, there isn't much more you can do.
  • Question
    How do I repel sand fleas and mosquitoes?
    Community Answer
    Create a smoky fire and stay within the smoky area.
  • Question
    How do I survive on a deserted island with a pregnant woman with me?
    Community Answer
    After a pregnant woman gives birth it should take her 2 days to recover fully. So help the woman give birth. If she is still 1~3 months pregnant, she can still help you and do so after she gives birth.
  • Question
    What if the island is just a hallucination?
    Community Answer
    Then all you need to do is wake up and snap out of it.
  • Question
    How would I know what's poisonous and what's safe?
    Community Answer
    In terms of food, you can try rubbing the food on your skin and waiting a few hours. If there's no reaction, then rub a little bit of the food on your lips and wait another hour or two. If everything still seems fine, then eat just a small piece of the food and see how you feel. (Overall though, it's best to stick to foods that you recognize and can easily identify as safe.)
  • Question
    How do I not go insane when I'm alone?
    Community Answer
    Keep your self busy and find something to do. If you have other resources that aren't needed for survival, make a face on it and talk to it until you are saved.
  • Question
    What should I do if the rescue never comes, and I have children and other people with me?
    Community Answer
    Then you have to try and survive.
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