Not sure if you all saw this already, but Jeremy Wade(River monsters TV show) and his film crew found a stranded fisherman who was on a uninhabited island for two days. Reports show the man frequently fished in the area for years. Ironically, HFT j

[JM]

Not sure if you all saw this already, but Jeremy Wade(River monsters TV show) and his film crew found a stranded fisherman who was on a uninhabited island for two days. Reports show the man frequently fished in the area for years. Ironically, HFT just asked the question about carrying a survival kit...definitely the perfect example of why you should!

[JM]

I was trying to originally post this on the question HFT had asked about survival kits, but it kept failing to post for some reason. Not sure what that was about.

[huntfishtrap]

This brings to mind two thoughts: One, that is a good example, although I still question how someone can get lost/stranded in an area they know well, unless they're not in their right mind. I wonder if his boat sank or something. Two, is an uninhabited island still uninhabited when someone is stranded there? Not trying to be a smart-a** - that thought really did pop into my head when I read your comment.

[JM]

This brings to mind two thoughts: One, that is a good example, although I still question how someone can get lost/stranded in an area they know well, unless they're not in their right mind. I wonder if his boat sank or something. Two, is an uninhabited island still uninhabited when someone is stranded there? Not trying to be a smart-a** - that thought really did pop into my head when I read your comment.

I suppose it would be inhabited by one...until they are rescued or die. The story is that he got dehydrated from the heat and couldn't find his way back to his boat due to being disoriented. Sometimes being in the right state of mind is something we assume will always be there. If you smack your head on a rock you may not be too with it...and something like that could happen to anyone.

[huntfishtrap]

This brings to mind two thoughts: One, that is a good example, although I still question how someone can get lost/stranded in an area they know well, unless they're not in their right mind. I wonder if his boat sank or something. Two, is an uninhabited island still uninhabited when someone is stranded there? Not trying to be a smart-a** - that thought really did pop into my head when I read your comment.

True...but, just to play devil's advocate, if you were not in your right mind for some reason, would you still be capable of using survival gear, such as a compass or water purification system? That's kind of always been how I rationalize not having a survival kit - if I'm fully functional, I don't need it, and if I'm not, it probably won't be of much use anyway.

[JM]

This brings to mind two thoughts: One, that is a good example, although I still question how someone can get lost/stranded in an area they know well, unless they're not in their right mind. I wonder if his boat sank or something. Two, is an uninhabited island still uninhabited when someone is stranded there? Not trying to be a smart-a** - that thought really did pop into my head when I read your comment.

@hft,
A lot of time the disorientation/being in the wrong state of mind is a result of not having something and becoming nervous(like not being able to make a fire in cold weather). Funny part of this particular story is that the guy said the mistake he made was that he quit smoking at some earlier point in his life...he said if he still smoked and had a lighter with him he would've had the ability to cook food and get fresh water...he had everything needed except the fire.