Made up of over 1,000 islands, the Maldives offers truly unforgettable adventures. Many of these islands are uninhabited and have become tourist attractions in the Maldives, and some resorts such as Adaaran Select Meedhupparu even offer romantic couples getaways on such secluded isles. Of course, the chances of you actually being stranded on one of them are highly unlikely, but as Murphy’s Law states, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”! So let’s just say for whatever reason you awake washed up ashore on such an island without another soul in sight, what do you do?
If you have seen the movie “Cast Away” you will have plenty of ideas of course and will be probably looking for your equivalent to a “Wilson”! But apart from talking to yourself, there are some things to keep in mind.
While you are surrounded by water, the frustrating thing is that it’s not drinkable, unless you want an excess amount of salt! Sourcing fresh water is vital and one should head inland a bit and find an area with dark soil. Dig in these areas and you should (fingers crossed!) come upon some fresh water. You can look to purify it by using charcoal that can sometimes be found on the beach. A great water substitute and one that is refreshing and has minerals too would be coconut water. If you have got the skills, climb up a palm tree and pluck some coconuts. The white, juicy insides of the coconut make a great snack too. Do be careful though when climbing, because if you were to fall and get injured, there is no emergency number to call and the consequences can be quite dire!
While water is taken care of, you will also need some sustenance. Well, the good news is that there are plenty of fish all around you. Find a sharp and sturdy stick to use as a spear (hopefully you have a pocket knife with you to make it sharper) and head out to shallow areas where you have a chance to catch your dinner. Yes, you will need a lot of patience and some luck too. Of course, make sure to check and see if the island has any fruit trees too; finding banana trees would be great.
Look to utilise fallen branches from palm trees to build a make-shift shelter for the night. More permanent dwellings will have to be thought of in time. You will also need something that changed the course of human civilisation; fire! Hitting two dry stones against each other or causing friction between two objects is the usual method to create a spark and with more luck, the dry firewood you have found will soon be alight.
Hopefully, you will not be faced with such a situation, though it can’t help not to be prepared!
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+
