american survival guide - february 2015 usa

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2015 U.S. $8.99DISPLAY UNTIL: 2/10/2015

SPECIAL SECTIONS

Think Small: Build a Mini Survival Kit

Keep Your Stuff Dry With Waterproof Storage

Learn and Use Morse CodeMap to the Stars:

Navigating at Night

Think Small: Build a Mini Survival Kit

Keep Your Stuff Dry With Waterproof Storage

Learn and Use Morse CodeMap to the Stars:

Navigating at Night

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2

FEBRUARY 2015AM

ERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE

DISTILLINGSALT WATER

BEACH FOOD: SEAWEED

& COASTALGRASSES

WHAT HANDGUN IS BEST FOR YOU?

GEAR REVIEWS

Kilimanjaros Transport PackBenchmades Bushcrafter KnifeThe Last Machete Youll Need: CRKTs HalfaChance

QUELL YOUR COUGH IN NATURE

OBSERVE PREPARE REACT|||||||||||||||

|||||||||||||||

|||||||||||||||

WEATHERING THE WAVES WHILELOST AT SEA

STAYALERTSTAYALIVEYOUR SITUATION

HEROES ADRIFT: THE LOUIS ZAMPERINI STORYHEROES ADRIFT:

P.78

Engaged Media By Beckett

ASG_1502_COVER1-CX 12/12/14 12:54 AM Page US_C1

Whether youre Special Forces, Military, SERE trained, Federal Agency Personnel, a pilot, an avid outdoorsman, or a hardcore bushcrafter or survivalist, berfire is the ultimate last-resort fire option for you.

BERFIRE

This kit contains just about everything that you need to get you through a rough day or two.

S.N.A.P. KIT

LONGHORN BOWIE

The long flowing design is backed up by a solid 1/4 of hard-core 1095 steel. The Longhorn Bowie has shown to be a favorite for all field types.

BUSHCRAFTER KUKURI 7.0

This knife is the product of more than 30 years of experience in the outdoors. Wilderness Bushcraft & Survival is not just a hobby for its designer, but a way of life.

FIELDCRAFT BY B.O.B.

TOPS is proud to provide the Tumble Finish Brothers of Bushcraft based on feedback from many of our friends asking for a version of the

B.O.B. without a powder coat.

TEX CREEK

The darkened-steel pattern from our famous Black River Wash is unique on every blade.

This creates that broken in, rustic look.

The CROW HAWKE is a sturdy Neck/EDC tool with a great design. Its so small and lightweight, you wont even notice youre

carrying it.

CROW HAWKE

+ Many more

We have so many amazing KNIVES that we cant possibly fit them all in one ad. You can find our

full production line at www.topsknives.com. Dont forget to like our facebook page as well for the latest TOPS News and newest items at

facebook.com/TOPSKnivesofficial.

TOPS Multi-fuel StoveWith a weight of only 1 pound 3.2 ounces

(Including the nylon pouch) its the perfect addition to almost any bug-out-bag, emer-gency car kit, hiker bag, camp pack, etc. Set

up and collapse is a breeze.

ASG_1502_C2 12/9/14 1:27 AM Page C2

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4 AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE > FEBRUARY 2015

COVERON GUARDHow SituationalAwareness Can SaveYour LifeStory by Scott Fisher

50

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE (ISSN 2331-8937) Volume 4, Number 2 is published 12 times a year January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September/October, November, December by Engaged Media byBeckett, LLC, 22840 Savi Ranch Pkwy., Suite 200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887. POSTMASTER: send address changes to American Survival Guide c/o Engaged Media by Beckett, 4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244. 2015by Beckett Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. GST #855050365RT001 Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Returnundeliverable Canadian addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC. P.O. Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6B2.

THE COVER:Sometimes, survivaldepends on your ability tobe acutely aware of yourenvironment and to reactappropriately. It helps tohave an AR15 handy, likethe one Casey carries onthe front of this monthsissue.

Photography: GUY SPANGENBERGDesign: JESSE CAO

ASG-1502-TOC 12/10/14 3:58 AM Page 4

FEBRUARY 2015 < AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE 5

122

65

BACKCOUNTRY30 KELP KEEPING YOU ALIVESeaweed as a Survival FoodStory and Photography by ChristopherNyerges

40 MACHETAZOCRKTs HalfaChance Parang Story by Andrew Philips

46 NATURES MEDICINE CHESTHow to Treat a Sore Throat and Coughing Story by Christopher Nyerges

58 TACTICAL CARRY-ALLKilimanjaros Transport Modular OutdoorPackStory by Phil Tobin

70 THE BUSHCRAFTERBenchmades Answer to the SurvivorsQuestionStory by Simon Meyers

98 SAND AND SALADWild Foods Found at the BeachStory by Christopher Nyerges

118 SIMPLE STAINLESS STOVESTANDEsbits Compact Stove and Pot StandStory by Thomas Sanchez

HOW-TO26 A SOLAR STILL IN THE SANDHow To Make Fresh Water in CoastalRegionsStory by Christopher Nyerges

72 DOTS & DASHESCommunicating the Old Fashioned Way withMorse CodeStory by Matthew Lee

94 TINY SURVIVOR Build Your Own Mini Survival KitStory by William Billy Boggs

120 QUICK SNACKHow to Bake Nutritious and Energy PackedSurvival BarsStory by Nikki Grey

FEATURES

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 | FEBRUARY 2015

COLUMNSFIRST WORDS 6

NEW PRODUCTS 10 PREPPING WITH RALSTON 14

NEWS & NOTES 16 DEAD END 130

34 STORIES OF SURVIVAL: LOUISZAMPERINI47 Days on the Open OceanStory by Bryan Dumas

42 NAVIGATING BY THE STARSLook to the Heavens My SonStory By Larry Schwartz

60 EMERGENCY RESCUE BEACONSHelping Take the Search Out of Search andRescueStory by Larry Schwartz

78 NEVER GIVE UPSurviving at SeaStory By Adam Jones

104 THE SPIRIT OF ASGA Brief History of American Survival GuideMagazineStory by Ryan Lee Price

108 ANATOMY OF A DITCH BAGWhat Goes into a Ditch Bag Before it Goesinto the SeaStory by Larry Schwartz

URBAN20 THE LONG ARM OF SURVIVALThe Pros and Cons of Different CaliberHandguns For SurvivalStory by Paul Hantke

86 THE E STAFFPeace of Mind in the Palm of your HandStory by Tim Ralston

88 PACK MENTALITYNitro-Paks 72-Hour Getaway KitStory by Ryan Lee Price

102 THE BLUE DOTBrite-Strikes Tactical Touch FlashlightsStory by Gary Kimball

GEAR GUIDES

SURVIVALBEACONS 65

PERSONALFLOATATIONDEVICES 112

WATERPROOFSTORAGE 122

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VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 / FEBRUARY 2015

EDITORIALEditor-in-Chief: Ryan Lee PriceManaging Editor: Ian Hamilton Senior Creative Director: Eric KnaggArt Director: Jesse Cao

CONTRIBUTORS Bryan Dumas, Scott Fisher, Nikki Grey, Paul Hantke,Adam Jones, Christopher Nyerges, Tim Ralston, LarrySchwartz, Tori Tellem

ADVERTISINGGabe Frimmel - Ad Sales Director(714) 200-1930 - [email protected] Clifford - Senior Account Executive(714) 312-6275Mark Pack - Senior Account Executive(714) 200-1939Gennifer Merriday - Ad Traffic Coordinator

DIRECT MARKETING GROUPJohn Bartulin (866) 866-5146 ext. 2746Paul Caca (866) 866-5146 ext. 4961Ryan Lauro (866) 866-5146 ext. 2756

OPERATIONSGus Alonzo: Newsstand Sales ManagerCelia Merriday: Newsstand AnalystMohit Patel: Newsstand and Production Analyst Alberto Chavez: Senior Logistics & Facilities ManagerJohn Cabral: Creative Graphic Designer

EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200Yorba Linda, CA 92887Ph: (800) 332-3330Fax: (800) 249-7761www.americansurvivalguidemag.comwww.facebook.com/americansurvivalguidemagazinewww.facebook.com/eembybeckett

AMERICAN SURVIVAL GUIDE (ISSN 2331-8937) Volume 4, Number 2 is published 12 times a year January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September/October, November, December. Engaged Mediaby Beckett, 22840 Savi Ranch Pkwy., Suite 200, Yorba Linda,CA 92887. POSTMASTER: send address changes to American Survival Guide c/o Engaged Media by Beckett, 4635McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244. 2015 by Beckett Media,LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from thisissue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. GST#855050365RT001 Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement#40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC. P.O. Box 25542 London, ON N6C 6B2.

CUSTOMER SERVICEENGAGED MEDIA BY BECKETT4635 Mc Ewen Road. Dallas, TX 75244

SINGLE COPY SALES(800) 764-6278(239) 653-0225 Foreign [email protected]@EngagedMediaInc.com

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DEALER SALES(239) 280-2380

NEW PRODUCTS OR TO CONTRIBUTE A STORY OR [email protected]

ENGAGED MEDIA BY BECKETTNick Singh: Executive DirectorVikas Malhotra: Vice PresidentErin Masercola: Editorial Director

This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that information presented is from various sources from which there can be no warranty orresponsibility by Engaged Media by Beckett as to the legality, completeness or technical accuracy.

Water WorldDESCRIBED BY PLANETARY EXPLORERS as a Goldilocks planet, our solitaryblue dot is just the right distance away from the sunnot too far and not toocloseso that water is present in liquid form on its surface. No other planet in theSolar System has the traits necessary to hold water in liquid form; most are way toocold, like Neptune and Uranus, while the inner planets, like Mercury and Venus,are much too hot. The Earth does this in a big way, as 70 percent of its surface iscovered in liquid water, trillions and trillions of gallons of it. Without it, life on thisplanet would not be possible, as human beings are composed mostly of water andwe need it daily to live comfortably.

The big problem with the vast majority of the water on the planet is that it is notpotable; only three percent of the water found in liquid form on this planet is drink-able. And most of that is inaccessible to humans. The rest is salt water, which mightas well be poison if you were to drink it. It is a terrible irony the majority of peoplestranded in the great expanse of the worlds oceans after a plane crash or a boat cat-astrophe usually die from lack of water not drowning or exhaustion or starvation.

Water in the worlds oceans is a complex solution of minerals, decayed biologi-cal matter, and the dissolved igneous rocks that have eroded into the sea over mil-lions of years. At least 72 chemical elements are found in an average cup of seawater, the most being chloride (19.3 parts per thousand), followed by sodium (10.7parts per thousand) and sulfate (2.7 parts per thousand).

Desperation and clouded judgment have provoked many a man stuck in what hehas concluded as a dire situation to drink salt water. Usually, the human body doeswell at normalizing small amounts of sodium, but high concentrations are a chal-lenge. When too much salt is in your system, water is leached from individual cellsto compensate for the difference and to correct the imbalance. This causes the cellsto shrink, which is a very bad thing. The body fights this by urinating to remove thesalt, but the kidneys can only produce urine that is slightly less salty than salt water,so in order to remove the salt, we urinate more water than we drink. The result isdehydration, the very thing you drank salt water to combat in the first place.

The body compensates for the fluid loss by increasing the heart rate and con-stricting blood vessels to maintain blood pressure and flow to vital organs. Eventu-ally, youll feel nausea, weakness and delirium. As you become more dehydrated,the brain and other organs receive less blood, which leads to coma, organ failureand eventually death.

In this issue, we discuss the survival techniques used when stranded at sea. OnPage 26, Christopher Nyerges explains the proper method for converting salt waterinto drinkable water. To some seasoned readers, Nygeres may be a familiar name.He is not only an accomplished survivalist writer with more than 14 books andcountless articles to his credit, but he originally wrote for American Survival Guide inthe 1990s. We are proud to have him back in the magazine, and we are sure hisexpertise in many areas of survival will be of great value to the readers.

FIRSTWORDS

Ryan Lee [email protected]

ASG-1502-EDIT 12/11/14 2:30 PM Page 6

ASG_1502_7 12/9/14 1:40 AM Page 7

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NEWPRODUCTSC U T T I N G - E D G E I N N O V AT I O N

1. SAFE PODProduct: Tsunami Survival CapsuleManufacturer: Survival CapsuleContact: survival-capsule.comMSRP: n/a

The Survival Capsule is a personalsafety system designed as aspherical ball to protect againsttsunami events, tornadoes, hurri-canes, earthquakes and stormsurges. It not only provideswarmth, safety, and shelter duringthe initial post-disaster periodbefore rescue crews and reliefworkers have arrived on the scenebut, since it floats, it will never beinundated by flood waters. Builtby aerospace engineers, the cap-sules come in various sizes rangingfrom two- to 10-person capacity.

Specifications: Safety seating with four-point

harness Straps Storage space (sufficient for five

days supply per person) Water storage (bladder or tank) Basic internal light GPS Air ventilation vents Air supply tanks (one for each

occupant)

2. ZOMBIE KNIFEProduct: Zombie Paracord KnifeManufacturer: RothcoContact: rothco.comMSRP: $18.99

Rothcos Zombie Paracord Knife isan ideal yet inexpensive survivaltool for your bug-out bag. Theknife features a magnesium firestarter with pouch, a 3.5-inchblade with bio-hazard symboland a handle wrapped in neongreen paracord. The knife alsofeatures a neon green polyestersheath with hook and loop han-dle strap. The total length is 7.75inches.

Specifications Color: neon green Total Length: 7.75 inches Blade Length: 3.5 inches

Magnesium fire starter Polyester sheath Stainless steel blade

3. MINI GUARDIANProduct: Guardian Survival MiniManufacturer: Survival WayContact: emergencyway.comMSRP: $22.49

This compact survival kit ispacked neatly into a durabletravel size bag. The food andwater in this kit (water pouch and400-calorie food bar) will provideyou with adequate nutrition for72-hours without access to addi-tional supplies. These productshave a five year shelf life. It comeswith a 12-hour emergency glowstick, 5-in-1 survival whistle,waterproof matches andrechargeable squeeze flashlight.There is also sewing kit and amulti-function pocket knife.

Specifications Small and compact Fully stocked Water pouch 400-calorie cherry food bar Emergency poncho with hood Emergency survival blanket Full body warmer

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ASG-1502-PRODUCTS 12/9/14 1:17 AM Page 10


4. CLEAN WATERProduct: Aquamira Water Treat-ment DropsManufacturer: Aquamira Contact: aquamira.comMSRP: $14.95

The Aquamira Water TreatmentDrops treat drinking water usingchlorine dioxide; it is effective inclear, muddy, warm and coldwater. Small size, portability anda long shelf life allows thismethod to be easily carried andused by individuals anywhere inthe world. Each kit containseverything you need to treat up to30 gallons of water. Great for hik-ing, camping, hunting, fishing,boating, white water, RVs, travel,home water storage, and emer-gency kits.

Specifications: Small package Easily carried Treats up to 30 gallons of water

5. SHARP CARDSProduct: Cardsharp4Manufacturer: Carclo PlcContact: iainsinclair.comMSRP: $86.00

CNC machined from a thin strip ofultralight aluminum with a hardanodized finish, the Cardsharp4can be folded into a tough, heavy-duty tool suitable for most typesof cutting tasks. Just three inge-nious folding operations turn thecard into an elegant pocket utilitytool. It is less bulky than a pocketknife and as sharp as a scalpel.Cardsharp was originally designedas a lightweight surgical knife

that can be easily transportedand safely disposed of by hospi-tals and medical centers togetherwith paramedics and aid workersthroughout the world.

Specifications: 85.6 x 54 x 2.2 mm 24 grams 6082T6 aluminum and 420-

series surgical stainless steel Black electro-ferritic coating

6. DEEP WATERProduct: Imperial Immersion Sur-vival SuitManufacturer: Imperial Interna-tionalContact: starmarinedepot.comMSRP: $246.95

The Imperial 1409 Universal USCGImmersion Survival Suit has beenon the U.S. Marine market longerthan any other suit. It wasinvented in 1969 by Gunnar Gud-dal, and is in fact the first suit everof its kind. Imperial legacy contin-ues today as the lives of countlessowners of Imperial suits continueto be saved. The contribution ofthis suit to maritime safety andsurvival is truly unprecedented.

Specifications: Three-fingered mitt to keep your

fingers warmer Snug-fitting face seal is flexible

and comfortable Retro-reflective tape for extra

visibility Suits made of 5mm neoprene One-piece, sealed construction Comes with whistle Weighs only 14 lbs.

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NEWPRODUCTSC U T T I N G - E D G E I N N O V AT I O N

7. RANGE BAGProduct: Rangemaster Gear BagExplorerManufacturer: RangemasterContact: sears.comMSRP: $49.95

The internal dividers are soft andwill keep your gear from gettingmixed and is adjustable to fit yourneeds. The main inside pouch isplenty large to fit the wide varietyof gear and guns your tacticalrange bag may run into. The out-side pockets feature multipleinternal magazine pouches bigenough to hold any standard pis-tol magazines. A neat feature isthe two outside compartmentshave the ability to zip all the waydown, giving you an area to placeyour weapons or material youwant to keep clean.

Specifications: Adjustable to your needs 600 D heavy-duty ballistic nylon Rugged self-healing zippers Seven compartments Two gun pouches along with

magazine holders

8. HEIRLOOMSEEDSProduct: Premium HeirloomSeedsManufacturer: Survival EssentialsContact: survival-essentials.comMSRP: $79.99

An expertly gathered collection ofseeds assembled under theexpertise of Suzanne Ashworth, aworld-renowned horticulturistand author of Seed to Seed, thePremium Heirloom Seeds aregrown and harvested specificallyfor this product in mind. It comeswith over 100 different types ofplants, herbs, and vegetables,with instructions on how to plantand harvest them, as well aslong-term storage solutions forthe seeds.

Specifications: Lots of assortments Accommodates all hardiness

zones Detailed planting and grown

information Nutritional information

9. HAWK TOMAHAWKProduct: M48 Hawk TacticalTomahawkManufacturer: United CutleryContact: knifecenter.comMSRP: $39.95

This United Cutlery M48 Hawk islightweight so it can be carried allday without muscle fatigue, whilethe blade offers a wide, upsweptaxe blade for competent chopping,slashing, and cutting potential.The secondary edge on the backside of the head is specially sharp-ened on both edges for cutting andhooking. When combined, thespike and axe head make for anefficient personal defense and/orbreaching tool. It comes completewith a nylon snap button sheath.8 blade, 15 overall.

Specifications: Blade length: 8 inches Overall length: 15 inches

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americansurvival-guidemagazine



10. SURVIVALHANDBOOKBook: SAS Survival Handbook,Revised EditionAuthor: John Lofty WisemanContact: thepreppersvault.comMSRP: $19.99

Inside the SAS Survival Hand-book, Revised Edition: For Any Cli-mate, in Any Situation, is theknowledge and know-how gainedby the British SAS over the years.From great, easy-to-understandinfo on making shelter, findingfood, first aid, disaster survivaland how to prepare for it, thismanual helps you not only withsetting up your bug-out bag, butalso how to put it into use.

Specifications: 576 pages (paperback) William Morrow Publishing Pocket sized for travel and packs

11. TOSS HIM AROPEProduct: Mustang Rescue ThrowBagManufacturer: Mustang SurvivalContact: mustangsurvival.comMSRP: $35.95

The Mustang 75-foot RescueThrow Bag is an essential part ofour water rescue kit and a valu-able tool for those first respon-ders who have arrived to a wateremergency. The Throw Bag is

used after the victim has beenstabilized with a flotation device.It is compact, lightweight, durableand easy to use.

Specifications: 75 feet of 9 mm multifilament

polypropylene rope Mesh top for quick drying Retro-reflective tape Light stick holder Quick release buckles

12. DITCH ITProduct: Rapid Ditch ExpressManufacturer: ACRContact: gandermountain.comMSRP: $59.99

Store all of your important per-sonal items and survival gear inthis ACR RapidDitch Expressabandon ship bag. This compactand buoyant bag convenientlykeeps all your essential safetygear organized and togetherallowing for quick access in anemergency situation. The Rapid-Ditch will float up to 15 lbs. of gearand the new reflective materialcan assist in being spotted. Theshoulder straps transforms intotwo four-foot leashes to tethertogether survivors in the water.

Specifications: Weight 1.5 lbs. Material 600 Denier Polyester Size 21 x 6 x 14.5 inches Float Load: 15 lbs.

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Timothy Bryan Ralston is an American inventor, veteran, adventurer, author and movie consultant for his expertise in the field ofsurvival and preparedness education. He is best known for his appearance in the powerful motivational film, The Compass, andfor being the international spokesperson in the launch of NatGeos No. 1-rated program, Doomsday Preppers.

As we have seen throughout thecountry in the last couple of months,the cold season has a way of some-times sneaking up on people. Theworst thing they can do is notbe prepared.

Why Prepare?During the cold season, many

regions across our nation experi-ence disastrous weather. From vio-lent snow storms to below freezingtemperatures, it can get quite brutaloutside, sometimes even deadly.

A winter storm can create danger-ous road conditions, power outages

and harmful debris. All of these canbe extremely devastating for thosewho have not taken precautions andprepared alternative resources.

In order to ensure your familystays safe, it is important you areproactive. Use these tips to guideyou through home and vehicle pre-paredness. By doing so, you will beable to survive all that winter throwsat you.

Prepare Your HomeMake mandatory home repairs. Its

time to give your home a little TLC.With the harsh elements that accom-

pany winter, your structure needs tobe capable of holding up to them.Make all necessary improvements toyour roof, windows, and insulation sothat your home runs efficiently.

Cut back dangerous trees. Manyof these storms can bring excessivewind and snowfall that can cause thedownfall of tree branches, or even theentire tree. Assess your property forthese hazards. Remove any limbs thatmay damage your vehicle or home.

Purchase the right tools. Makesure you have items on hand such asa good snow shovel, ice scraper andkitty litter for de-icing.

Preparing for the Winter

BY TIM RALSTON

PREPPING RALSTONWITH

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Practice safety first. During a timeof year where you will be using fire-places, spaces heaters and candles,be sure to take safety precautions.Have your fireplace cleaned, keep fireextinguishers on hand and neverleave open flames unattended. Inaddition, it is crucial that you alwayscheck that there is proper ventilationbefore using some of these items.

Gather Supplies> Alternative Energy Sources can-

dles, flashlights and batteries, solarlantern

> Alternative Heating Sources kerosene space heater, portablepropane heater, blankets, wood

> Food Supplies Prepare at leastone-week supply of non-perishablefoods that do not require heating.

> Water Storage Store at least aone-week supply of water (one gal-lon per day per person).

> Communication Cellphone, solarcharger, windup crank radio

> First Aid Kit> Extra Medications Request an

extra one-week supply to keep foremergencies.

> Personal Hygiene Products Stockup on toiletries and baby supplies.

Practice Car PreparednessEvery year there are countless sto-

ries of motorists being stranded intheir vehicles. The most important

way to avoid this is to stay informedabout road and weather conditions.DO NOT drive if there are warningsregarding dangerous weather! Notonly can it lead to fatal accidents, butbeing stuck out in freezing tempera-tures can be life threatening as well.

If you are forced to survive in yourcar, be sure to have these essentialprovisions.> high calorie protein bars> water/ juice boxes

> blankets> cell phone with lighter adapter> warm hat, mittens, and scarf (wool)> flashlight and batteries> multi-tool> first-aid kit> medications/baby supplies> childrens comfort toys/entertain-

ment> Car Supplies jumper cables, spare

tire, ice scraper, shovel, sand orkitty litter for traction, writingmaterial

Before the winter begins, checkthat your vehicle is in tip top shape.The last thing you would want is toexperience car troubles during theseason of frigid temps. Bring it in tohave a check-up, and make anyneeded repairs. Request routinemaintenance to be done such as hav-ing your oil changed, windshieldwipers replaced, your fluids toppedoff, your tires rotated, etc


EVERY YEAR THERE ARE COUNTLESS STORIES OF MOTORISTS BEING STRANDED IN THEIR VEHICLES. THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY TO AVOID THIS IS TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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Next-Generation 911WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW about the next-generation 911systemcalled NG 911is that it will utilize text-to-911.Right now, that feature is available only in certain placeswhere 911 call centers have elected to accept emergencytext messages from the public, according to the FederalTrade Commission. Companies providing text messagingservices will have begun the support of text-to-911 by theend of 2014.

How Malibu Deals With EmergenciesWithout Police or Fire DepartmentsMALIBU, CALIF. HAS A REPUTATION for a few things, like theocean, expensive homes, and fire season. But curiously, the citydoesnt even have its own police or fire departments. However, itdoes utilize a Community Emergency Response Team, EmergencyServices Coordinator Brad David explained. There are about 50team members, who get trained to respond to disasters whenregular emergency services cant provide immediate help, such asan incident with a high number of victims or road closures.Malibu also has Volunteers on Patrol, allowing civilian volunteersto report suspicious activities or dangerous situation to the LosAngeles County Sheriffs Department.PH

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What Birds Can Teach Us About SurvivalA STUDY PUBLISHED inthe Royal Societyjournal Open Sciencerevealed that the shapeof bird eggs might behow one particularlineage of birdssurvived the asteroidthat killed off thedinosaurs. In very fewcases, however,separate evidencesuggests that someMesozoic birds at leastdiffered from extantbirds. For instance, the

eggshells of Gobipipusare more porous thanexpected from theirpredicted size,suggesting a mode ofincubation similar tothat of crocodiles,explained the authors ofthe study. Aninteresting implicationof our results is thatextinct Cenozoic birdeggs fit squarely withinthe range of shapevariation of extantcrown-group bird eggs,

suggesting that thisshape variation hadbeen attained in theCenozoic. The studyadded, As aconcluding remark, it isunclear why eggasymmetry evolved intheropods. In someextant birds, however,this asymmetry may berelated to the need foradults to incubateclutches. (Clutches areeggs.) Further researchis underway.


Our first step inplanning for thesechallenges is toidentify the effects ofclimate change onthe Department withtangible and specificmetrics, using thebest availablescience. We arealmost done with abaseline survey toassess thevulnerability of ourmilitarys more than7,000 bases,installations, andother facilities. Inplaces like theHampton Roadsregion in Virginia,which houses thelargest concentrationof U.S. military sitesin the world, we seerecurrent floodingtoday, and we arebeginning work toaddress a projectedsea-level rise of 1.5feet over the next 20to 50 years.

Department of Defense2014 Climate ChangeAdaptation Roadmap reportand how its going to startdealing with issues relatedto that topic

Whats Grey Water?CALIFORNIA IS FACING a serious waterdrought, and one solution increasing inpopularity is called grey water. Its about theuse of recycled household water, such as fromlaundry or a bath. It can be used to waterlawns and indoor plants. Installing some of thesystems could require an electrical and/orplumbing permits. And since the water isnttreated, it shouldnt be used for anything edible.

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Federal Aid Availablefor Lava FlowPRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED a DisasterDeclaration for Public Assistance due to lavaflow emanating from the Kilauea volcano inHawaii. This allows federal aid to beavailable to help communities seeing thelava flow moving their way, such as thePahoa village. The volcano has erupted fromits Puu Oo vent consistently since 1983.

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Robots Take on EbolaXENEX DISINFECTION SERVICES has createdgerm-zapping robots for the fight against theEbola virus. The protocols include disinfection ofareas where an infected patient was as well asprotection for hospital staff and any personalprotection equipment that might have becomecontaminated. In fact, the U.S. Air Force LangleyHospital is already using a robot it nicknamedSaul. Its the first U.S. Air Force hospital to useone. Patient rooms get cleaned by high-intensityUV rays (25,000 times brighter than fluorescentlights) to split open bacterial cell walls and killdangerous pathogens commonly found inhospitals, according to Xenex.

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Facebook DebutsSafety CheckFACEBOOK HAS CREATED the SafetyCheck tool, which will send you anotification asking whether youre safe ifit believes theres been a natural disasterin your vicinity. You can click on Imsafe to let your friends/followers know,plus youll be able to find out whethertheyve checked in as safe as well.

Earthquake Warning System Due in 2016CALIFORNIA IS EYEBALLING 2016 to roll out is early-warning system for Earthquakes.A bill passed that mandated the creation of the system in 2014. A prototype system iscurrently being tested, with favorable reviews. It would give 10 secondsor possibly aminuteof warning that an earthquake was coming.

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here is no doubt that a big part of most every survival situa-tion is defense, protection and security against not only theelements that threaten you a hurricane, earthquake orman-made disaster but from the people who tend to beless prepared than you are.

You have supplies, food, water and equipment that will need protec-tion, and your very life and the lives of your family and friends depend onit. A handgun is a perfect solution. Its small and compact, easy to use,and most of all concealable. In certain situations, advertising your inten-tions and abilities with a rifle or a shotgun might attract more attentionand trouble than you need or want. Your best bet is to have a handgunthat can be kept under wraps.

However, any conversation about concealable handguns for survivalneeds a few qualifiers. We need to first establish exactly how concealablethe gun needs to be, and then we need to determine if the gun is primarilyfor self-defense or foraging for food. Finally, a decision needs to be madeabout whether our goals can be accomplished with a single gun or if thereis room in the formula for two or more handguns to achieve our goals.

LONG ARMOF SURVIVALTHE PROS AND CONS OF DIFFERENT CALIBER HANDGUNS FOR SURVIVALStory and Photography by Paul Hantke

the

IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, ADVERTISING YOUR INTENTIONS AND ABILITIES WITH A RIFLE OR A SHOTGUN MIGHT ATTRACT MORE ATTENTION AND TROUBLE THAN YOU NEED OR WANT.

ASG-1502-CONCEAL 12/9/14 1:30 AM Page 20


A Model 442 S&Wsnubbie in .38 Specialor a small auto like thiscustom Colt Mustangfrom Terry Tussey in.380 is plenty conceal-able, but leaves some-thing to be desired inutility value.


[ABOVE] The classic S&W K-38 (top) is an excellent field gun. The Model 66 below it ishandier due to the four-inch barrel, more durable due to the stainless steel, and canbe more powerful if you load it with the .357 Magnum.

If you wonder about concealability being anissue, you have to look no further than theaftermath of Hurricane Katrina when localauthorities took it upon themselves to go houseto house confiscating firearms from law-abid-ing citizens. This left them easy prey for the bur-glars who swooped into neighborhoods to loot,steal and worse.

If you live in any kind of urban setting, youare almost certainly talking primarily about aconcealable self-defense handgun that will bethe same in day-to-day use today as it wouldbe in some future kind of disaster scenario.

If you are like most of us and live in a city oreven a suburb outside the city, stop and take alook around yourself. Your primary food sourcesin the city will be pigeons, rats and householdpets. Nearby suburbs may add rabbits andsquirrels to the menu. How long do you thinkthese protein sources will last when everyone ison the prowl? Different game animals and fowlwill be available well outside of town depend-ing on what part of the country you live in, butagain, be realistic about the longevity of thesefood sources when its every man for himself.

So, lets presume the question is, If youcould have only one concealable handgun in asurvival situation what would it be?

Lets start with semi-autos of different cal-ibers. Lost or damaged magazines will turnthose handguns into single-shots, but for thesake of this discussion well assume propermaintenance and careful handling on your part.Youll need to experiment beforehand to deter-mine the most reliable and accurate ammuni-tion for your pistol and then you need to get agood supply of it. I would set a minimum roundcount of 1000 to be safe.

This wont be a day at the range or anextended plinking session, but acquiring moreammunition in an emergency probably will notbe possible, and ammunition will be one of themost valuable commodities for trade and barterunder tough circumstances. In a .22 rimfire, theRuger semi-auto sets the standard here, withthe Browning Buckmark coming in a somewhatdistant second. Both guns are well-made, reli-able, and accurate enough for our purposeshere. They can also be easily concealed.

You can kill just about anything that walksthe Earth with a .22 rimfire if you can get close


The long-slide Colt from Tussey Custom and thelong-slide Glock below it from Lone Wolf Distributorsare chambered in the hot shot 9x25mm Dillon, which

will run right along with a .357 Magnum.

[RIGHT] ThisModel 317from S&W isan excellentcandidate fora survivalrevolver. Its aneight-shot .22rimfire with athree-inch bar-rel, adjustablesights, and ascandium alloyframe thatmakes it lighterthan the hol-ster in whichits carried.

IF YOU COULD HAVE ONLY ONE CONCEALABLE HANDGUN IN A SURVIVAL SITUATION WHAT WOULD IT BE?


[ABOVE] The authors custom Glock from Lone Wolf Distributors has six-inch barrels in10mm and 9x25mm Dillon for the long-slide and five-inch barrels in 10mm, .40S&W,and .357 SIG to go with the stock top end.

enough and deliver a round to the most vulner-able and effective spot on the animal. Iwouldnt count on that for starters, and as timewears on after the trigger event that has putyou on this path the animals will get more andmore wary, as you will not be the only one chas-ing them. Shotshell cartridges increase the ver-satility of the .22 and other calibers, but theyhave to be single-loaded into the chamber fromthe magazine as they will not cycle the pistol.

Moving up to the .22 Magnum, we only havea couple of choices: one from Kel-Tec and theother from Excel Arms. Both are rather large forconcealment, but it could be done if you dressaround the gun. I have no experience with theKel-Tec, but the company has built a reputationfor innovative designs, reliability, accuracy, andfriendly pricing.

When it comes to the Excel Arms Accelera-tor its a different story. Ive done a lot of shoot-ing with the pistol, and I purchased the test gunbecause I was so impressed with it, especiallyits superb accuracy. Besides being a real tack-driver in .22 Magnum, the Accelerator also hasan interchangeable barrel in .17 HMR thatshoots as well as the .22 Magnum and makesthe pistol even more versatile.

There are dozens of pistols available in the.25 ACP, .32 ACP, and .380 ACP, and the goodnews is they are all pretty concealable. The badnews is that its pretty much a something isbetter than nothing situation when it comes toreliability and accuracy. Moving up from thereyoull find the 9mm, 9x23mm, .38 Super,9x25mm Dillon, .40 S&W, 10mm and .45 ACP,each with its own character and application.

All are available in concealable handguns,they are all good self-defense rounds andplenty of medicine for small to medium game,and the 9x25mm Dillon and 10mm run right onthe heels of the .357 Magnum and .41 Magnumrounds fired from a revolver. For example, I justtested some new 10mm ammo from Federalthat launches one of their superb 180-grainbonded core softpoints at 1237 Feet Per Sec-ond (FPS) from the stock five inch barrel of myGlock, and 1358 FPS from the six-inch matchbarrel and long slide from the Glock wizards atLone Wolf Distributing.

Those loads are churning up 612 FPE (Foot-Pounds of Energy) from the five inch barreland 737 FPE from the six-inch long slideassembly. Within reasonable handgun huntingrange thats plenty of whack for just aboutanything that walks, and if they didnt go downimmediately you can be sure you made themplenty wobbly!

Looking at revolvers and starting with the.22s its a big world out there. Many folks pro-duce .22 rimfire and .22 Magnum revolvers witha spectrum of barrel lengths, from two inchesout to eight, and even ten inches. Finding a well-shooting, concealable revolver thatll do the jobfor you is just a matter of hunting around untilyou hit paydirt, and just about all the offeringswill be reliable and acceptably accurate. Thereare lots of different loads in both .22 chamber-ing in addition to shotshells in various calibersthat will function in any revolver.


[ABOVE] The Accelera-tor pistol from ExcelIndustries has inter-

changeable nine-inchbull barrels in .22

Magnum and .17 HMR.


[ABOVE] You have to read the barrels of these two stainless steel revolvers to tellthem apart. The S&W J-frame on top is a Model 63 in .22 rimfire, and the one below itis a Model 651 in .22 Magnum. They both have four-inch barrels.

I have stainless steel S&Ws in both .22chamberings with four-inch barrels that pro-vide the ultimate in durability, reliability, andconcealability while being surprisingly accurate.The .22 Magnum is a step up from the .22 LongRifle and I note that Ruger is chambering theirnew snubbie revolver for this cartridge, which isin some ways mute testimony to its perfor-mance in a belly gun.

Stepping up in bore size we come to the .32,which includes the .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long,a fairly anemic pair dating from early in the lastcentury. The .32 H&R Magnum from the mid-80s is a great improvement, upping the veloci-ties of matching bullet weights in older car-tridges by 400 to 500 FPS. Finally, the almostbrand new .327 Federal is just a barn burner,upping the .32 H&R velocities by another 300to 400 FPS. There are no factory shotshells forthe .32 calibers, but I used to roll my own asregular shotshells, shot capped with a roundball, or two round balls stacked in the front ofthe case. Those performed well, and I can onlyassume the extra shot or ball load possible inthe longer .327 Federal case would be animprovement on an already good thing.

Next were looking at one of the old stand-bys, the .38 Special. This was the cop gun car-tridge for several decades until it was sur-passed by the .357 Magnum introduced in 1935.Today you can have both flavors with a dizzyingarray of bullets or factory shotshell loads.

The .41 Magnum was an idea that neverreally took off even though those who tried itoften became converts. Despite being accurate,a fairly flat-shooter, and mildly recoiling next tothe .44 Magnum, it just never got traction. Nextwe have the old .44-40, the .44 Special, andfinally, its big brother, Dirty Harrys favorite, the.44 Magnum. The .44-40 was meant to feedsix-guns and rifles alike in the old west so a per-son only had to carry one type of ammunition.

The .44 Special is a grand old cartridgecapable of some outstanding performanceusing modern cases, powders, and guns, butthe .44 Magnum was king of the hill for a longtime after its introduction in 1955. As soon asClint Eastwood hissed that the Magnum roundin his S&W Model 29 with a six-inch barrelmade it the most powerful handgun on Earthyou couldnt find one of those revolvers, espe-cially at list price, for quite a while.

However, it turned out that many haplessbuyers werent up to the challenge of full-


[ABOVE] The Ruger Sin-gle Six with a five-inchbarrel and the stainlessS&W Model 631 with afour-inch barrel are bothchambered in the .32H&R Magnum, which is agood little round.

Long-Arm

AS SOON AS CLINT EASTWOOD HISSED THAT THE MAGNUM ROUND IN HIS S&W MODEL 29 WITH A SIX-INCH BARREL MADE IT THE MOST POWERFUL HANDGUN ON EARTH YOU COULDNT FIND ONE OF THOSE REVOLVERS, ESPECIALLY AT LIST PRICE, FOR QUITE A WHILE.


house Magnum loads. In fact, I once bought apristine six-inch Model 29 with a 50-round boxof ammo missing only six rounds, if that tellsyou anything.

Finally, we come to the .45 Colt cartridge.There was a shorter version first known as the.45 Schofield, and later more powerful versionslike the .454 Casull and the .460 S&W, whichare close enough to be called brethren.

Its called the .45 Colt because one of itsfirst homes was the 1873 Colt Peacemaker andits closely associated with that revolver. Origi-nally producing around 750 to 800 FPS with a250-grain bullet in the military loading, thecommercial civilian offering would clock in ataround 900 FPS with the same slug. It firstsaw a rebirth with the modern sport of cowboyshooting, where competitors use guns and car-tridges from the old west while donning propergarb and aliases. Like the .44 Special, the .45Colt can be juiced up with modern brass, newpowders, and guns made with modern metal-lurgy. The Casull is essentially a Magnum .45Colt, and the .460 S&W is an attempt to splitthe difference between the old Colt cartridgeand the Casull. I have fired exactly threerounds of the Casull offering at a SHOT ShowMedia Day, and I elected to not finish off thecylinder-full that I started with in the FreedomArms revolver.

My personal handgun in that .45 Colt cham-bering was a stainless Ruger Bisley with a five-inch barrel that was a pussycat with the stan-dard loads, but quickly got your attention whenfiring some hot stuff from Buffalo Bore Ammu-nition that would tread on the heels of theCasull. You can shoot the milder .45 Colt loadsfrom the Casull chambered revolver, making iteasier to handle and more economical to feed.Yes, there are factory shotshells available forthe .38/.357, the .44 Special/.44 Magnum, andthe .45 Colt/.454 Casull, and each one is betterthan the last as you go up in bore size, and allthree put the .22 LR/.22 Magnum shells toshame with pellet size and pattern density. Canyou conceal these medium to big bores? Formost of them, depending upon barrel length,all you need is the right holster and a propercovering garment. In closing, let me acknowl-edge the existence of the .50 S&W, but werenot going there today!

I have been asked many times what mychoice would be if I could have only onesidearm, and my answer is either one of myfour-inch S&W 629s, with the little four-inchstainless J-frame Model 51 coming in closesecond.


The stainless, four-inch barreledS&W Model 629 is Hantkes go-to

gun when cornered to pick justone handgun for survival.

The S&W K-22 on top is a safe pickfor a .22 rimfire with a six-inch barrel.

But the rather rare Model 35 J-framebelow it wears the same six-inch bar-

rel and weighs a pound less.

Top to bottomand left to right you

have shotshells in .22rimfire, .22 Magnum, .38

Special/.357 Magnum,9mm, .40 S&W, .44

Special/.44 Mag-num, and .45

Colt.



oure at the ocean.There is water. There iswater everywhere butnot a drop to drink. Or isthere?

Are there any ways to get potablewater when youre stuck somewherenear an ocean? Lets explore the manypossibilities, and one of these justmight be the solution that youll need.

STRANDED ON A BOATA growing number of anthropolo-

gists are of the belief that the oceansin the past were not barriers tohuman travel, but were the actualhighways from which people trav-eled great distances. The well-charted currents can take a sail boatfrom the Mediterranean to theCaribbean, just as it did Columbus afew hundred years ago. And the pathof the trade winds are not devoid offood, as you might think. Along thetrade paths there are seaweeds,ocean birds, lots of fish, turtles allthe things that can sustain life onlong voyages.

But what happens when your watersupply runs out? Today, the well-

equipped sailor can phone or radio forhelp. But what if youre out to seaunexpectedly, without adequatewater. What can you do?

In the reports Ive collected onsailors who survived when their shipfloated out in the ocean, for 30 days ormore, the survivors all have a fewthings in common.

One solution to diminishing freshwater is to mix your fresh water withocean water. Thor Heyerdahl (see box)

discovered his crew was able to mix upto 40 percent ocean water with 60percent fresh water to extend theirsupplies. They experienced no illeffects, and noted this blendquenched the thirst better thanstraight water.

Other survivors reported theywould drink ocean water, but only inlittle sips, little by little. Salty oceanwater is not inherently poisonous, as iscommonly believed. It containssodium chloride, potassium chloride,and perhaps 20 more suspended min-erals. If you were to drink it like regularwater, the result is usually vomitingand diarrhea, and a net water loss. Butslow sipping, never really enough atone time to quench the thirst, can bedone if you discipline yourself. It hasbeen done, and it might stave offdehydration.

Regular intake of fresh water isimportant, of course. But now yourcanteens and jugs are totally empty.What can you do?

If you planned ahead, you could setout your distillation device, fill it withocean water, and suck out somepotable water in a few hours.

Solar Stillin the Sand

A

HOW TO MAKE FRESH WATER IN COASTAL REGIONSStory and Photography by Christopher Nyerges

HO

W-T

O POTABLE WATER

ASG-1502-SOLARSTILL 12/9/14 1:42 AM Page 26

A simple still can be made with twobuckets and sheets of plastic. Its notperfect, and its not highly efficient,but it will distill out drinkable water.

The simplest version is to place onebucket into another, and put oceanwater into the space between thebuckets.You may have to put a rock or aweight into the inner bucket so it staysput. Then you cover this with a sheet ofclear plastic, secure the plastic with acord, and put a weight or rock in themiddle of the plastic to create a cone-shape in the middle. As the oceanwater evaporates, pure water con-denses on the bottom of the plasticand drips into the inner bucket. No, thisis not perfect, and if youre in a boatthats constantly moving and rocking,you may not capture a lot of pure waterin your inner bucket. Still, its worth try-ing if you have the supplies.

But lets assume you have no suchdevice. What now?

DEWAnother possible source of water

could be dew. By stretching and tyingout a sheet of plastic, you could cap-ture dew during the night. The sheet ofplastic would need to be tied out, andhave a slope that leads into a con-tainer. As the dew settles and coa-lesces, it drains into the container.Since this is wholly dependant onweather conditions, you might get alittle and you might get a lot. Theretends to be more dew during thenights when the daytime is clear.

RAINIt also rains out at sea, and again, if

you stretch out a sheet of plastic, andslope it so that it drains into a bucket,you can capture rain water. In the field,I have collected a gallon in less than 15minutes during a downpour. Howmuch you can actually collect is deter-mined by how hard its raining, and thesize of your collection device (that is,the size of your sheet of plastic).

There are not a lot of options foryour water when you are strandedunexpectedly at sea. But survivors tellinteresting tales, and though youmight not hear all these options inyour favorite glossy survival manual,

these are some of the less likely waysto capture some palatable water.

SEAWEEDSome, but not all, seaweeds, have

flotation bubbles, usually at the base

of the leaf. These can be cut openand the liquid inside is typically lesssaline than the ocean. There is not alot of water in each of these floats maybe a half-teaspoon per float butthey could add up.



BIRDS, FISH, TURTLESIf youve managed to capture any

of the animals who inhabit the sea foryour meals, you might be surprised atthe amount of liquid in their bodies.You can drain this out, strain it, anddrink it. No, I didnt say this was thebest source of water, and I didnt sayyoud necessarily like it. But it is asource of needed liquid.

URINE?No, no, no! Urine is your bodys

waste product. You could use urine tocool down, but why do that since youhave the ocean all around? Urine isfunctional to treat chapped skin, butdont ever drink it!

STRANDED ON THE BEACHLets say youve beached up on

some unknown shore. There are notowns or villages around where youcan get some water or help. Where doyou get your water?

Are you in the South Pacific? Arethere coconuts growing on your beach?Seriously, you can get a coconut,remove the outer husk, and using anawl-like device, cut into one of thethree eyes. If your timing was right,youll have some sweet and nourishingwater. If not, the coconut could be dry,or the water could be sour.

NO COCONUTS? TRY DIGGING FOR WATER

One way to obtain water from thebeach areas is to simply dig a wellabove the high tide line. The beach willlikely be very sandy and so it will behard to dig a deep hole as the sandcontinually falls back into the hole. Butkeep at it, and dig deeper than thewater level. Wait awhile for the waterto clarify. This water is significantlyless saline than the ocean waterdirectly, and you may be able to obtainyour needed water this way.

SAND STILLIf you have a sheet of plastic, you

can build a makeshift water still,exactly the same as desert travelersmake. You dig a hole, maybe three feetdeep and three feet across. Put a con-tainer in the middle. Cover the hole


Solar Still


with a large sheet of clear plastic, andput a pebble in the middle so there is adown-ward pointing cone of plastic.

Assuming it is sunny, the water inthe soil will be constantly evaporatingout into the atmosphere, except yourplastic sheet will capture the conden-sation, and the cone-shape will causethe distilled water to drip back intoyour inner container. While you maynot get all of your water this way, youshould be able to get at least some ofit through this method.

STREAMSDont forget that streams flow into

the ocean. Explore around and look forsprings and streams, whose water willnot have to be distilled.

By the way, distillation is a waterpurification method, so if the wateryou obtained was from one of the dis-tillation methods, it is safe to drink.Otherwise, you might have to consider

some method of purification. Justbecause you found a stream thatflows into the ocean doesnt mean youcan drink it without reservation.

The simplest method for purifyingwater of biological contaminants isboiling, which necessitates the abilityto make a fire (a subject for a futurearticle), and some sort of container adiscarded metal can will work fine.

EXPERIMENT These methods described cover

the possibilities in most situations. Butthere may be other options too. Thething to keep in mind is that water isjust about everywhere, and this is cer-tainly true at the beach. The key is tofind potable water, or find somemethod to make the ocean waterdrinkable.

Dont panic, stay calm, and dontbe afraid to experiment in your effortsto find a solution.


Is Salt WaterPoisonous? When we refer to ocean water as

salt water, you would think were

talking about water with sodium

chloride. In fact, ocean water

contains 20 or more suspended

minerals. The toxic quality of

ocean water has more to do with

the way people have consumed

it during emergencies, rather

than its inherent quality. Rapid

drinking and gulping in order to

quench ones thirst is often a cul-

prit, since this way of consuming

ocean water can lead to vomiting

and a net loss of water.

On the other hand, virtually

everyone who has survived a

shipwreck or whose ship was

stranded at sea consumes ocean

water. These survivors disci-

plined themselves to sip never

gulp the ocean water. Some

survivors report mixing a major-

ity of fresh water with some

ocean water worked well to

extend supplies.

1. Sheet of plastic, 5 to 6 ft. diameter. Soil around the edges holds the plastic in place.

Note the condensation on the bottom of plastic.

2. Smooth, egg-sized rock to from cone.

3. Cup to catch water.

4. Drinking tube, 14 diameter, approximately 5 ft. long.

5. Tube to allow urine in regularly without opening still. Note funnel at top.

6. Broken cacti and other vegetation placed in hole.

SOLAR STILLCross Section

impure water

pure water


The colors of the different sea-weeds generally determine theirbotanical classification as eithergreen, brown, or red marine algae.Although all seaweeds containchlorophyll, they are distinctly col-ored by pigments, and that pigmen-tation plays an important role intheir classification.

Brown AlgaeThe color, which ranges from

brown to muddy yellow, comes fromthe pigment fucoxanthin. Althoughthis group includes some small,almost microscopic members, largerseaweeds with leathery textures pre-dominate. The variety of shapesranges from several-hundred-feet-


Youve discovered seaweeds.Most people know seaweeds

when they see them at the beach,whether they are floating in the surf,lying on the beach in piles, or grow-ing all over the rocks. They grow in alarge array of colors, sizes andshapes. The kelps are perhaps themost conspicuous along the westcoast, with their long stipes andcharacteristic fronds. They often liein masses on the beach. And the far-

ther north one goes, the greater thediversity.

In general, the seaweeds have leaf-like fronds, stipes that resemble thestems of terrestrial plants, and hold-fasts that resemble roots. Some sea-weeds are very delicate, and othersare very tough and almost leathery.Many have hollow sections floats that allow them to float more read-ily. Others are like thin sheets of wetplastic, such as the sea lettuce.

KELPKeeping You AliveSEAWEED AS A SURVIVAL FOOD Story and Photography by Christopher Nyerges

BACKCOUNTRY SEAWEED

Youre visiting the beach, walking in the sand, taking in the saltyair as the wind beats the waves. And as the undulating waves lapat your feet, you notice the familiar fronds in the sand and themulti-colored leafy structures on the rocks. You pick one up. Itsa bit slimy, sticky, smelly. You give it a more careful sniff. Its

actually a refreshing odor, reminiscent of the sea.

ASG-1502-SEAWEED-CX-p31 12/12/14 12:25 AM Page 30

long kelps, to whip-like fronds, toleaf-like structures of one to threefeet in diameter.

All large brown algae (thisincludes several genera of kelp, plusrockweed, and sargassum) anchorthemselves to rocks. This anchoringis accomplished by means of hold-fasts, which are structures similar inappearance to roots of land plants.Their tough outer layer rendersthem relatively immune to beingrubbed by fish and to the beatingthey receive when theyre broken offand washed ashore. Theyre heldupright by hundreds of air bladders.There are approximately 1,000species of brown algae worldwide.

Red AlgaeOn the whole, the red algae are

smaller than the browns. Theyrealso more delicately shaped, oftenappearing as graceful, branchingferns in hues ranging from violet, tored, to purple, to pink. Some arelance shaped with wrinkly margins;others have wide elastic fronds, andlook like sheer sheets of plastic withruffled margins. Some grow as thinfilaments or leaf-like structures.

The reds include the well-knownIrish moss (Chondrus crispus), laver(Porphyra spp.), and dulse (Rhody-menia palmata). There are approxi-mately 2,500 species of red algae.

Green AlgaeThese also grow as filaments or

branching fronds. The most com-monly eaten seaweed in this group issea lettuce (Ulva lactuca), which actu-ally looks like a thin sheet of lettuceattached to a rock. Though mostgreen algae are found in fresh water,there are approximately 5,000species of marine green algae.

Eating SeaweedSeaweeds are not only very tasty

(when prepared properly), but theyare also very nutritious. They areprobably the closest thing you cancome to a fast food when youre inthe wild.

In general, seaweeds can be usedas foods, food seasoning, medicineand nutritional supplement, andother utilitarian uses.

When I was originally research-ing seaweeds in the 1970s as a jour-nalist and student botanist, I inter-viewed botanists, marine biologists,and seaweed specialists. Somebelieved that all seaweeds all ofthe nearly 10,000 macroscopic vari-eties are a completely nontoxicgroup of plants, and most agreedthat these are safe to consume. Themore conservative viewpoint sug-gested that one should take the timeto learn each individual seaweed youintend to eat. This viewpoint had todo with the fact that there are somany seaweeds, and not all havebeen studied enough to make such ablanket statement.

Nevertheless, seaweeds areregarded as highly nutritious andgenerally edible, and we know of no

toxic seaweed, assuming you followour guidelines listed below.

CautionsSome seaweeds are unpalatable

due to their rubbery texture, andrigid structure, which can usually beovercome by drying and powderingor by various cooking methods.What works for one seaweed maynot work for another. Where possi-ble, talk to the local people who useseaweeds. Only by experience willyou be able to learn which seaweedsare more palatable than others. Asyou experiment, dont rely only onyour taste buds first reactiontryingenious ways of using seaweeds.

Here are some of the common-sense precautions you should take ifyoure going to try eating seaweeds:

Never eat any seaweed that hasbeen sitting on the beach, rottingand attracting flies. Seaweed that hasalready begun to decompose con-tains bacteria that will cause sicknessif eaten.

Be sure to thoroughly wash yourseaweed before consumption. Thiseliminates any adhering sand andpotentially harmful substances. Asuggested method, especially if the



weeds used for food. With the manybooks written about seaweeds, youcan find recipes for each of the com-monly-used seaweeds, and practicepreparing them. And I encourageyou to experiment!

Unless you are lost and haventthe time to experiment or research,there are many sources of informa-tion today with many specificrecipes and methods of preparationfor seaweeds.

One of my favorite recipes fromthe kelp seaweed is made from thefloats, which are the swollen hollowbubble at the base of each frond. Icut them off, wash them, and thensoak them in jalapeo juice or otherpickling liquids. These floats willtake on the flavor of whatever theyare seasoned with, and they areserved like jalapeo peppers orother garnishes.

Those seaweeds that can be eatenraw can be either eaten fresh (fromsea or beach) or dried first and thenchewed like jerky. Boiling is pre-ferred in some cases where the sea-weeds are bone-dry. Others becomemore palatable after cooking (up to30 minutes) in water; both the result-ing broth and the seaweed will usu-ally be very good. When the brothcools, it will normally gel, making ituseful in various dessert items.

Dried and powdered/shreddedseaweed is an excellent item to carryin your survival pack. Placed in a potof water with other wild vegetables,seaweed makes the closest thing toinstant soup thats available fromthe wild.

purity of the ocean water is ques-tionable, is to wash the seaweed inyour bathtub or sink. First wash inhot water with a small amount ofbiodegradable soap, then drain.Repeat the wash and drain processthree times in the hottest tap waterpossible. Finally, rinse at least oncein non-soapy water. Then you candry the seaweed or cook it into avariety of recipes.

Any seaweeds growing near asewage effluent or by mouths ofrivers, bays, or inlets where pollutionis being dumped readily pick up thetoxins. Such seaweeds should not beeaten. Unfortunately, much of theSouthern California coastline southof Malibu should be considered pol-luted. This means that you have touse some common sense when col-lecting seaweed for food, and youshould thoroughly wash any sea-weed you intend to eat.

Eating SeaweedsSeaweeds can be used in a variety

of ways. Somesuch as the sea let-tuce, which actually looks like sheetsof sheer lettuce growing right on therockscan be washed and addedraw to salads. Others seaweeds arebest dried and crumbled, and usedas a seasoning for other foods. Someseaweeds can be diced and added tosoups and stews. And nearly all canbe simply dried and powdered andthen used as a salt substitute or fla-vor enhancer.

If you live near the Atlantic,Pacific, or other coast and have easyaccess to seaweeds, I encourage youto research the many specific sea-



Most of the hollow stalks and airbladders of the brown algae can beeaten raw or pickled. Ive tried thefollowing recipe with the air blad-ders of the Pacific Coast kelp, andfound it delicious! Pack approxi-mately 100 raw air bladders (alone orwith other pickling vegetables, suchas cauliflower, onion, and sliced car-rot) into clean quart jars. Add applecider vinegar until the air bladdersare nearly covered, and then add oneto two tablespoons of cold-pressedolive oil. Sprinkle in your favoritepickling herbs (such as dill seed, tar-ragon, and celery powder), and addapproximately 10 freshly sliced garliccloves. Cap tightly and shake once ortwice a day for a few days. These airbladders can then be eaten as is or asa side to Mexican dishes as a chilipepper substitute.

Many seaweeds can serve thesame thickening function as okradoes in soups. Tender seaweeds canbe added directly to soups; the lesstender seaweeds are better brokeninto bits, blended in an electricblender to a fine mush, then strainedthrough a fine mesh or muslin clothto remove the solids. Then bottle,label and refrigerate. This liquid canthen be used as the soup or gravybase, substituting for flour. Thestrained-out pulp also has manyuses it can be cooked into home-made ice cream as a smoother/stabi-lizer, can be used for compost,mulch, or earthworm food, or can beadded to animal foods.

Seaweeds have long been used inclambakes. When heated, they giveoff a steam that adds flavor to otherfood being cooked near them. Thus,seaweed is thrown directly into largefire pits next to meat, seafood, pota-toes, corn and so on. Seaweeds canalso flavor and help steam foods athome if you add a layer of them toboth the bottom and top of any largepot or roasting pan containing meator vegetables.

Medicinal UsesMost iodine is obtained from two

sources: brown algae and red algae.

Iodine, necessary for the proper func-tioning of the thyroid gland, has beenused for the treatment of goiter forover 5,000 years. Goiter is an enlarge-ment of the thyroid gland, visible as aswelling on the front of the neck.

In his book on nutrition, Are YouConfused?, Paavo Airola lists kelp as 1of the 10 plants that help the bodysglands reach their peak of healthyactivity. Many seaweeds mostcommonly kelp when powderedyield potassium chloride, a salt sub-stitute. This is a godsend particularlyfor those who must restrict theamount of sodium chloride in theirdiet. By dry weight, kelp is about 30percent potassium chloride.

The gelatinous material extractedby boiling seaweeds can also be usedas a remedy for burns and bruises oras a hand lotion.

One hundred grams of dulse con-tain 3.2 grams of fat, 296 milligramsof calcium, 267 milligrams of phos-phorus, 2,085 milligrams of sodium,and 8,060 milligrams of potassium.One hundred grams of Irish mosscontains 1.8 grams of fat, 2.1 gramsof fiber, 17.6 grams of ash, 885 mil-ligrams of calcium, 157 milligrams ofphosphorus, 8.9 milligrams of iron,2,892 milligrams of sodium, and2,844 milligrams of potassium. Onehundred grams of kelp contain 1,093milligrams of calcium, 240 mil-ligrams of phosphorus, 3,000 mil-ligrams of sodium and 5,273 mil-ligrams of potassium.

Other UsesThe long flat stipes of some sea-

weeds, if treated with a leather soft-ener, can be used as an interim lash-ing/binding material (preferably inplaces where they wont get wet).The long hollow stipes of some ofthe kelps have been used as fishinglines for deep-sea fishing by NativeAmericans in Alaska. These samestipes, along with any of the stringysegments of seaweeds, can, if theneed arises, be woven into moc-casins, mats, baskets, and pot hold-ers, and even be used for short-termfurniture and clothing repair.


Red TideWhen were speaking of seaweeds here,

were speaking of macroscopic marine

algae, not microscopic algae. There is some-

thing called red tide that causes the

ocean to look red, and presents a possible

hazard if youre going to collect seaweeds

for food. The hazard is actually minor, but

you should be aware of this.

According to the U.S. National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration, Harmful

algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies

of algae simple plants that live in the sea

and freshwater grow out of control while

producing toxic or harmful effects on people,

fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds.

The human illnesses caused by HABs, though

rare, can be debilitating or even fatal.

While many people call these blooms

red tides, scientists prefer the term harm-

ful algal bloom. One of the best known

HABs in the nation occurs nearly every sum-

mer along Floridas Gulf Coast. This bloom,

like many HABs, is caused by microscopic

algae that produce toxins that kill fish and

make shellfish dangerous to eat. The toxins

may also make the surrounding air difficult

to breathe. As the name suggests, the

bloom of algae often turns the water red.

HABs have been reported in every U.S.

coastal state, and their occurrence may be

on the rise. HABs are a national concern

because they impact not only the health of

people and marine ecosystems, but also

local and regional economies.

But not all algal blooms are harmful.

Most blooms, in fact, are beneficial because

the tiny plants are food for animals in the

ocean. In fact, they are the major source of

energy that fuels the ocean food web.

A small percentage of algae, however,

produce powerful toxins that can kill fish,

shellfish, mammals, and birds, and may

directly or indirectly cause illness in people.

HABs also include blooms of non-toxic

species that have harmful effects on marine

ecosystems. For example, when masses of

algae die and decompose, the decaying

process can deplete oxygen in the water,

causing the water to become so low in oxy-

gen animals either leave the area or die.

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On Thursday September 20th, 1945, the Daily Times-Tri-bune of Alexandria, Indiana beneath a photo of thehulking wreckage of the Mitsubishi factory destroyedby the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki announced to friends and family that First Lt. Russell

Allen Phillips horrific ordeal had finally ended. What began as a sim-ple search and rescue mission in the Pacific became a 47-day fight forsurvival and subsequent imprisonment in two of Japans worst camps.

Like the newspaper article, for Russell Allen Phillips the warpassed quietly into history. Years later, his daughter would remarkthat her father was a quiet, modest man who didnt talk much abouthis experiences in the war. Others, like Kesling Middle School SocialStudies teacher Robert Burns, had no idea that the man in the scienceclassroom next door had spent nearly two months adrift in the middleof the Pacific Ocean with little food and nearly no water. For over adecade, Mr. Burns desperately tried to make World War II come alivefor his students, and next door was one of the greatest stories of themall. It wasnt until Mr. Burns started talking with Cecile Phillips, Rus-sells wife, that the remarkable story came out.

Allen, as friends and colleagues knew him in his hometown of LaPorte, Indiana, graduated from La Porte High School in 1934 andearned a degree in forestry from Purdue University. He joined theU.S. air corps a month before the attack at Pearl Harbor. After a bomb-ing raid on Nauru, Allen earned special distinction awards for pilotinghis crippled B-24 home despite missing one rudder, having thehydraulic system completely shot away, and nearly 600 bullets holestearing through the plane his crew nicknamed Superman.

Allens World War II experiences were detailed in his bombardierLouis Zamperinis book Devil At My Heels. After the Nauru raid andwith Superman out for repairs, Allens beleaguered crew was settling infor some rest when news came in of a B-25 going down somewhere inthe Pacific 200 miles north of Palmyra. Allen quickly volunteered hiscrew for the rescue mission.

The only plane left at the base was one that the flight crews called amusher. Mushers were planes that flew tail below nose and couldntget off the ground with a bomb load. This one, the Green Hornet, wasused on the daily vegetable runs between the air base and Hawaii. Shealso served as a surrogate for parts needed on other B-24s.

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Stories of Survival: Louis Zamperini

47 DAYS ON THE OPEN OCEANStory by Bryan Dumas

WHAT BEGAN AS A SIMPLE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION IN

THE PACIFIC BECAME A 47-DAY FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL AND

SUBSEQUENT IMPRISONMENT IN TWO OF JAPANS WORST CAMPS.

ASG-1502-ZAMPERINI 12/9/14 1:49 AM Page 34

Despite her limitations, Allen and hiscrew set off for the downed B-25 on May 27,1943. At 1830, the plane was wheels up and itwould be the last time that Allen would seeland for the next 46 days. When they arrivedat the B-25s last known location, Allen foundthe area covered in clouds. He flew to 8000feet so that Zamperini could get a betterview. Quickly, without warning, the numberone engine (left outboard) sputtered, shookviolently, and died. Aboard was a new engi-neerSupermans regular engineer wasinjured over Nauruwho rushed to thecockpit and attempted to feather enginenumber one, or turn the blades of the deadengine edges to the wind to help reducedrag. But, in his excitement, he feathered thenumber two engine instead. Now, the GreenHornet, a plane that could barely get airbornewith all four engines, was flying with twoengines on the right side only. There was lit-tle that Allen could do; he increased powerhoping to keep the plane aloft long enough torestarted engine number two. It was no use.The Green Hornet rolled to the left and spuntoward the Pacific. He quickly ordered hiscrew to their stations and prepare for a crash.Less than two minutes elapsed and the GreenHornet tumbled left wing and nose first intothe ocean.

Allen ended up in the Pacific clinging toan auxiliary gas tank, a triangular gash on hishead, but alive. Beside him was his tail gun-ner Francis McNamara. In the water, floatingamidst the oil slick flames and debris wasZamperini. The three men were the only sur-vivors of the crash.

Zamperini quickly gathered one of theejected life rafts and got both Allen andMcNamara out of the water. They all knewthat Allens bleeding gash would quicklyattract sharks. What they didnt realize wasthat those sharks would be their worst night-mare for the next 47 days. Zamperini dressedAllens wounds and rowed the small raftafter a second one that was drifting in thecurrents nearby. He knew theyd need thesupplies. With the two rafts lashed together,Mac and Zamperini moved Allen into thesecond one to rest. Zamp, Allen said,Youre the captain now, Zamperini wouldlater recall in his book.

In the popular television show NCIS, thelead agent Leroy Gibbs has a series of rulesthat he demands his team commit to mem-ory. The rule that is most often cited in theseries is Rule #9: Never go anywhere without

a knife. As Zamperini took inventory of thesupplies he realized they were without aknife. In its place, there was a pair of pliers.I swear I almost started to search for therafts trademark to see if it was made in Ger-many or Japan. Some dummkopf had put inpliers when everyone knows that no matterwhere you are, on land or sea or in the air,you need a knife, he writes in his book.

The three men had two rafts betweenthem, six bars of chocolate (each meant tolast a week and fortified with vitamins, min-


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erals and protein), and eight half-pint tins ofwater. As darkness settled in, a cold wrappeditself around the men. They scooped waterfrom the ocean and let their bodies warm itso they could find some rest.

The following morning, Zamperini andAllen found the chocolate was gone. Mac hadeaten all six bars. They had no food.

The next two days the men watched asplanes from their own squadron flew pastthem but they didnt spot the flares firedfrom the raft. They were alone. Well, notcompletely. Theyd acquired a following ofsharks. What was assumed to be a coupledays at sea and then rescue was quietlyaccepted as a longer stay at sea.

The eight tins of water would run outquickly. In order to get water, Zamperiniused the canvas cover for the air pumps tocatch what rainwater would drift over them.Some days, the clouds would skirt their raft;they went for seven days without a drop ofrain. Other days a small shower would allowthem to catch some water. They drank theirfill and then used their mouths to transferthe water from the canvas cover to the emptytins. They did this because it was nearlyimpossible to pour out the precious fewdrops of water in a turbulent raft and byusing their mouths they also kept the saltwater from spoiling their scant supply.

With the water supply issue solved, theyhad to move on to food. After Macs selfish-ness with the chocolate, the men turned tothe sea for food. On occasion, the waveswould toss small fish into their raft. Allenand Zamperini had to stop Mac from eatingthe fish. Both men knew that they could usethe tiny fish as bait for a larger reward.Their survival gear included a can of hooksin varying sizes and some line. But eachtime theyd try to cast for fish, the sharkstailing them would steal the hooks and baitleaving them with nothing. However, thesharks were not always bad. Zamperini fig-ured out a way to catch the pilot fish thatswam side by side with the sharks: He tiedhooks to his thumb, index and little fingerand hung it in the water. When the sharksswam up for a closer look, Zamperini wouldgrab one of the pilot fish and they would beable to eat that day. On the rare occasionthat a small three- to four-foot shark wouldswim by, the men worked together to wres-tle it into the raft. Zamperini would hangthe bait over the edge of the raft and as theshark swam past he would yank it out of the

water by its tail. Allens job was to ram aspent flare cartridge into its mouth andZamperini would drive the screwdriver endof the pliers through the sharks eye andinto its brain. They knew enough not to eatraw shark meat, but they were able to enjoya bloody meal of shark liver.

But small pilot fish and shark was not theonly source of meat for the men. Gracefullygliding the thermals high above them themen watched albatrosses soar in the blueskies. Despite sailors superstition, the threeof them knew that if the opportunity pre-sented itself, theyd eat one. They used thealbatrosses natural desire to roost after eat-ing to their advantage. Known to perch atopthe masts of sailing ships in the middleocean, an albatross will use anything theycan to rest. One afternoon, while the menslept, an albatross landed near Zamperinis


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Louis Zamperini

THEY KNEW ENOUGH NOT TO EAT RAW SHARK MEAT, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO ENJOY A BLOODY MEAL OF SHARK LIVER.


DIYSome folks just like to do things for themselves.

For those of you who do, Del-Ton has a complete line of rie kits to t any need or budget.

Del-Ton is a manufacturer of quality AR-15-style modern sporting ries and your online source for parts,

upgrades, optics, and accessories. All rie and kit components are made in the U.S.A.

16 M4 Rie Kit (RKT 100) / MSRP: $510

ASG_1502_37 12/11/14 2:31 PM Page 37

head. Slowly, cautiously, he moved his handsup and caught the bird by its feet. The wres-tled with the bird, fought against its razorsharp beak and finally wrung its neck. Theycut the bird up, but found they couldnt eat it.The smells were too foul. They tossed thecarcass overboard but vowed to eat the nextone they caught.

After a few weeks at sea, the men realizedthat they would need to keep their mindsactive and sharp in order to survive. Allensfather was a minister and was serving as achaplain in France and Al

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