Jan 07
31
Surviving at Sea after a shipwreck
Instruction Manual
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Always read instructions carefully.
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Do not drink urine, or sea water or bird blood.
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Do not eat jellyfish, or fish that are armed with spikes or have parrot-like beaks, or that puff up like balloons.
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Pressing the eyes of a fish will paralyze them.
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The body can be a hero in the battle. If a castaway is injured, beware of well-meaning but ill-informed medical treatment. Ignorance is the worst doctor, while rest and sleep are best nurses.
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Put up your feet at least five minutes every hour.
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Unnecessary exertion should be avoided. But an idle mind tends to sink, so the mind should be kept occupied with whatever light distraction may suggest itself. Playing card games, Twenty Questions and I Spy With My Little Eye are excellent forms of simple recreation. Community singing is another sure-fire way to lift the spirits. Yarn spinning is also highly recommended.
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Green water is shallower than blue water.
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Beware of far-off clouds that look like mountains. Look for green. Ultimately, a foot is the only good judge of land.
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Do not go swimming. It wastes energy. Besides, a survival craft may drift faster than you can swim. Not to mention the danger of sea life. If you are not hot, wet you cloths instead.
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Do not urinate on your cloths. The momentary warmth is not worth the nappy rashes.
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Shelter yourself. Exposure can kill faster than thirst or hunger.
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So long as no excessive water is lost through perspiration, the body can survive up to fourteen days without water. If you feel thirsty, suck a button.
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Turtles are an easy catch and make for excellent meals. Their blood is a good, nutritious, salt-free drink; their flesh is tasty and filling; their fat has many uses; and castaway will find turtle eggs a real treat. Mind the beak and the claws.
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Don’t let your moral flag. Be daunted, but not defeated. Remember: the spirit, above all else, counts. If you have the will to live, you will.
Good Luck!
From: Life of Pi (A Novel), By: Yann Martel, Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2002
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