An enormous Hercules Search and Rescue plane arrived from Alberta along with a helicopter and a Twin Otter outfitted with bulging Plexiglas side-windows where spotters would sit. They set up a military style office at the Lynn Lake airport. Enormous maps of the search area were put up on the walls. There were pilots, co-pilots, SARTECHS (search and rescue technicians), spotters, and others. Everyone was serious, focused, and prepared. What surprised me was the way they treated me. Rather than shooing me away, they sat me down and explained with kindness and courtesy exactly what they were doing and how the operation would proceed. I felt relieved and comforted. They knew exactly how to treat people in crisis and in shock. I was surprised by how coherent and calm I was.
I know some people that if lost, would never be found because they had ticked so many people off at one time or another, that no one WOULD report them missing.
I think there was a case one time where a body was discovered after about a month.When authorities notified his wife, she was asked why she had not notified Missing Persons?“Well, I never missed him!”
The issue is CLEAN water. Just because you’re near a lake doesn’t mean that the lake water is safe for drinking. They were lucky enough to have water proof matches, but did they carry anything with them to clean up the water? There are actually little tablets you can boil with water to kill bacteria…
In wilderness survival, when one is lost, there is a pyramid of order. Phil and John have pretty much gotten it right. In order of importance, they are:1.) Positive mental attitude = Being isolated like this, despair can easily set it. Phil told John to stay focused and mentally fight anything that is not real.2.) First aid = Neither of them appear injured by the capsizing, so thankfully they can skip that.3.) Shelter = Being exposed to nature is the worst enemy of survival. By using the remnants of the shack they found, Phil and John used the odds and ends as best they could.4.) Fire = Fire has multiple uses in trying to survive it can backcountry. Besides providing warmth, it can provide signaling, boil water, dry clothes, et cetera.5.) Signaling = Smoke is the best way to signal for help, as it is seen for miles. Aside from that, a whistle can be useful at short range, whistling in sessions of three (3 is the universal number of distress). A mirror can be used to signal low-flying aircraft. DO NOT YELL. Yelling drains lungpower, exhausts one physically and emotionally, and the chances of being heard by others are slim, to say the least.6.) Water = Human beings can survive 2 or 3 days without water. Dehydration, besides being fatal, can also sap one’s attitude. They could use their clothes to make a tarp to catch morning dew. but it does not look like they have the means to boil water. NEVER drink directly from a lake or river. That puts one at risk of dysentery, fecal infection and other nasties.7.) Food = Human beings can survive several weeks without food. It ranks at the bottom of the survival pyramid. It is better to conserve one’s energy on the above issues than aimlessly search for food. Besides, even if food was found the energy depletion would probably not be offset by the strength gained from eating.
(1) A lake in northern Ontario is hardly likely to be brimming with human coliforms.(2) Anyone who dies of thirst rather than chance the cleanliness of the local water was a candidate for a Darwin Award anyway.
I write a fairly successful book on camping and the occasional quote from it gets no reaction. I reference an old throwaway gag and get two favorable responses. There is no accounting for taste.
Templo S.U.D. almost 9 years ago
Now the brothers-in-law will also have to worry about wrestling up some grub.
JanLC almost 9 years ago
Lynn’s Notes:
An enormous Hercules Search and Rescue plane arrived from Alberta along with a helicopter and a Twin Otter outfitted with bulging Plexiglas side-windows where spotters would sit. They set up a military style office at the Lynn Lake airport. Enormous maps of the search area were put up on the walls. There were pilots, co-pilots, SARTECHS (search and rescue technicians), spotters, and others. Everyone was serious, focused, and prepared. What surprised me was the way they treated me. Rather than shooing me away, they sat me down and explained with kindness and courtesy exactly what they were doing and how the operation would proceed. I felt relieved and comforted. They knew exactly how to treat people in crisis and in shock. I was surprised by how coherent and calm I was.
summerdog86 almost 9 years ago
I know some people that if lost, would never be found because they had ticked so many people off at one time or another, that no one WOULD report them missing.
hippogriff almost 9 years ago
LoboGrande: You think someone drank Canada dry?
paranormal almost 9 years ago
To think I thought this camping trip would be good bonding time and catching lots of fish…….
tuslog64 almost 9 years ago
I think there was a case one time where a body was discovered after about a month.When authorities notified his wife, she was asked why she had not notified Missing Persons?“Well, I never missed him!”
Argy.Bargy2 almost 9 years ago
The issue is CLEAN water. Just because you’re near a lake doesn’t mean that the lake water is safe for drinking. They were lucky enough to have water proof matches, but did they carry anything with them to clean up the water? There are actually little tablets you can boil with water to kill bacteria…
USN1977 almost 9 years ago
In wilderness survival, when one is lost, there is a pyramid of order. Phil and John have pretty much gotten it right. In order of importance, they are:1.) Positive mental attitude = Being isolated like this, despair can easily set it. Phil told John to stay focused and mentally fight anything that is not real.2.) First aid = Neither of them appear injured by the capsizing, so thankfully they can skip that.3.) Shelter = Being exposed to nature is the worst enemy of survival. By using the remnants of the shack they found, Phil and John used the odds and ends as best they could.4.) Fire = Fire has multiple uses in trying to survive it can backcountry. Besides providing warmth, it can provide signaling, boil water, dry clothes, et cetera.5.) Signaling = Smoke is the best way to signal for help, as it is seen for miles. Aside from that, a whistle can be useful at short range, whistling in sessions of three (3 is the universal number of distress). A mirror can be used to signal low-flying aircraft. DO NOT YELL. Yelling drains lungpower, exhausts one physically and emotionally, and the chances of being heard by others are slim, to say the least.6.) Water = Human beings can survive 2 or 3 days without water. Dehydration, besides being fatal, can also sap one’s attitude. They could use their clothes to make a tarp to catch morning dew. but it does not look like they have the means to boil water. NEVER drink directly from a lake or river. That puts one at risk of dysentery, fecal infection and other nasties.7.) Food = Human beings can survive several weeks without food. It ranks at the bottom of the survival pyramid. It is better to conserve one’s energy on the above issues than aimlessly search for food. Besides, even if food was found the energy depletion would probably not be offset by the strength gained from eating.
JP Steve Premium Member almost 9 years ago
(1) A lake in northern Ontario is hardly likely to be brimming with human coliforms.(2) Anyone who dies of thirst rather than chance the cleanliness of the local water was a candidate for a Darwin Award anyway.
hippogriff almost 9 years ago
I write a fairly successful book on camping and the occasional quote from it gets no reaction. I reference an old throwaway gag and get two favorable responses. There is no accounting for taste.
tea62 almost 9 years ago
Beats drinking urine.
tea62 almost 9 years ago
Maybe a bear will eat you and you won’t have to worry about it.