an account of Jose Salvador Alvarenga's 14 months adrift in an open boat.

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by Tiny Turnip, Nov 7, 2015.

  1. Tiny Turnip
    Joined: Mar 2008
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    Location: Huddersfield, UK

    Tiny Turnip Senior Member

  2. wavepropulsion
    Joined: May 2010
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    Location: Uruguay

    wavepropulsion Pirate Member

    I heard he was in a panga 7 meters -about 23 feet- boat. So, for the people asking if planing hulls are safe at displacement speeds.
    I downloaded a couple of e-books in spanish explaining how to survive drinking just sea water. I must try one day. The idea is saltwater has all the electrolytes and some nutrients from the plancton, including vitamins and proteins, and if you mix with saliva in your mouth the salt goes to less percentage and becomes isotonic water. The books claims the author as others did it and survived.
    Raw fish is a very danger, parasites in people still growing since is common to eat foods as quiche or sashimi. All fish must be sun dried or cooked.
     
  3. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    He had the wit to stream a makeshift sea-anchor of some kind, which might just have saved him from capsize. But how lucky was he to just drift on to a tiny inhabited island in the immensity of the Pacific. And as for eating raw flesh, obviously he could not have survived otherwise. Maybe he was able to get enough vitamin C from it, which cooked or dried likely not be retained. Of course there was no way to cook anyhow.
     
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