Danger Zone

Max Gordon's Desert Survival Tips

Don't go there! Especially not on your own. It's a really scary place, but if you ever find yourself stuck out in the desert like because your bus driver's gone mad and taken a wrong turn then this is what you have to do.

Heat & Thirst

Two big killers are extreme heat and thirst. You MUST find water and whatever shade you can. Travel at night. Sometimes there's condensation at night which you can collect. How? Dig a hole about 40 cm deep, cover it with a bit of plastic sheet, then put any container you have underneath it. The plastic gets cool at night and gives you moisture. Or, cut into the base of a cactus and chew the flesh, but don't swallow it. If there's a dry river bed dig there first because sometimes water's not too far below the surface. Any birds or animals around? They need water, follow them. Trees means there's water underneath them. If you find water, sip it, don't slurp it down or you'll puke and dehydrate even more.

Shelter

If there are no trees or boulders to give you shade make a shelter (do it at night when it's cooler yeah? Common-sense time) with whatever's around. Stack rocks and stones, sling a coat, shirt or whatever you've got across it - I mean, make a den or something, just get out the heat, or it'll fry your brain.

Fire

Get a fire going. Sun-baked wood burns like crazy. Use dried animal droppings like pieces of coal. You need to keep warm at night and the smoke will help people find you.

Walking

If you have to keep on walking to find a way out then do it slowly. I was running in Namibia because I had to - and it nearly killed me, even though I'm pretty fit. Breathe through your nose not your mouth. Get something on your head - like putting your shirt on it, which will also cover your shoulders. The Arabs know how to do it - think of them and adapt whatever you have. Stop and rest, as often as you want and if you can get off the ground, even by 30 cm, like on a log or a rock, do it because it'll be cooler than staying on the surface.

SOS

You're small, desert's big so make a sign on the ground for search parties. If you've got anything reflective like aluminium use that and make as big as triangle as you can - that's the international distress signal - but anything will do really: stones, sticks whatever. It's easier than trying to make a big SOS sign.

Good luck!

Back