I know that the redoubtable solar still has been widely panned on this forum as a primary source of water in a survival situation, and rightly so, based on the testimony of those few who have actually made one, but my question is - if that is not a good alternative, what IS, when there are no natural water sources such as springs, seeps, snowmelt, etc? There has been some talk of transpiration bags/containers and collecting dew, but what other alternatives are there if there is NO natural source of water where Mr. Murphy has decided to dump you?

It is always possible to posit scenarios from which there is no good outcome. A situation in which you have no access to water is one. Think of the crew of the B-17 that flew into the Sahara during WWII..(I know Chris will recall the name of the plane and all the details, right?)

If there is no water source near you, your best bet is to travel to (hopefully) the nearest. The best tool in this case will be a good map, supplemented by your observations as you made your way into your situation. Sharpen your map reading skills - I recall a hike some years ago where we walked eight miles out of our way to get water, basically because we did not read the map carefully enough. Learn to look for the signs of water - in a desert, trees or any green vegetation is a good bet. Even then you might want to dig, probably in a likely spot in a streambed or similar.

In a tight, I would rather spend whatever energy I had in travelling to a water source than screwing around with a solar still. Travel at night and don't waste any effort. <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

It was a B24 on her first mission to Italy. On the return trip they overflew the base. In those days the lead ship was the primary navigator. When it dropped out early in the mission the rest of the unit was flying on incomplete plots. The ship was called Lady be good and is still in a Libyan hanger. Another reason everyone should keep personal bearings, even on a group outing. Animals are a good source of water. Watch where birds are travelling to in the morning and evening. It is usually to water. Again, like redundant firemaking, keep fully hydrated at all times and always carry a container and a supply. I have 4 of those small foil survival packets in my pockets at all times, a small flask, canteen in the car and a 21/2 gallon military bag rolled up. Thats just for driving to starbucks for coffee <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Good points, and again calls into question the viability of the whole solar still things.
BTW, it was the "Lady Be Good," a B-24, and all 9 of the crew died, although one had managed to walk an incredible 111 miles from the crash site with virtually no water or food. Talk about the will to survive .... that was just one of those unfortunate wartime situations where SNAFU was the order of the day.

Hi All,

For further information relating to "Lady Be Good" please check out the following link.

Some of the flight crew hiked almost 120 miles in the desert, living 8 days instead of the 2 predicted by "experts".

Don't underestimate the "will to live". Lack of water was a serious consideration. There are some other links from this site as well. It's worth reading.

www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/research/bombers/b2-39.htm

Regards,
Comanche7

I haven' t read the other posts yet so I hope I'm not just being redundant.

I now look at the solar still as the end game in a water search strategy. In my area it is relatively easy to find active seeps in the mountains. Sometimes you have to dig down a foot or two to form a little puddle of water in the bottom.

Of course you only dig where there is a high probablitiy of hitting water. This means the sides of the hole are usually wet dirt.

If I had to search for flowing water and couldn't find any, then had to find the most likely place and dig for it, and if that hole didn't collect any water, I would consider making a solar still out of the hole already dug in moist soil.

Digging out a seep will produce liters of water over the course of a day and this is really what you need, liters, not the ml's of water that a solar still will produce. If I'm going to spend the sweat necessary to dig a hole there must be a high probablity of producing liters of water.

I would consider the solar still more viable on a sandy beach where digging is easy and there is plenty of sunshine and saltwater to feed into the still. I have never tried this but from my experience in other locations it would seem ideal. Not overly productive, mind you, just as good as you're going to get.

If I had to make a solar still out of a seep-dig hole that failed to produce I would also try all the other expedient means I could, like transpiration bags and seeking sources of plant water, vines especially. I'm in the habit of cutting a sample of every vine I run across anyway just to see if water drips out. Mac

This thread is entitled "the last Alternative." I think we have failed to consider the first one. Much of what we discuss,share and learn is usefull in a dire situation. Yes, I can start a fire with a lens shaved from ice. Yes, I can CLIMB to the high country in a desert seeking the water cache's. And yes, I can carry a sufficient supply of water IN THE FIRST PLACE. I don't know of a single airline that is seizing water bottles yet. If they think it's fulminate of mercury POUR IT OUT. The water in the washroom sink is potable. On a day hike? Ignore the Sierra Club experts with a small canteen and heroic profiles. Carry a big one and become popular about midday.

>> If they think it's fulminate of mercury POUR IT OUT.

Would they stop me from boarding if I drank it instead? Would they be afraid I'd blow up? <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I've seen alot of negative "press" on solar stills.As I recall they are stills.I remember reading in very old navy manuals that they are placed in moist ground(tide lines,river banks,etc.)to gather clean water to drink.I may be mistaken but I thought stills where used to purify.So if you don't have a filter or iodine tablets what can it hurt?
Boatman
John

Boatman,

What can they hurt?

Fair enough question. The problem is that they produce very little water in relation to the effort necessary to construct them.

Most people who make a solar still make them too small, too shallow, and in less than ideal soil. Even when they are constructed in an ideal location they barely produce enough water to keep one person alive. This has to be balanced against the sweat output required to dig the hole.

The best advice on solar stills I have ever seen and followed was BUILD ONE. If still not satisfied, BUILD ANOTHER. It is an eye opener. The theory is definetely there, in practice it is much harder to make it work.

I now view them as an act of desperation after digging out a seep fails to produce water. If you already have a hole dug in moist soil you might as well do the easy part and make a still out of it. I would never set out to intentionally make a solar still, been there, done that, got thirsty. Mac