A story of survival that at least has a partial good ending. (Haida Gwaii was formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands and is off the north coast of British Columbia Canada.)

A woman was rescued Sunday morning a week after her skiff capsized in the water off Haida Gwaii, throwing her and her friend into the frigid water.

According to the Coast Guard, the 62-year-old woman from Courtney, whose identity has not been disclosed by authorities, swam onto a beach on the west coast of Graham Island on May 30. Her 67-year-old companion has yet to be found.

The woman survived on an orange (which she rationed over two days), creek water, seaweed and grass shoots until June 5.

"Seaweed" [algaes and kelps], of course, has been called one of nature's almost perfect foods. Clean water, check. How was the weather and did she construct a shelter?

Edit: The article says she was found at a fire.

Sounds like she did a lot right and the Rule of Threes was not violated.

After I posted the first link I found another link that had more details but no info on shelter nor weather.

She survived six days on one granola bar, a banana, water from a stream, and a fire she lit with a disposable lighter. Officials describe the area as extremely isolated, with nothing but steep cliffs, surf-pounded beaches and thick rainforest right to the waterline.

Then at 2:15 a.m. PT Sunday, a commercial fishing boat dropped anchor in Tian Bay, said Olsen.

"The fishing vessel reported what he thought was a flare," he said.

But it wasn't a flare.

"She had made a fire on the beach and was throwing embers and such so she would be spotted."

Kudos to her!

Brilliant. I haven't done that since I was a kid. At the right time of day, that would show up like crazy.

Kudos to her for having a few essentials in her pockets.

EDIT: They weren't wearing lifejackets, even though they were available in the skiff. Grr!

EDIT #2: Globe and Mail reports she was wearing a lifejacket but her partner wasn't. She is alive; he is missing and presumed drowned.

Sounds like she had just enough gear and common sense to give luck a chance to save her. Well done! Sadly things don't sound good for her companion. I'll never comprehend how anyone in a similar situation would neglect to wear a PFD.

Unfortunately not wearing a PFD is very common here despite it being law. Not a year goes by that there are number of deaths that may of been preventable had the person been wearing a PFD.

At least this woman had her wits about her and was able to make a fire and forage for some food. The fire probably saved her life after the swim in the ocean to land and safety.

She also kept a fire going for a week and was smart enough to think of throwing coals in the air to attract attention. Speaks of a tenacious spirit coupled with some hard-headed decision-making skills. Good stuff!

Smart. Very smart.

HJ

Smart woman! I'll never understand why some people don't wear their PFDs. The time you need it is not the time to have go looking for it.