A lot of discussions on conditions so I will present four of them and what I would bring for each. In each situation I would choose the first aid kit.

Warm climate, fresh non-moving water with plenty of firewood:

This is an idea place for mosquitoes and the water may need to be purified.

I need the tent to keep the mosquitoes out.

Matches for building signal fires and drive the mosquitoes away.

Water purifier.

Warm climate, fresh non-moving water with a lack of firewood:

Tent.

Water purifier.

Mirror for signaling.

Warm climate and a lack of fresh water:

Where there is a lack of water, there is a lack of mosquitoes and firewood.

Tarp for collecting rainwater and shelter.

Matches.

Mirror for signaling.

Cold climate with snow on the ground and no other water source:

Tent to keep warm.

Matches to keep warm, build signal fires and boil water.

Pot to collect snow to melt into drinking water.

Jeanette Isabelle

You bring up an interesting point. Some of us need prescription glasses or medications just the level the playing field. I would say level the playing field; some items specific to our needs can be used in a survival situation. Prescription glasses can be used to start a fire if the sun is out. According to Murphy, the sun is not out when you need a fire the most.

Jeanette Isabelle

If I were that close to the main land, I would use the inflatable raft.

Jeanette Isabelle

Good luck! San Nicolas island is more than forty miles offshore and traveling there challenges fairly well equipped watercraft. You face heavy seas, a steady current, and winds from the northwest. If I were stranded there, I would be flashing my mirror full time, anticipating a better ride home than an inflatable raft. Did I mention the sharks? They love to feast on the abundant seals...

And they are large, Great White sharks!

To hell with leaving. I intend to stay for a while and take a break from the RR.

Pot, because I gotta cook.

Tarp, because it will rain eventually.

Hammock, who wants to sleep in the sand?

Knife, I gotta be able to kill things.

Going back out to sea? Bad idea for me. I am a landlubber.


Kick back, enjoy the view, and try to make the most of your good fortune. You could be back sitting behind a desk dying a slow, agonizing death. Oh wait, I'm doing that now...

I am with you on that Benjamin. Add some beer and it would be an almost perfect vacation!

+1. (Sigh)

If that island doesn't have internet access then get me outta there!

If that island doesn't have food and drinks, the medications I need and people to be with, get me off of it.

Jeanette Isabelle