That's what I was thinking...because given the worst case scenario: 800 miles from land, South Pacific, where there is very little shipping or air traffic...who are you going to signal?

many thanks,

Gene

Airplanes, both commercial and military, fly all over the place. Granted, you need water to survive, but without rescue the above mentioned five gallons of water isn't going to last very long anyway. I can not envision having five gallons of water, at eight pounds per gallon, and not having a signal mirror weighing ounces...

Yeah...normally I would be right on with that...but I checked that area for commercial flights -- 2 per day @ 35,000 feet. That's not a lot to hope for. There are also no military flights flying in that area (figure 800+ miles west of Peru). Helicopters won't go out that far. There are no shipping lines through that area...they all travel great-circle route north of there.

When I asked the Kon-Tiki museum if they thought the men on Kon-Tiki would have been rescued had they lost sail power--they laughed. They said, "if they had lost the sail they would not have been rescued by another vessel. They would have had trouble holding the course but if they had been lucky, then they would have moved with the current and got there alive."

There's just no one out there to signal to. Better off having extra water and hoping you are in the current.

Gene

For the old fashioned folks who like the wilderness.


A good knife preferably non folder. i.e. Helle Odel
A Bacho Laplander.
A map and Compass and pacer beads. i.e. Silva Field 7.
A lightweight titanium cooking Pot or kettle and folding titanium Spork. i.e. Snowpeak or MSR or Primus Kettle.
A Swedish firesteel equivalent i.e. Ultimate Survival Blastmatch with a couple Ultimate Survival Wet Tinders.
A box of NATO lifeboat matches with striker pad
A Silva or Brunton Helios Stormproof Lighter.
A small box of hexamine tablets i.e. 6 ESBIT tabs with a an Esbit Ti folder stove.
A packet of Tea Bags and Whitener etc.
A Citronella Candle.
A Signal Mirror and Whistle.
A fishing kit.
A Sewing kit.
A Small first aid kit.
A laminated plastic water carrier bag and sterilization tablets i.e Katadyn MP1.
A Steripen Adventurer with Solar Charger.
A millbank Bag.
A mosquito head net.
A flexible Wire Saw
A MPV poncho with a length of 550 Paracord.
A length of stainless steel Wire.
A small bar of soap.
A compact BCB toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste.
A Fenix P1D Cree LED torch with a spare lithium Cell and Nitze Headstrap.
A Exped skylight mini solar LED torch or a Betalight
A Shemagh.
A couple pages of waterproof writing paper and fisher Space pen refill.
A small roll of Duct Tape.
A set of Goretex socks and Goretex lined leather pittard Gloves
All kept in a Snugpak Response Pak.


Or for those not really into the wilderness.

A GPS
A Sat Phone
A Platinum Credit Card.

"...There are also no military flights flying in that area (figure 800+ miles west of Peru)..."

I'm just guessing here, I was a wing nut, not a swabbie, but aircraft carriers go all kinds of places, and they always have aircraft in the air, doing no telling what. I would throw my mirror in, just in case. It won't displace much water...

i'm with OBG on taking a mirror..i had no idea of how many
flights there were over my wilderness canoeing area untill
i noticed their running lights at nite..

Water
some water
and some more water.

Right...and I guess the point that you've convinced me of is with a mirror, at least you have a chance.

Many thanks on the posts!

Gene