There is an orienteering club out in Orlando that you should check out. Orienteering is a lot of fun!

One of the best times that I had orienteering was at Deleon Springs. As it turns out there was also a group of civil war re-enactors having a little get-together there too. I was romping the woods wearing jeans, and holding a map and compass. All around me were guys wearing blue or gray, and holding black-powder muskets (no musket balls, though). Those things were loud!

Well, after orienteering, we went back to the mill for pancakes, and finally grabbed a couple of geocaches on the way out. That was a great day.

The sad thing is that I later found out that Deleon springs doesn't want orienteers back there for some reason. Too bad.

To everybody else: sorry for hijacking the threas <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've lived, worked (SAR, among other duties), and played throughout Florida. Yes, it is very flat, overall. Y'all are missing the point of all of the other information that a topo map provides. It is important info and may, in some cases, be life saving!

I agree Wildman. I've lived in FL all my life (except for a time out for Uncle Sam and Vietnam). I've hiked the FL Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and done SAR here in FL. I believe in Topo maps and use them constantly when I'm camping, hiking, playing, and even canoing.

The only place flatter that Fla. is southern Delaware - where I live. It was ironed! I always have topos with me - wherever I am. Tinder (redundancy!)!

As a former Delawarite I have to agree with you. Slower, lower Delaware is pancake flat.

Good to Great Choices, -USGS and DeLorme. As well as any Like Others out there! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]Excomantia[/email]

My main concern is getting water. I spend most of my time in KY and we have more streams than you can shake a stick at so I always want to have a metal cup and some means of starting a fire and even some water purification tablets. If you don't get water then the other stuff in your kit becomes meaningless pretty damn fast.

Water is first. The fire is also useful for signaling and heat.

The second thing is shelter so I carry a tarp or poncho and some string that I can whip up a shelter with.

Third is food. I always carry more food than I need. Some people might say that is impossible for me to do knowing how much I like to eat! Peanut M&Ms are good and canned deviled SPAM!. I won't go into a long list but these are two of my favorites.

After these priorities you can pretty much figure out what you might like to have with you.

In addition to the top ten, I often add
coat/ jacket
cell phone/ GRMS radio
sunscreen/hat/ sunglasses
walking stick

TRO

yes I agree jeffchem, water has to be the number 1 priority, well, maybe after not freezing to death etc. because without it you are going to be hurting fast.

Survival Times Without Water here

I guess the problem remains how to always have enough of the stuff. The only way is to have filtering/chem/ etc means of making it drinkable

With all due respect, I'll disagree - water is certainly important, but in my view it is not the first priority.

This is all assuming that you've found yourself in a survival situation and have stopped and admitted it to yourself.

The first priority is to attend to serious health issues - both physical and mental. If one of those pressing issues is dehydration, then water indeed becomes an immediate priority. If you've got a PLB along, this is the time to activate it. If the weather is severe, then shelter/body core temperature becomes a first priority.

The second priority is to maintain core body temperature by seaking shelter and warmth (through protection from rain/dew/snow, additional insulation, fire, body-to-body contact).

Of course a fire not only provides warmth, it also helps from a signaling perspective AND it tends to contribute to mental health. Make sure you've safely collected enough wood to maintain your fire over time - so you don't have to try to find wood in the dark. Make sure your fire is under control - especially in dry conditions.

The third priority is signaling and making yourself visible for rescue. This assumes that if you can get rescued soon enough then water will not be an issue - pending priority #1. Part of this depends on the trip plan you gave a responsible friend ... if you won't be missed for several days, then you may be forced to hold off on signalling until it is more likely that someone is looking for you.

The fourth priority is water, though if your means of collecting water is transpiration bags, then you would be best to put those in place after shelter/warmth is available so they have time to do their thing. It is important to keep safety in mind when collecting water - making sure not to fall into dangerous waters, not to get wet and risk exposure, and not to get hopelessly stuck in muddy banks or wetlands.

A fifth priority might be food, if conditions warrant its collection.

At least that's my view of it. If you haven't read Cody Lundin's book, I'd recommend it.