What To Do If You Are Lost At Sea

Things that most survivors share

(Wikipedia / CC BY 4.0)

Recently, a man by the name of Elvis Francois was lost at sea for weeks. He survived by eating a sparse supply of ketchup before being rescued. The story brought up memories of other similar tales. People who become castaways and set adrift in the vast ocean are fairly common. A situation like this happens every few years, and many times the victims manage to survive. After reading some accounts it became clear that there were some very distinct similarities in everyone’s story. Everyone who survives being lost at sea manages to do most or all of these things.

Here is what to do if you are lost at sea for the best chance at survival.

You can read some harrowing tales of ocean survival here.

1. Don’t Panic

First things first, don’t panic. It can be easy to fall prey to sheer panic when you realize that you are adrift in the ocean, out of sight from land. People rarely do their best work when they are panicking. Panic can cause you to act irrationally or erratically and that can quickly become fatal if you are not careful. You should remain on your boat and start formulating a plan.

Certainly, if you find yourself lost at sea, you are going to have moments of panic and despair, but you can’t let…