If you are lost and running low on water, what do you do?
- Conserve whatever water you may still have, for the first couple of hours, and then sip very sparingly.
- Conserve your body fluids. Avoid walking during the hottest part of the day; don’t talk unless you have to; keep your mouth shut; and do not remove any articles of clothing. It might help to place a small, smooth pebble under your tongue—many people believe that this relieves the feeling of thirst.
- Study the surrounding terrain vegetation, soil, game trails (depending where you are) or birds (if you are adept at it for clues to water. If you spot reeds, you are close to water even though it may appear to be a sandy riverbed only. The lower levels of sandy riverbeds are the most likely places to find water. Push a sharp stick into the sand. If it glistens when you pull it out, there is water, so start digging. Use a reed or plastic piping to draw water. To avoid sucking up sand, place a piece of cloth over the mouth-end of the reed.
- Dew can also be a life-saver—collect moisture from vegetation with a clean cloth and wring it into a container. Only very small quantities of water can be collected in this way, but in an emergency every little bit counts.
- Water sometimes collects in rock crevices, cracks and hollows in trees, where you might find a little to take you over until help arrives, or, with any luck, until it starts to rain.
Note: it is important to remember that before you tackle a hike through dry or desert conditions where you could easily run out of water, you should prepare yourself for the worst by seeking expert advice on the subject. |
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