Survival for beginners: a step-by-step guide to camping and outdoor skills

130 Pages·2019·30.641 MB·English

by  Towell, Colin

SURVIVAL
FOR BEGINNERS
001_310146_Half_Title.indd 1 20/12/2018 10:28
002_003_310146_Title.indd 2 20/12/2018 10:28
SURVIVAL
FOR BEGINNERS
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO
CAMPING AND OUTDOOR SKILLS
WRITTEN BY
COLIN TOWELL
002_003_310146_Title.indd 3 20/12/2018 10:28
S
T
Senior Editor Carron Brown
N
Senior Designer Sheila Collins
Designer Kit Lane
E
Editors Ann Baggaley, Jessica Cawthra,
Sarah Edwards, Anna Streiffert Limerick, T
Georgina Palffy, Alison Sturgeon, Hannah Wilson
N
Designers Chrissy Barnard, Rachael Grady
Illustrations Dynamo Ltd, SJC – Stuart Jackson Carter,
Good Illustration, KJA, Gus Scott O
Managing Editor Francesca Baines
C
Managing Art Editor Philip Letsu
Producer, Pre-Production Andy Hilliard
Producer Jude Crozier
Jacket Editor Emma Dawson
Jacket Designer Suhita Dharamjit
Senior DTP Designer Harish Aggarwal
Foreword 6
Jackets Editorial Coordinator Priyanka Sharma
Prepare yourself 8
Managing Jackets Editor Saloni Singh
Kit layers 9
Jacket Design Development Manager Sophia MTT
Survival tin 10
Publisher Andrew Macintyre
Art Director Karen Self
Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler
Design Director Phil Ormerod
Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf
First published in Great Britain in 2019 by
Dorling Kindersley Limited
80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL
A Penguin Random House Company
Copyright © 2019 Dorling Kindersley Limited
2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1
001–310146–May/2019
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
NAVIGATION 12
or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the How to read a map 14
prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Understanding maps 16
A CIP catalogue record for this book Visualizing relief 17
is available from the British Library. Use a compass 18
Disclaimer: Whilst the publisher has taken all reasonable Navigate with a compass 20
care that the advice given in this book is correct, it is not Find north by day 22
engaged in providing specific advice to individual
Find north by night 23
readers. The publisher can therefore not accept any
Find north by the stars 24
liability for any loss or injury sustained by anyone
Find south by the stars 25
following the advice in this book.
Nature’s own signposts 26
ISBN: 978-0-2413-3989-3
Using GPS technology 28
Printed and bound in China
Leave an action plan 30
A WORLD OF IDEAS: What to do when lost 32
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW
Call for help 34
www.dk.com Build a signal fire 36
004_005_310146_Contents.indd 4 07/01/2019 16:53
Natural shelter 84
HOW TO USE
A-frame shelter 86
Make a tarp shelter 88 THIS BOOK
Staying clean 90
Using a pocketknife 92 This book is packed with
Making a feather stick 94 outdoor activities, some
Making sparks 95 simple while others are
How to build a fire 96 potentially hazardous.
Survive a fire 98
The importance of water 100 Please always bear in mind:
What is dehydration? 101
Collecting water 102 • Don’t deliberately put
ON THE TRAIL 38 Purifying water 103 yourself in harm’s way
The importance of food 104 to try out the more
Travelling on foot 40 Make a trail mix 105 hazardous activities, such
Net a fish 106
Forecasting the weather 42 as escape a crocodile or
Make a bottle trap 107
Insects and arachnids 44 deal with a shark.
Using lines and bait 108
Animal encounters 46
Cook a fish 110
Animal signs 50 • Always carry out the
Avoid heat injury 52 more hazardous activities
Escape quicksand 53 under adult supervision.
Moving over snow 54 Those activities have been
Making snowshoes 56 marked with this symbol.
Ice axe self-arrest 57
Dressing for survival 58
Survive an avalanche 60
!
Cross a river 62
Build a raft 64
Canoe rescue 66
Cold water shock 67
Escape a crocodile 68
Deal with a shark 69
FIRST AID 112 • Use your common sense,
Adrift at sea 70
and do proper research
and initial practice before
First aid kit 114
attempting the activities
Treating a minor cut 115
for real.
Stings and bites 116
Sprained ankle 118
• Bear in mind that any
Make a sling 119
medical conditions may
Dealing with sickness 120
make activities more
Burns and blisters 121
difficult or your condition
worse – consult your
Glossary 124
doctor first.
Index 126
Acknowledgments 128
• Take care and be
responsible with every
CAMPCRAFT 72
activity, not just the
ones marked as hazardous,
Choosing a camping spot 74
to ensure you are safe.
Tent basics 76
Campsite safety 78
Tying knots 80
004_005_310146_Contents.indd 5 20/12/2018 10:28
006_007_310146_Foreword.indd 6 20/12/2018 10:29
FOREWORD
BY COLIN TOWELL
I am often asked what is the most terrifying survival situation
I have been in, but, although I have operated in some of the
world’s most hostile environments, I have never actually found
myself in a true “life or death” survival situation. Am I just lucky?
Maybe, but as they say in the military, “luck favours those
who are best prepared”.
While some survival situations do happen through sheer
bad luck, most arise from a sequence of events that could have
been avoided. When sitting on top of a mountain suffering from
hypothermia, it is too late to realize that you should have either
checked the weather forecast and packed warm clothing
before you set out, or turned back when the weather
looked like changing!
Hiking, camping, and exploring the outdoors are great fun and
hugely rewarding, but remember the wise old survival saying:
“knowledge weighs nothing and takes up no room in your pack”.
With this book, you will learn essential outdoor craft and survival
techniques that will help you avoid survival situations and
show you what to do if the unfortunate does happen.
006_007_310146_Foreword.indd 7 20/12/2018 10:29
PREPARE YOURSELF
88
In an age of high-tech outdoor equipment, you should
not underestimate the importance of knowledge, TIP
hands-on skills, and the “will to survive”. In a true
survival situation, these may be all you have! The Understand your limits and don’t
key factor for a successful wilderness adventure attempt to go beyond what you
is preparation. Make your priorities protection, or your gear are fit to cope with.
location, water, and food.
WATER
PROTECTION LOCATION
Perleomteecnt tyso uarnsde lifn jaugrayi:nst the Sounr lvoivcaalt iaonnd. Wrehsecnu ey ocua np ldaenp yeonudr dsWauyarvstei vwre ii stfho loirf uemt. oNitr.oe othnaen c aa nfe w
trip, ask yourself:
Pwarsee aap tachroeelr df c osorn ncadhpiat, inoagnnidsn, g ps luanch Is the area I am going mCaorrrey tshuaffinc yioeun tt hwinakte).r (always
your kit accordingly. to dangerous? Have the means to filter and
A positive attitude, together Will people know where disinfect untreated water.
with knowledge and to look for me? Plan your route around
experience, will help you Will I be able to attract water sources.
make good decisions. their attention? Remember, if you are in a hot
Set realistic and achievable country, are unwell, or injured,
goals. having enough water will be
even more important.
Don’t go on an adventure to
get fit – get fit to go on an
adventure by stepping up
your exercise routine.
FIfnOyo oOoau dDs S mmhwPteoaPeauiafrrlcoaltslsta klr-tyny nt –ou eose t yunnriotatom rsa’ tbs ur ccaat e rhlkdsot i fkiseuvt ooeso dernaot vounfina dio ltvlyde iulumria dnarfttleir g tptodsai oowviiaaultnr eynpumitstsrad ah a iacnt ox hi aafton fu,et re n gheetbaw,ohafll u uttoe tht dlad al ytya nr r. y eak –s i. l .a. llow
008-009_310146_Survival_priorities.indd 8 18/01/2019 14:30