What to do if stranded at sea

[DavidPT40]

What do you do if your stranded 100 miles out at sea? A person's biggest worry is definately dehydration. I estimate a person could survive 3 or 4 days if swimming, or about 10 days just drifting.

I think I would have to try swimming for shore. Its really hard to spot a scuba diver floating in the ocean from the air. Heck, its even hard to spot an orange rescue raft from the air.

 

[ShakaZulu]

No you wouldn't, you'd be dead in a hour in SoCal waters, hypothermia will get you........

 

[The Kraken]

I think the question was geared toward a general emergency response not localized to a specific area or body of water.

Tough question. Maybe there's a Coast Guard member on the board or some other professional rescue organization person that could shed some light on this plight.

 

[jhelmuth]

Assuming it is salt water, I think you'll have a serious issue with exposure as well. Salt water will wreek havoc on the skin in prolonged exposure. ShakaZulu has correctly pointed out the problem with hypothermia (and it would not have to be in terribly cold water - it would just take a bit longer to drop the core temperature AND you'd have to take into account what exposure suit you might be wearing). Dehydration will kick in after several days - about the time when your skin will begin to "peel" from the exposure. Also I'd think that you'll have a real issue with sleep depravation within a couple of days. Not pretty.

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

actually the truth is Dehydration wont take couple day believe it or not I would say less than a day, as much as you try to stay warm ect you going at some time more than Likely drink some salt water, if you don't your doing better in the sea's than anyone I have seen in water for any length of time. At this point unless you can see the land forget about swimming try to conserve energy and strength, the currents are going to move you, several items to have while in the seas
Safety sausage or float
A whistle or something that makes noise
And single mirror cheap are couple AOL cd clued together

 

[DavidPT40]

The crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis was in the water for about 9 days without food or water. Dehydration and hypothermia caused the biggest problems for them. Hallucinations and hysteria also erupted after a few days. And while their skin did get saltwater sores on it, they were not life threatening.

 

[gfisher4792]

A bit unnerving: On one of the Discovery Channel shows (Bermuda Triangle Dive one, I think), they interviewed the local Coast Guard Rescue chiefs, who stated that even with all our state of the art technology and techniques, finding a person floating in the ocean, during calm seas and knowing approximately where they are, the percentage chance of being found by S&R is 78%. With rougher seas and less precise knowledge of where they ditched, the probability drops significantly.

 

[ShakaZulu]

A bit unnerving: On one of the Discovery Channel shows (Bermuda Triangle Dive one, I think), they interviewed the local Coast Guard Rescue chiefs, who stated that even with all our state of the art technology and techniques, finding a person floating in the ocean, during calm seas and knowing approximately where they are, the percentage chance of being found by S&R is 78%. With rougher seas and less precise knowledge of where they ditched, the probability drops significantly.

Yep, saw that one, did you see the image from the chopper, it was almost impossible to spot the dewd. I do believe that drysuits now come with radar deflective patches, for this very reason. You can also add this material to your safety sausage. Definately don't want to experience such an event. Our boat detached with the mooring buoy from the wreck we dove this weekend, thank god we hadn't entered the water yet.

 

[mech]

Hypothermia is a pretty serious thing.
A couple of years ago a friend and I were fishing off of Vancouver Island and heard about an accident not very far from us over the radio.
A commericial crabber fell in 58 degree water another fell in trying to rescue him and the only other person on the boat was a woman who couldn't lift them out.
They were in the water for 35-40 minutes before help came and got them out.
They died on the way to the hospital.
I would have never thought that 58 degrees for 40 minutes could do that.
Boy was I wrong.

 

[JimC]

Kiss your *** good bye.

THen pray for a miracle.