By Bob Currie, Recreational Boating Safety Specialist
U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Base Galveston Flotilla
Survival is the “preservation of one’s own life under conditions of immediate peril.” To preserve one’s own life at sea requires the ability to live through extreme conditions of emotional and physical shock, and hardship for an indefinite period of time. When faced with an open water survival situation, it is important to remember that environmental obstacles are as much mental as physical. It is important to first understand the psychological barriers to the will to survive that must be overcome. Today’s column draws directly from the US Coast Guard’s Boat Crew Handbook- Rescue and Survival Procedures. Our motto, Semper Paratus (Always Ready) is embodied in our open water survival training.

Man Overboard
Just recently a cruise line passenger, in a somewhat inebriated state, fell overboard in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. He was found alive two days later. Other than being severely hypothermic, he was in reasonably good condition. By all standards he should not have survived more than a day. The water temperature was in the lower 70s, he had no life jacket, and his clothing gave him no warmth. When asked how he survived, the passenger said he had a strong will to survive. He didn’t break it down any further than that, but studies have shown that the will to survive is a real thing.

Fear is the Mind Killer
Fans of the science fiction writer Frank Herbert, who wrote the Dune novels, will recognize the heading above as one of the most famous lines in the story. Here is the full quote:

I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it is gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

The most predominant psychological barrier to open water survival is fear: fear of the unknown, fear of discomfort, and fear of one’s own weakness. Fear of the environment in an open water situation leads us to fear our own chances of survival, and even though we overcome these fears to some extent, a lack of confidence in our ability may weaken our will to survive. Studies of survivors and their experiences show that the successful survival of any situation depends on several factors. The survivor must:

• Be mentally and spiritually prepared for the possibility,
• Be in good physical condition,
• Have the proper equipment available and know how to use it,
• Be properly dressed for any survival situation, and
• Be thoroughly familiar with vessel egress procedures.

The key to these experiences is developing a survivor’s “attitude.” In other words, one must develop those traits and characteristics that will enhance one’s chance of survival.

The Will to Survive
Based on interviews with a number of sea survivors, twelve characteristics were identified to help in understanding the will to survive. They are:

Courage
While fear is the realization that one is in danger, courage is the ability to recognize that fear and use your physical strengths and knowledge of the situation to reduce or eliminate the danger. Fear has degrees. Fear is realizing that the jellyfish floating by can carry a powerful, even debilitating venomous sting, while courage is using that knowledge to move away from the danger rather than accept the inevitable sting. The highest degree of fear is panic, and when it sets in it is only one’s personal courage that can reason with that fear and defeat it. One might panic when they see a shark headed toward them in an attack mode. The panic reaction is to flail one’s arms about and try to escape. Courage will tell the person to face the fear and use their knowledge to defeat it. That courage can take the shape of facing the attacking shark and kicking it in the nose or trying to gouge its eyes.

Determination
Determination is the never-give-up attitude common among survivors. It would be interesting to talk to those who didn’t survive and find out which ones simply gave up and which ones fought to the end. We can’t, of course, but we can get an idea of how long they fought from other survivors in the same situation. A few years ago two sailors were operating a motor sailer (sailboat with a large auxiliary engine used in combination with the sails) when their tag line became entangled in their propeller. They shut the engine down and slacked the sail and entered the water to clear the propeller. A sudden gust of wind caught the sail and left the two sailors in the water. As is often the case, neither sailor had a life jacket on, and neither had shoes on. This is an important point to make because they found themselves in five feet of water, shallow enough where they could stand and breathe, but they also found that they were in the middle of an oyster reef. Had either had shoes it is possible that both could have survived, but one cannot stand for long on sharp, ragged oyster shells. After a day or so of being in the water, one sailor gave up and sank below the water. His buddy hanged in there another day and was spotted and rescued by some sport fishermen. His feet were cut to shreds, he had jellyfish stings all over his body, and his face was severely sunburned, but he is alive to this day. He had the determination needed to survive.

Cheerfulness
A strong sense of humor is instrumental in influencing the outcome of any survival situation. The ability to use humor and stay cheerful in a stressful situation will help the survivor withstand the anxieties and apprehensiveness of the situation. Cheerfulness is the ability to look at any situation and make a joke about it. When I find myself in a bad situation, I remember the lines of the Lloyd Bridges air traffic controller character in the Airplane! movie. When confronted with an air emergency he said, “I picked a hellofa day to quit smoking!” He escalated this at each worsening turn of events (hellofa day to quit sniffing glue, etc.) If you can laugh at your predicament, you can defeat the urge to panic and work toward overcoming your situation.

Being Positive
Being positive helps the survivor make the best of the situation. Thoughts of failure will hinder the survivor’s ability to make sound and clear decisions. Self-fulfilling prophecies are usually manifested from negative thoughts and attitudes. Failure is inevitable when one believes there is no hope in sight. Self-discipline, adaptability, and tolerance all play parts in being positive in a survival scenario. Rather than thinking about being 50 miles from shore, think about setting a new world swimming record.

Flexibility
Flexibility is also a key mental process. Being mentally flexible means having an open mind and the ability to act in a unique, creative and imaginative manner. Flexibility is the willingness to change or compromise.

Willingness
Willingness is the ability to make decisions and a readiness to act even when the situation seems hopeless. My favorite demonstration of this principle is the cartoon of the pelican with the frog in its beak. When you look closely at the cartoon, you see that the frog has reached outside the pelican’s beak and has a grip on the pelican’s throat.

Purpose
Setting realistic goals (both near-term and long-term) and achieving them drives our sense of purpose. In a survival scenario, goal setting has a high survival value. Goal setting is a motivator, and as such, generates a will to live. One might say to one’s self, I just need to tread water for another hour, and then keep extending that goal.

Attentiveness
One of the most dangerous aspects of open water boating is being unprepared. Mental preparedness, when finding oneself in an open water survival situation is absolutely key to efficient planning and effective mental attitude.

Confidence
Being properly trained is a big key in preparing for any situation. The skills and knowledge we obtain from training yields one important side-affect: Confidence. Confidence can only be built through repetition and experience. The main reason I joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary was to obtain the training I needed to handle almost any situation I encounter on the open sea. I know how to exit a capsized boat. I know how to deal with a boat filling with water. I know how and when to contact the Cost Guard in an emergency. One important point: don’t become overconfident and try to operate beyond your training and capabilities of yourself, your crew, and your vessel. You may find yourself overcome such that panic sets in. At that point you have to overcome your fear, and going back to your knowledge and training can turn the tide in such a situation.

Productiveness
Keeping busy can also increase the chance of survival. Keeping the mind and body active will help to concentrate on the act of survival. Rather than floating aimlessly, swim toward that distant shore if you don’t have a capsized vessel to cling to. In a recent case off the coast of Louisiana, three men were in a boat that capsized and sank. Although we recommend that survivors remain together, in this case one of the boaters began a long swim toward a boat anchored and fishing, probably about three miles away. Before he got within hailing distance from the boat, they pulled their anchor and headed away from the boater. Although his effort didn’t result in the group being saved, he came so close (a text message with a picture of the coastline did result in their being found).

Persistence
The will to survive is fundamentally based on persistence. Emotionally, the survivor needs to stay active in spite of the situation. Persistence is the never give up attitude. The will to survive requires that one never give up. If you give up you may just miss being saved.

Certainty
The will to survive is inevitably dependent on the survivor’s ability to remain certain that they will once again return to family, friends, and co-workers. Those who have survived in the past have not depended on luck or magic; they have depended on the mental skills presented above.

Summary
Although there is definitely a physical strength and fitness element to open water survival, the mental strength and fitness element has been shown to be just as important. My recommendation is to incorporate as many of the discussed characteristics into your own personal demeanor so that you will be mentally prepared should you face an open water survival situation.

For more information on boating safety, please visit the Official Website of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division at www.uscgboating.org. SAFE BOATING!

[BC: Dec-12-2022]