FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SURVIVE AT THE SEASHORE

BY BRIAN M. MORRIS

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If popular culture had any truth to it, you might think that there was no fate worse than that of being „stranded” on an isolated island or remote coastal shoreline. Well, contrary to popular belief, anyplace where the ocean and land make contact in this world, with the possible exception of resort areas, tends to be teeming with life and natural resources; making them an ideal location to find everything that you could possibly need to stay alive, so long as you know where to find it.

FOOD

In most of the coastal areas on Earth, food should be abundant and readily available to catch or forage so long as you know where to look and what to look for. Fish, crustaceans, and a plethora of other plant and animal life can all be found in most of the coastal regions around the globe. Before you eat anything, it is imperative to first know that the food you are eating is safe. The best way to assure this is to apply the Universal Edibility Test before eating anything you can’t positively identify as being safe to eat.

CAUTION: Verification that a potential food item is edible by humans does not come from observations of wildlife eating the item and having no negative effects. Many animals have immunities to poisons and other toxins, making them impervious to food dangers that would sicken or kill humans. Please see page 63 to learn more about the Universal Edibility Test.

FINDING FOOD ON THE COAST

Finding food on the coast should be relatively easy to do compared to more desolate environments you could find yourself in. Plant life is normally abundant, and there are many types of seaweed and other flora that you can harvest for food in coastal regions and along the seashore. There are also a variety of animals living in these areas that can be caught or collected for food in a survival situation.

Clams, limpets, mollusks, mussels, octopuses, sea slugs, sea snails, and squids are all edible. In a coastal survival scenario, you should be able to find all the protein needed to survive in the shellfish you are able to find on the beach.

“IN MOST OF THE COASTAL AREAS ON EARTH, FOOD SHOULD BE ABUNDANT AND READILY AVAILABLE TO CATCH OR FORAGE SO LONG AS YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR.”

Freshly harvested clams can be prepared several ways but probably shouldn’t be eaten raw.

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