Survival in Desert

Areas called “Deserts” range from salty to sandy. Wherever you find yourself, know that deserts; these are places of extremes: intense heat during the day, intense cold at night, very few plants, trees, lakes and rivers. Deserts can be found all over the world, they cover about one fifth of the Earth's surface. Among the most famous; Sahara, Gobi, Arabian Desert and flat plains of the southwestern United States.

Water is the main factor for survival in the desert. Carry it with you as much as you can, even if you have to leave something else. If you decide to move:

Move only in the evening, at night or in the early morning walk along the coast, to a known route, to a water source or to a village. Sweating can be reduced by wetting your clothes

Take the easiest route possible, avoiding loose sands, difficult terrain, paths alongside road tracks.

In the sand dunes, walk on the hard sand in the valley between the dunes or along the dune ridges:

Avoid following streams to access the sea, except in coastal deserts or areas where large rivers cross them. In most deserts, valleys lead to an enclosed body of water or a temporary lake

Dress appropriately to be protected from direct sunlight and excessive perspiration. If you don't have sunglasses, make yourself slotted glasses. Clothes are essential in the desert to keep warm, as cold nights are very common there

Watch your feet. Boots are the best footwear for getting around the desert. Cross the dunes barefoot only in cool weather, otherwise the sand will burn your feet. Follow the trail of caravans in order to avoid loose sands or rocky areas

Check the map if possible. Desert maps are usually inaccurate

Take refuge during sandstorms. Do not try to walk in poor visibility. Mark the direction by drawing deep arrows on the ground, laying them out with stones or whatever is close at hand. Lie on your side with your back to the wind and lie down until the end of the storm. Cover your face with cloth. Don't be afraid to be buried under the sand. Even in dune areas, it takes years to fall asleep on a dead camel.

If you can, seek shelter on the leeward side of the hill.

Multiply your distance calculations by 3, as missing landmarks often results in incorrect calculations;

in summer, mirages can often appear when you are facing the sun, although it is difficult to generalize under what conditions they appear and what forms they take.

Shelter in the desert

Shelter from the sun, heat and possible sandstorms is essential to survive in the desert. Since there is generally no material to build a shelter, use the following methods:

1. Provide yourself some kind of sun protection by covering your body with sand.
Burying in sand also reduces moisture loss.
2. If you have a parachute or other suitable material, dig a hole and cover the edges. In rocky deserts or deserts where bushes, thorns grow, or there are bumps overgrown with tall grass, throw a parachute or blanket over stones or bushes.
3. Use both natural and man-made features such as a tree, rock, pile of stones, or a cave to create shade or cover. The wall of a dry riverbed can serve as a shelter, but if clouds roll in, your shelter can be suddenly flooded with water. The banks along dry river beds, valleys and ravines are especially good places to find caves.
4. If possible, use native shelters.

Using water in the desert

General Provisions. The importance of water cannot be overstated. It is essential, no matter how well your food reserves are matched.

In hot deserts, you need at least 3.5 liters per day. If the perspiration is moderate and the movement in the desert occurs on a cold night, this reserve will be enough for 30 km. In the heat of the day, you can only walk 15 km.

Save the water.
1) Remain always dressed. Clothing helps control
perspiration, does not allow sweat to evaporate so quickly, which is why its ability to cool is lost. You will feel cooler without a shirt, but you will sweat more and may also get burned.
2) Take your time. With less water and less sweating, you will last longer.
3) Do not use water for washing until you have a reliable source of water.
4) Do not swallow water in one gulp. Drink it in small sips.
If you're running low on water, use it just to wet your lips.
5) As a heat reliever, keep small stones in your mouth or chew grass. You can reduce water loss by breathing through your nose. Do not speak.
6) Use salt only with water and only if there is enough water.
Salt increases thirst.
7) Limiting water consumption to 1-2 liters per day leads to disaster (at high temperatures), since this amount of water does not prevent dehydration. In such cases, limit sweating, not water.

Local wells. A minimum of four quarts of water a day may be difficult to find unless there is a well or an oasis nearby. Since wells are the main source of water in the desert, the best way to find them is move along the local road. There are other ways to find water in the desert.

Be guided by the following:

1) along sandy shores or deserted lakes, dig a hole in the first depression behind the first sand dune. This place will collect the water of local rains. Once you find wet sand, stop digging, let the water seep. Further digging may result in salt water;
2) wherever you find raw sand, dig a well;
3) dry streams have water just below the surface. If the stream
dries up, the water descends to the lowest point on the surface at the point where the channel turns. Dig along these bends to find water;
4) dew can be a source of water, especially in some areas. Chilled rocks or any metal surface will work as a dew condenser. Remove the dew with a cloth and squeeze it out. Dew evaporates immediately after sunrise and must be collected before that;
5) look for natural sites that can be rooted in ravines and side canyons, under cliff tops. Often around them sturdy stone or earth compaction. In the absence of such landmarks, look for sources of animal droppings;
6) watch the flight of birds, especially at dusk and dawn. In areas of real deserts, birds fly over wells. The wild sandy gourd can be considered a source of water in the Sahara. A large cactus, similar to the barrel of a gun, in the American desert contains a large amount of moisture that can be squeezed out of its pulp. Sometimes this can be difficult to do. An alternative to this could be a well or another source;
7) ignore romantic stories of poisoned wells. These stories are mainly based on the fact that water contains salt, alkali and tastes bad;
8) disinfect any water. This is especially important in indigenous villages and where there is civilization.

Where to find food and food in the desert

It's hard to find food in the desert. But it still ranks second in importance compared to water. And you can do without it for several days without any health consequences. Distribute food from the beginning. Do not eat anything for the first 24 hours and do not eat until you have water.

Natural sources.

1) animals are rare in the desert. Rats and lizards can be found near water sources, and they can be your only food. Artiodactyls can be found in the desert, but they are difficult to approach. The most common animals are rodents (rats), rabbits, jackals, snakes and lizards, which can usually be found near bushes or water. Look for sand snails on rocks and bushes.
2) Some birds can be found in the desert. Try kissing the back of your hand while making a suction sound to attract them. On some lakes in the desert, sand grouses, bustards, pelicans and even seagulls were seen. Use traps or a hook and do your best to catch them.
3) Usually, where there is water, there are plants. Many desert plants look dry and unappetizing. Look for the soft part that is edible on them. Try all the soft parts that grow on the surface of the earth flowers, fruits, seeds, young shoots and bark. Grass seeds or pods can be found at some times of the year. These pods grow on acacia trees, which are often prickly and similar to the mosquito tree or cat claw found in the southwestern United States. There is a prickly pear (a type of cactus), which is native to North and South America, it is often found in North Africa, the Middle East and the Australian deserts.
4) All grass is edible, but some of its species growing in the Sahara or Gobi are tasteless and non-nutritious. Try any plant you find, it is not fatal. Dates can be found in northern Africa, Southwest Asia and parts of India and China.

Native food.

1) The food of the natives in the Sahara is both tasty and nutritious. In the Gobi, the Mongols are not very clean, so the food is unhygienic. Enjoy the natural hospitality of the natives, don't steal food.
2) The daily food of the natives is extremely dangerous, as are fruits and other cooked food offered by the locals. If possible, exchange or buy raw food and cook it yourself.

Making a fire in the desert

Palm leaves and similar fuels are found everywhere near the oases. Deep in the desert, however, use whatever piece of dry plant you find. Dry camel manure can be used when there is no tree at hand.
Probably the most effective way to start a fire without matches direct the sun's rays through a magnifying glass. Other simple methods of starting a fire may not be possible.

Clothes for getting around in the desert

Protect yourself from direct sunlight, excessive perspiration and the many annoying desert insects.

1) Cover your body and head well during the day. Wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt.
2) Wear a cloth around your neck to protect it from the back of the sun.
3) If a piece of clothing needs to be left to make it lighter, save the piece that is needed to protect you from the cold night in the desert.
4) Wear loose clothing.
5) Unbutton clothes only in thick shade. Reflected sunlight can cause sunburn.

Protecting your feet can be a matter of life and death. Good to know.

1) Avoid getting sand and insects into shoes and socks, even if you need frequent stops to clean your shoes.
2) If you don't have boots, make some windings out of whatever fabric you have on hand. To do this, cut out two strips, each 3-4 inches wide and 4 feet long. Wrap them around the legs in a spiral, starting from the foot, from bottom to top to the lower leg. This will keep you out of the sand.
3) Craft a pair of sandals from the wall of an old car tire if there are any cars nearby. However, it is better to reinforce the sole of the boot with a durable fabric if worn soles are causing problems.
4) When resting in the shade, take off your shoes and socks. Do this with care as your feet can swell and it can be very difficult to put on your socks.
5) Don't try to walk barefoot. The sand can burn your feet. In addition, walking barefoot on a hard, salty or marshy surface can cause alkaline burns.
6) Make shoes with wooden soles to protect your feet while moving. Nail the strap to the pieces of wood and tie to your leg. Protect your upper legs from the sun.

Dehydration

General.
1) In the heat of the desert, thirst alone is an imprecise indicator of the amount of water you need. If you consume only the amount of water you need to quench your thirst, then dehydration can still slowly continue. Drink plenty of water whenever possible, especially with meals. If you only drink water with meals, you will have a tendency to become dehydrated between meals, but will return to normal after eating and drinking; however, you will often feel tired from the loss of energy along with the loss of water.
2) Strength lost due to dehydration is quickly restored if you drink water.
3) Water loss does not entail any irreversible complications, even if you lose up to 10 percent of your weight. At 70 kg & 7kg can be lost through perspiration, provided that you drink enough water afterwards to restore it. Cold water causes stomach pain if swallowed quickly.
4) At 25 percent fluid loss, you can survive if the air temperature is 30 degrees or colder. At temperatures of 32 degrees and above, 15 percent fluid loss is dangerous.

Signs of fluid loss. First, there is thirst and general malaise, followed by a desire to slow down any movement and loss of appetite. As you continue to lose water, you become drowsy. Your temperature rises and by the time you lose 5 percent of your weight, you start to feel nauseous. As you lose 6-10 percent of your body weight, your symptoms will worsen in the following order: dizziness, headache, shortness of breath, trembling legs and arms, dry mouth, bluish body coloration, speech impairment, loss of ability to walk.

How to prevent water loss. There is no substitute for water. Alcohol, salt water, and gasoline will only increase dehydration. In emergencies, it is possible to drink salt water (containing half the amount of salt present in sea water) and get a net increase in body fluids. Any liquid containing a higher percentage of unusable elements can only disrupt the body's cooling system. Chewing gum or stones in the mouth can be a pleasant form of delaying the pangs of thirst, but they cannot replace water and do not help maintain a normal body temperature.