Thursday 26/02/15
If you were stranded and needed to attract the attention of your friends or a nearby search party, would you know what to do? Jumping up and down while yelling at the top of your lungs might appear to be the obvious answer, but there are better ways. With a clear head and a little forethought, your task is easier than it seems.
On a clear sunny day, highly reflective surfaces are your easiest option. Commonly available items include DVDs, CDs, the mirror from a make-up case, or the glass on the front of your watch (especially if it is one of the large watches that are fashionable at the moment). If you were desperate you could use one of the mirrors from your car.
To aim the reflected light at your target, hold your non-dominant hand out in front of you, forming a V with your index and middle fingers. Line the V up with your target and aim the reflected sunlight through the V. If it is safe to do so, try to get up high, such as on the car roof. This will help your signal stand out and be seen from a little further away.
Smoke is another option, but you must exercise caution in doing so. You don't want your signal fire to get out of control and put you in any more danger than you are already in. First step, build your campfire as I described a few weeks ago here. From there add; green wood or leaves, pieces of rubber, old sand shoes, ugly old Hawaiian shirts or any other flammable materials (even your sleeping bag if you are desperate). Exercise extreme caution when throwing this material into the fire, you don't want to burn yourself or set your clothes on fire.
Don't just rely on visual cues, use noise to attract attention. I always have a storm whistle with me. Trust me, you can blow a whistle for a lot longer than you can shout. Shouting quickly irritates your throat, robbing you of your voice.
What about night? Yes, darkness will present a challenge but it is not impossible. In this scenario, high ground is the key. The higher up you are, the further away your signal can be seen. Again, you must exercise caution while doing this. All you need is a chemical glow-stick and at least a metre of cord (about the thickness of a bootlace, or para cord). Thread the cord through the end of the glow-stick and tie securely. Activate the glow-stick, then quickly swing the glow-stick in a big circle in front of you. This will create a large glowing green circle that will be hard to miss.
These are just a few simple ideas that might help you out of a tight spot. There are many others, but these are the ones that have worked for me.