Thursday 16/04/15

At home, water is easy to obtain….. just turn on the tap. But would you know how to find water outside the urban environment if you didn't have access to a stream, pond or other body of water?

There are many methods of acquiring water; some of them are more complicated than others. I’m only going to discuss a couple of the easy ones.

Method One:

If there are trees nearby and you have a large plastic bag, you are already half way to getting your drink. Make sure the plastic bag is clean and preferably unused. Slip the plastic bag over the end of a low-hanging leafy branch and tie the open end of the bag around the branch with a piece of string. If you don’t have any string, a bootlace will do. I prefer to use black garbage bags because they absorb the most heat from the sun, even on overcast days. Basically, you are trying to sweat water out of the tree, just like a sauna. So, the leafier the branch and the hotter it is inside the bag, the more water you’ll collect. It will take a few hours to collect even a few mouthfuls of water, so set up as many bags as you can spare. It is advisable to tie or weigh the end of the branch down to avoid your water leaking out along the branch.

Method Two:

You will need a plastic sheet (slicing a garbage bag open, along the seams will do), a clean container such as a plastic bowl or tin mug, a shovel or other digging implement, a good supply of small, smooth stones, and a patch of ground with lots of exposure to the sun.

  1. Dig a hole in the ground approximately fifty centimetres deep and slightly smaller than your sheet of plastic. Damp (not sloppy) ground is preferable.
  2. Put your cup/bowl/tin in the middle of the hole.
  3. Lay plastic sheet over the top of the hole.
  4. Weigh the plastic sheet down by placing the stones at even intervals around the edge of the hole.
  5. Put one stone in the middle of the sheet, directly above your container, so the middle sinks in at a noticeable angle.

This method works in a similar way to putting a plastic bag over a branch. The sun heats up the air inside your pit, causing moisture to evaporate from the ground. The moisture collects on the plastic sheet then runs to the lowest point (the rock in the middle). It forms drips which drop into your container. To increase the amount of water you collect, scatter leaves in the bottom of the pit. Damp ground is ideal, but if the ground is sloppy or unstable, you run the risk of the edge of your pit collapsing when you walk near it. The evaporation process can take hours, so be patient. When you remove your sheet, be careful not to damage the edge of your pit and make sure you don’t kick sand into your water.

**Very important tip: DO NOT USE TOXIC PLANTS. **

Like I said at the beginning, there are many methods of gathering water; these two have worked for me.

Thursday 09/04/15

Two weeks ago I gave you a refresher on how to find north using the sun and your watch. Tonight I’m going to teach you how to find north if you can’t see the sun.

You’ll need a sewing needle, a magnet and a length of cotton thread. Make sure the needle is made of metal (ie: does the needle stick to the magnet?). If you can’t find a needle, a nail makes an acceptable substitute. You have to magnetise the needle. You can do this by running the magnet from the middle to the point; 100 to 200 strokes will do the job. Move the magnet in one direction only (not back and forth).

Next, tie one end of the cotton around the middle of the needle and hold the other end of the needle between your forefinger and thumb. Make sure there are no kinks in the thread. Allow the needle to hang free and give it a few moments to stop spinning. Once it has stopped spinning, it will point north. Alternately, you can place the magnetised needle on a leaf and float it on a bowl of water.

Magnets aren’t as hard to find as you might think. Most people have novelty magnets stuck on the outside of their refrigerators. There are quite a few children’s toys that contain magnets. If neither of these options are available, remember every speaker contains a magnet. You have to decide what item you are willing to sacrifice to obtain your magnet.

Cloudy skies and tall buildings are no longer an obstacle when you need to find north.

Thursday 02/04/15

Even though the summer is over and the cooler weather is on its way, you shouldn't be too quick to unpack your cold weather gear. Your bulky winter jacket shouldn't be the first thing you grab when the temperature starts to dip.

In colder temperatures it is more beneficial to dress in several thin layers than one thick one. The reason for this is if you get hot, you can peel off one layer at a time to regulate your temperature instead of removing one thick layer and losing all your heat. Regulating your temperature in the cold is important. As you know, if you get too hot you sweat and the sweat evaporates. In summer, this is not a problem because you are wearing lightweight clothing. But in winter your sweat will make your clothes wet. Wet clothes draw heat from your body. Around town, this can make you smelly and uncomfortable. Out hiking or camping, being stuck in wet clothing can lead to hypothermia if you are exposed to the elements for any length of time.

If you're on the land for a couple of days, you will appreciate the capability to prevent your clothes from being soaked with sweat. Sweaty clothes are smelly clothes. It isn't the sweat that smells, it is the bacteria feeding on the sweat that creates the unpleasant odour. If you don't have any options for changing your clothes, you'll want them to remain odour-free for as long as possible.

The reverse is also true. As you cool down you add another layer to keep warm. I'm sure we have all experienced the discomfort of putting on a jacket that is too thick and heavy for the temperature. Being too hot also saps your strength and endurance, which can become troublesome while hiking or camping. Also, thin garments are easily stored in your backpack. Having to carry your thick, heavy jacket around will quickly become a nuisance.

With a bit of planning, the cooler weather can be as enjoyable as the summer.