Most seashores offer abundant sources of food & water and provides excellent chances for survival. Don’t be deceived by their appearance, even if they appear bleak and barren, there is still food to be found. Coastal waters are home to an incredible diversity of life – seaweeds, fish, seals, birds, mollusks and plankton, which also supports the marine animals.
Inland lakes and waterway of all kinds will also be teeming with life, except bodies of water with extreme salination (salt), such as the Dead Sea and also those heavily polluted by man.
Coasts can range from sheer cliffs to gently sloping, sandy shores. A towering cliff offers no opportunity to escape the water. Even a stretch of beach at its base can be cut off from access during high tide, though there could be a few hours of respite before it becomes necessary to swim off and find another landing place.
Regardless, all kinds of shores offer resources to responsibly exploit and, comparatively, there are fewer better places to be stranded.
Sandy Beaches
Sandy beaches tend to be gentle and sloping. The tide tends to go out a long way from shore, revealing large areas that are inhabited by burrowing species, left below the exposed sand. They may include many worms and mollusks and they also attract feeding birds.
Look for signs of buried mollusks – it is usually easier to spot the marks left by the syphons of the buried creatures at the sea’s edge.
Where the sand is never covered by the tide and is blown into dunes, it may be possible to find fresh water and plants will also grow here.
Blowing sand is aggravating and gets into everything. Trust me – I had sand blow into a salad that still had the lid on it. Outside of water I can’t think of any other non-living object that can permeate anything as much as sand. Also, sand dunes tend to be full of annoying insects – so don’t choose them for making camp or any kind of shelter if you have any other choice.
Muddy Shores & Estuaries
Sediment deposits, rich in nutrients, are found where a slow moving river meets the sea and creates large mud flats. These deposits can support many species of worms and mollusks and provide a rich feeding ground for birds and animals.
Rocky Shores
Rocky shores, if they are not too steep, provide trapped pools of water when the high tide recedes. These pools may teem with life trapped by the receding water. Also, rocks form a stratum to which many univalve shells can cling. This is a place where weed and sea urchins can anchor themselves and also a place where crevices provide space for octopus and cephalopods can live.
Softer rocks, like chalk, marl and limestone, erode quickly and their surfaces are smooth, but hard rocks fracture into chunks and provide good nesting areas for birds.
Pebble Beaches
Stretches of pebble beaches are often found between sandy and rocky sections of the shore. Because of the continual movement of pebbles makes a difficult habitat for most plants and animals, these areas will sustain the least amount of life. So, don’t expect to find much sustenance in these areas.
Tides
Coastal tides vary considerably according to both the location and the time of year as they are caused by the gravitational effects of both the sun and moon. In encloses seas, such as the Mediterranean, they fluctuate over only a few yards. However, the Bay of Fundy, between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, has a difference of 52 ft (16 m) between the low and high tides.
There are ways to determine how high the tide will rise:
- A line of debris in the sand
- A change in appearance and texture from the long dry sand to that which is inundated
- Weeds, shells and color changes on vertical rock faces
Always check access to and from the beach or rocky shore by keeping an eye on the rising water level so that you don’t become unintentional cut off from the shore and your camp.
The good news is that tides not only scour the beach, but it also throws up valuable flotsam and jetsam, often providing fuel for fires. It may also leave large fish stranded in rock pools along with their usual inhabitants.
Swimming
If you are swimming close to a coast and not out at sea, you must be careful of strong currents. Where a beach falls steeply into the deep water there will be a strong undertow. Never underestimate the power and danger of the sea. Time the tides and become familiar with their pattern, otherwise you may find yourself in a situation where you are being swept out by the ebb and end up being caught way offshore.
If caught in the underflow of a large wave, push off the bottom of the sea floor and swim to the surface. Swim to shore in the trough between the waves. When the next large wave comes, face it and submerge. Let it pass and swim towards shore again in the trough before the next wave.
If you are not a strong swimmer, then fish and swim within your depth. This would be me as I’m not a strong swimmer (heck, I’m not a swimmer at all) so you won’t find me taking any unnecessary risks. In any case, you need to watch out for large waves that can knock you off your feet and carry you out even further.
If you find yourself being dragged out to sea, don’t panic. Most people tend to panic because they don’t know how deep the water is, but feel a lot better when they do (again, this would be me). In terms of drowning potential, the depth of the water doesn’t matter – you can drown in 4 in of water just as easily as 33 ft. If you ever want to test the water’s depth, place your arms above your head, point your toes and dive feet first. It may not be as deep as you thought…
If a strong current does force you offshore, do NOT fight against it – you will lose. Swim ACROSS the current, using a side-stroke, and swim towards shore further down the coast. The side-stroke is not the strongest or fastest stroke, but it is the least tiring. It will allow you to conserve your strength and give you a better chance of reaching shore. You won’t be able to do a thing if you’re exhausted.
If you are in the sea and being swept towards rocks, face shore wards and adopt a sitting position with your feet in front of you. This will help you absorb the initial shock and enable you to grab hold and get ashore. This technique is also useful for exploring water that may conceal hidden rocks. If possible, keep you shoes on and at least one layer of clothing. This will also help mitigate potential injuries.
Floating
A relaxed body floats best – so try to stay calm. It is difficult to sink in salt water due to the increased density. The main danger is swallowing salt water (which will cause brain damage after long term exposure) and choking on the resulting vomit.
Women are more buoyant than men due to extra layer of fat (this is true of even “skinny” women, so don’t be insulted here, ladies) and float naturally on their backs (don’t read anything into this scientific observation either, ladies). Men float naturally face down so if you’re a man, don’t forget to lift your head out to breathe!