SURVIVAL AT SEA 



are assigned, and that signaling gear is available and 

 properly used. 

 6. Life craft should be lashed together so that the group will 

 not scatter. 



Once a crew has completed abandonment and is distributed 

 among the life craft, under most conditions, rescue is reasonably 

 certain. Research shows that due to the close teamwork between 

 rescue commands, ships, and planes most survivors are picked up 

 quite swiftly— many times within only a few hours. 



USE OF CLOTHING AS A FLOATING AID 

 The most important piece of abandon ship equipment is the life 

 preserver. When properly adjusted, it will support a man even 

 though he is unconscious. A survivor should not abandon hope, 

 however, if he finds himself in the sea without one. For, one may 

 be improvised from the very clothing he is wearing. 



To inflate a shirt or jumper, all buttons should be buttoned and 

 knots tied in the collar and cuffs. The shirt tails should be tied 

 around the waist. When this has been accomplished take a deep 

 breath of air. submerge, and expel the breath into the shirt between 

 the second and third button holes. Properly inflated one's shirt 

 becomes a good floating aid. 



Trousers, though, will make an even better buoy than the shirt 

 or jumper. After the trousers have been removed, tie a single over- 

 hand knot as close to the end of each leg as possible and secure the 

 fly. Then take one side of the waist in each hand and bring them 

 up and over the head from behind the body. This traps a good 

 pocket of air in each leg. To completely fill the trousers with air, 



submerge and blow air in the opening. The waist is then gathered 

 together in one hand, resulting in a good pair of water wings. 



Thus, a survivor should never discard his clothing, for in addition 

 to a floating aid, it can be very useful in other ways. It will serve 

 as his protection against sunburn, windburn. cold, and of course, 

 be needed upon rescue. 



SWIMMING 



An unexpected ship roll coupled with a second of carelessness, 

 together with a slick deck, and a mariner is very likely to cease 

 standing and start swimming. 



The first act of survival, a man overboard should concern 

 himself with. is to immediately endeavor to swim away from the 

 ship's screws. Although an alert Watch Officer will swing the 

 stern of his ship away from a man overboard, he may be completely 

 unaware of the situation at the time. Momentum, luckily, is in one's 

 favor if he falls overboard, as it will usually carry him within a short 

 distance of the safety zone from the propellers. His first sprint, 

 then, will be but a short one. 



After a man is safely clear of the propellers and his ship has 

 passed him by, he should conserve his energy. Unless a life ring or 

 buoy is seen in the near proximity, he should just float. If he is not 

 wearing a life preserver an improvised one from his clothing, as 

 previously mentioned, should suffice until recovery. 



One of the latest methods recommended for endurance is the 

 "Jellyfish Float." It has been designed to sustain a person who 

 finds himself in the water without any floating aid. The physical 

 attitude assumed actually has some resemblance to that of a jellyfish. 

 Its success depends on the person's ability to control his breathing. 



To assume the Jellyfish Float position, slide the arms down along 

 the legs until they are suspended toward the bottom. Do not bend 

 the knees, but let the legs hang freely and relaxed. Take a deep 

 breath and allow your face to submerge below the surface. Remain 

 in this relaxed position until another breath is required. 



When more air is needed, just move the hands up and forward 

 below the water surface. Then press the hands down and back (as 

 in a Butterfly Breast Stroke), exhaling. During the stroke lift and 

 turn the head to one side. Upon reaching the surface, inhale 

 through the mouth. 



If a swimmer takes a deep breath, he will float at the surface 

 in this manner. However, should he drop too deep on returning to 

 the floating position, a scissors or flutter kick will return him to 

 the surface. 



Unless one is seen going overboard, or unless he is shortly 

 missed, another facet of survival appears, i.e., immersion hypo- 

 thermia — the term for subnormal body temperature resulting from 

 the loss of heat when a human is immersed in cold water. 



Body temperature control depends upon the balance one's body 

 is able to maintain between heat loss and heat production. 

 Production of heat is accomplished by the conversion of food 

 to energy. The principal conductor of heat throughout the human 

 body is blood. And, primary heat loss is at the skin surface. If the 

 vital organs do not maintain their heat, they will cease to function. 

 During the process of slow body cooling, the amount of blood in the 

 vessels of the extremities is gradually reduced and circulation is 

 slowed. As body cooling is increased, circulation slowly ceases in 

 the hands and feet. Eventually, the heat produced by the internal 

 organs is not sufficient to maintain required temperature and death 

 occurs. 



The following estimate of survival from immersion hypothermia 

 is based upon the temperature of the water and the length of time 

 exposed. It is believed to be approximately correct, but considerable 

 deviations should be expected among individuals. Some men have 

 lived in cold water many hours longer than the indicated figures. 

 Thus, a search for survivors should not be called off because the 

 table shows they may have succumbed. 



Water Temperature 

 (°F.) (X) 



Duration at Survival 



Less than one hour 

 Vi to 3 hours 

 1 to 6 hours 



2 to 24 hours 



3 to 40 hours 



indefinite 



Survivors whose body temperature have been lowered to levels 

 which can be fatal should be rewarmed rapidly. The proper methods 

 of treatment will be found in medical and survival books carried 

 aboard most ships. Basically, treatment consists of the following: 



The survivor should be undressed immediately and placed in a 

 hot bath of about 120°F. for 10 minutes. Although this may be 

 painful to him if he is conscious, it is the recommended method to 

 insure survival. After the bath, the survivor should be dried with 

 a towel and placed in warm blankets. If his temperature does not 

 rise, he should again be placed in a hot bath until his temperature 

 reaches 93°F. At this point, his temperature should continue to 

 rise and a more gradual rewarming is suggested. 



If a shower must be used in lieu of a bath, the survivor should 

 be wrapped in towels, keeping them thoroughly saturated with water 

 between 120° to 125° F. 



Survivors who are conscious when rescued from cold water will 

 often survive without the aid of a warm bath if they are dried and 

 placed in warm blankets. Massaging is to be avoided under all 

 conditions. 



LIFE CRAFT AND SURVIVAL 



After a survivor has reached one of his ship's life craft, he is 

 almost assured of survival and rescue. Lifeboats and rafts of the 

 Navy, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard have been adequately 

 supplied with sufficient survival equipment to cope with emergencies 

 at sea. All one normally must do is to learn what this equipment 

 is and how to properly use it. Of course, this should be done long 

 before an emergency arises. 



19 



