[Paddlewise] survival kit

This Janurary I will begin teaching a wilderness survival course at the local
College. Part of the course will be to have the class design a survival kit
for kayakers. The worst case scenario being: " your boat sunk and you had to
swin to shore with only a small survival kit ( a #5 seal line baja bag). What
do you need to have in the kit to survive for several days and signal for a
rescue. (To make it tougher, the VHF radio when down with the boat)





    Personally,I have carried such a survival kit for years. It includes:





2 small space blankets


knife (in case the one I carry on my PFD falls off)


parachute cord


several garbage bags (stuff them with leaves/sea weed/whatever to create a dry
insulating mattress)


waterproof matches


firestarter sticks


a couple power bars


small first aid kit


    3x3 gauze pads


    adhesive tape


    antiseptic swabs


    pain killers


signal flares (carried on my life vest)


signal mirror


Chemical  heat packs (after a swim in Alaskan waters a quick heat source could
be critical)


Strobe/flashlight





    I would be interested in suggestions from the paddlewise gang on contents
of the survival kit. If you carry one what do you carry it in and where?  Also
what you have learned from "experience" about survival situations?





Bob


Sitka














    








***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************