Jeff’s Reviews > Survive the Savage Sea by Dougal Robertson > Status Update

Interesting that Robertson embraces Cook's anecdote about drinking turtle blood, but he tells us to ignore the ship's surgeon's experience, who sees the blood making sailors sick.

Definitely could use more evidence for this claim: "Robin, who refused the enemas, showed no particular disability because of it, unless his delirium could be regarded as a sign that he was perhaps more dehydrated than the rest of us."

Based on the authors' writing and my own understanding of survival techniques, if I had to choose between the two opposing views of drinking seawater presented here (Robertson against, Bombard for) I would trust Robertson. That being said, Bombard lasted almost twice as long as the Robertson family, and he was able to walk to a rescue station, whereas the author admits he collapsed after reaching the rescue boat.

I cannot emphasize too strongly that survival conditions are not the same as those voluntarily undertaken by brave men who wish to help survivors fight for their lives. The physical conditions may be quite similar, but the moral incentives, the attitude of experimental interest as opposed to that of escape from catastrophe, can alter a person's judgment of what is right or wrong and this difference can kill!

The suggestion that a castaway should stop alleviating his despair when he feels the need for the substance he is using to allay it is a useless nonsense, and I propose to show by quoting from actual shipwreck experience that there is indeed nothing to be gained, and much to lose, from following this most dangerous advice.

Direct contravention of Bombard--"There has been a considerable amount of experiment, carried out under practical and hazardous conditions, to demonstrate that sea water may be used to supplement the diet of castaways...drinking sea water, requires that the castaway should not be dehydrated when he drinks it."

So much insightful scientific breakdown of the survival efforts and obstacles, yet the author never addresses what might be the biggest mystery of the story. Why did the whales attack? How often does this happen? How unlucky were they?

They feared being eaten if they entered the water, but as far as I know that's unheard of.

I think it is probably a help to others who are afraid, if one can conceal the outward evidence of one's own fear, but it is better to work quickly even if the appearance of haste gives the impression of fear if the loss of time also involves the loss of lives.

The closing section is devoted to a critical analysis of survival techniques--could this be any better?

The detour to relive navigating to Fernandina and Galapagos is a little confusing in context of the "coincidence" chapter, which seems to really only refer to the final couple of paragraphs, but it reminds us that the voyage was a peaceful adventure, with the one notable exception.