Surviving swamps and marshlands isn’t a screenplay you see very often. Your basic definition of outdoor survival will surely involve the jungle, mountains, hills, rivers, streams, or the woods, isn’t it? Ironically, you’d hardly think of swamps & marshlands, so why is it so?
TV shows rarely consider the projection of “less glamorous” survival terrains, such as bogs, swamps & marshes. These don’t depict an attractive part of the picture, although they are essential to the big picture. In an era when television influences even the face of the man in your underwear, you can be very sure that it’s what the TV calls a survival terrain that the majority sees.
Unfortunately, these picture-perfect showings on TV are not the only part of reality. There are far less fine sites that you may find yourself in when SHTF.
6 Tips For Surviving Swamps And Marshlands
When we’re knee-deep in swamps, we must have the required skill set; else, we’ll be meat for insects and animals that we are unfamiliar with. Alternatively, sink in the marshes like a kite falling from the sky.
Help may not come early, but you can help yourself. When it is not possible to escape the marshes, then you can harness the environment. That’s why you have your brain. Let’s see what you can do when the earth turns into a vast marshland.
Secure A Weapon
Does making a move for weapons first appear violent to you? If yes, then you can decide not to. There’s probably so little danger the swamps can bring forth, say poisonous snakes, crocodiles, and even dangerous humans. However, if you subscribe to the idea of surviving, then you should grab a weapon as quickly as you can. Hopefully, you are carrying a survival knife, and if you aren’t, you can make a spear in no time.
Regardless of what you make, however, you must carry a survival stick. It will be a guide in the swamps.
Say Hi To The Alligators
This may look like a wrong idea, but alligators don’t like to be startled. They don’t take kindly to you sneaking up on them even if your intentions are noble. So, if you’re startling an alligator, you may have to be extra careful so you don’t get frightened as well.
The advice is to inform these reptiles that they’ve gotten a new roommate. That way, there won’t be much shock when they find you close to their soup. Note that I only asked you to say hi; a handshake that extends to the elbow is no longer a handshake. Don’t shake these guys, except you want to shake them to death – although I’d advise you just use a spear or DIY crossbow for that.
And need I remind you, stay away from where alligators or crocodiles stay. They may be hungry.
Set Up Shelter
Shelter becomes necessary once you’re sure you aren’t escaping the Badlands that day. You want to have your tent up before the moon starts its shift. This is because, asides the fact that you may trip and fall face-flat into a swamp, your alligator buddies tend to hunt for food in the dark, and except you’re having on a pair of UV goggles, they’ll be the deadlier predator. Plus, do you want to spend the night without shelter in the swamps?
If you find yourself in the water, you can swim to a tree and use it for a tent while palm fronds serve as your blankets. If you’re on solid ground, the best you can put on is a sturdy tent. Note that if you have to get past the alligators to reach the tree for shelter, you should do the crossover at noon. That’s when alligators are less active.
When setting up shelter, make a swamp bed as well. This is made by lashing a couple of horizontal sticks together between two close, upright trees.
Make A Fire
The extreme importance of a fire in the swamplands is ironic, given that the environment will hardly let a fire prosper. It’ll take a lot more than you are used to making a fire in such humid conditions. Yet, you have to make one. Except you’re adequately prepared for the moment (which is rare given that very few people plan to get stuck in the swamps), your shelter won’t do much against the cold. You have to set up a fire soon as you can. A fire will not just fight cold but also keep the alligators away.
The steps for making fire are similar to what you know. It will take just some extra effort, and you’re fine. To make it easier, find the bark of the Cyprus tree; it is common in the swamps.
Do Well Not To Drown
Swamps are easy to drown in. Surprisingly, given that they look so shallow. The thing is, swamps are indeed shallow but soft, particularly due to their bio-silt composition. Therefore, an unexpected heavyweight can be all that’s necessary to activate a landmine.
Also, a bog can look so secure, but underneath its peat layer, there is usually deep water to drown in.
Watch Out For Jungle Rot
Jungle rot is caused by fungi when the skin is continuously exposed to moisture. The swamps are brutally cold, so I understand that you may want to have extra clothing all the time. While this is necessary, you have to give yourself some break for a few hours. Take off the socks and gloves for some time, preferably when the fire is on.
Takeaways From Surviving Swamps And Marshlands
What happens if you find yourself in the wetlands? Or, say, the skies and earth gush forth, and there’s no Noah’s ark to save you and your precious pets? Life can get quickly difficult when we are faced with unexpected, unfamiliar situations. Thankfully, humans are resilient beings: not even the wielder of the six infinity stones could wipe us out. So, as long as you keep your brain intact, surviving swamps and marshlands is very much possible. All it takes is extra care.