ABANDON SHIP! What do you grab from your pack?

Interesting story. A pack that traps air woulld be a good idea in such a scenario. Wrapped tightly in a poncho it would likely float. And perhaps there was some box, keg or other item on deck to perform as a makeshift float, tethered to the pack even if it was submerged. I have floated a fifty pound Alice before. Pack liners are handy in wet environments. Few packs weigh as much as the water they displace. I would attempt to get away with it all and still be willing to lose it all rather than my life. After all, you were not there alone in that situation.

 

Your pack would most likely float.Tako off your wet pants and turn it into a makeshift PFD.

 

I cannot swim. cannot float, cannot do more than walk to shore on the bottom. I would have no choice but to life-raft on my pack and hope for the best. In a case where I knew there was going to be sketchy river travel, I'd seriously consider rigging an inflatable vest to my pack somehow. I know that doesn't answer your question. If I were a swimmer, I'd be more likely to go for fire and first-aid, so I could make camp. That would be priority number one. (I'm assuming at least one knife is a given)


Glad you made it out alright, hope you didn't loose too much of your kit.

 

You did good to be thinking about the 'what if' before it happened. In that part of the world boats have few to no safety features, some could seem to have built in danger features if you are realistic. Taking time to look at floatation choices is a smart exercise.

 

I don't exactly remember all the items contained in the pouches, but I have read that members of the SAS while deployed always have a "escape and evasion" belt with basic survival essentials on their person at all times. If they were seperated from all of their gear, they would still always have at least this. It's what I would have on these adventures.

 

Learned this in the Navy, but I would practice in a pool a few times first.

 

My jungle pack pack is waterproof, so it helps me float. Well, its weather proof, and survived 30 minutes of me paddling around a pon. That is without the dry bags inside. The dry bags also act as flotation. Its documented in "walking the amazon". Great question. Drawback. Though its waterproof, things in it NEVER dry, but they never did anyway.

 

Sounds like an exciting adventure already.

I'm in the same boat. Dry bag should make my bag float.
If just a few items are needed easy fire is probably a focus to dry and warm self off after the likely frigged waters.
Shelter like a tarp would also be a quick second choice, provided it was in a second bag compression. Trying to swim with bulky fabrics is not easy.

 

Well firstly, I'm glad to hear you and the rest of the passengers and crew were all okay.

A major disaster avoided, all be it by luck and chance circumstances than anything else.
I guess you wish you'd packed an extra pair of trousers now though right?

As for what kit to grab I'd probably be thinking as much as possible!! I'd probably need all of the kit you listed to compensate for my lack of local knowledge and skills.

I expect with your experience in these environments though that you could have managed with the essentials. Your big chopper, fire lighting means, a pot, bottle and FAK....do you think that would be enough??

 

Damn, quite a story. Glad you all made it out.

From your pack, I'd go with the tarp, firesteel, the pot or water bottle, cordage, compass, and flashlight.

Perhaps you could separate your most essential gear and carry it in its own pouch that could be easily removed and carried on its own.

I keep my most basic gear in my 10x4 bottle holder. I carry it when hunting or dayhiking. When I want more gear, I attach it to the side of my pack. In a situation such as you were in, I would just detach the bottle carrier from my pack and have a small minimal kit on which I could get by.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

That adventure friend! the package that you put together is a good!

 

That is effing nuts!!! I would love to see the videos someday.

Minimum I would gram what fire kit you had and what ever you had for water (hopefully something made out of metal), flashlight, and the extra socks.


I've never been anywhere like the Amazon but those for some reason make the most sense to grab and have there, to me at least.

 

I would do the same thing I plan here except I might plan for more length of cord since the Amazon is a different river from what I am usually running.

I would grab the looped end of the paracord with carabiner which is tied to the hang-loop and shoulder harness of my pack and pull it with me as a swim for shore. Currently that would be 100-150'. My pack floats. IF it sunk while I made it to shore, I could pull it in or retrieve it later. I could also tie/hook it to something in the middle of the river if needed and retrieve it later.

I've made some very tough crossings of swiftly moving water where I've left my pack on one side and pulled it across after.

 

Glad you made it OK.
After some traveling in the Phils where floods are pretty standard and quality of travel less than I am used to here... my essentials would be inside the dry bag in my pack already. I am a rotten swimmer and always have a dry bag in my pack- variety of sizes for different packs. Keep my crap dry, easy to unload from pack and good for water container or flotation. I also keep a strobe attached to the dry bag, helps me get found of the bag if it gets lost.

From your list- things that would already be in my bag:
Fire Steel
Vaseline cotton balls in an ibuprofen bottle wrapped with ranger bands
3 bic lighters
Food/Water
MSR Titan Pot
two 32 ounce nalgene bottles
Coleman's water purification tabs
Outback single rectangular mosquito net (just in case)
2 pairs of thin wool socks (one to be kept dry)
Fenix LD-20 with head band and red cap
two AA Lithium batteries for extra
Base plate style compass
Garmin Rino 655T GPS/Radio
95 feet of orange paracord - one 25 foot length and the rest in 10
Gloves
Leatherman Juice 2
4X4 gauze pads
mole skin
duct tape
my modified ball point pen needle safe with needles/thread
a big tube of petroleum jelly
a container with ibuprofen/benedryl
sun screen
cipro
malaria pills
write in the rain notebook with pens
Loksak bags of various sizes

*** I looked up Loksak bags- will they hold air under pressure- such as held under 6' of water?

 

I don't know that I worry about grabbing any one thing but your story has me thinking that a pack should hold the few most essential items in a punch that could quickly be separated from the pack. That way "what to grab" would already be decided ahead of time.

it sounds like you already had some key items on your person.

 

Yes a pouch like a carry-on bag when flying.

Here's one man's idea of that !

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/09/boston-man-arrested-at-lax-with-weapons-body-armor/

 

Similar case we had about one and a half year ago here in Japan when huge tsunami hit the shore.
We must think about this kind of what if questions repeatedly.
Thanks for posting nice thread, iowaguy.

 

What would I grab from my pack?? I'm presuming I cannot simply take my pack? Ok..

Hmm...

An outfitted Esee 5 or Bk-2 (if I actually had one, lol) or a good, outfitted folder such as a mule.
Hopefully a lamp or flashlight.
Wallet.
Warm jacket.
Boots.
Maybe a small pouch with goodies in it?
Tarp?
Paracord?