response 51 of 122:

May 18 02:35 UTC 2007

 re #50:  
 >  Can't kids amuse themselves in the woods without something
 >  to read or play with, for one day?  

 We're no longer talking about the kids.  We're talking about
 what I (or the other respondents, in the case of their responses)
 would bring.  But more importantly you're missing, as you often
 seem to miss, the fact that most people find there is more to
 life than securing the bare minimums necessary for survival.

 > What time does it get dark in Alaska now?

 The answer to that question depends on where you are, not just
 in Alaska, but in the close vicinity.  On a west-facing beach
 it probably stays light enough to read or play cards until after
 9 pm this time of year -- we're only about a month away from the
 summer solstice after all..  However, in the shadow of a mountain
 or hill, in an area where there's heavy forest canopy, darkness
 would be an issue much sooner.

 > Much of the world thinks using paper instead of water is nasty.

 By all means if they find a naturally-occurring bidet in the
 middle of the forest they're welcome to use it.  Personally if
 my goal is to survive comfortably until rescuers can find me
 I'm willing to pack a few extra ounces of weight to avoid 
 resorting to leaves and moss and to avoid contaminating a
 convenient water supply with my own feces.

response 53 of 122:

May 18 06:32 UTC 2007

 If you're stranded on an island in southeast Alaska, you're stranded
 in the forest.

 Because except for the water, the beaches, and mountain peaks above
 the treeline it's ALL forest here.  Every island that's high enough
 above the water to be dry at high tide has trees on it, usually
 quite densely spaced and trees in southeast Alaska grow in the
 damnedest places, including half sideways off of cliffs so steep
 you wonder that any seeds could ever land on them.

 Travel overland is difficult because of the denseness of the forest
 and the rugged terrain and the inhospitability of some of the 
 predominant vegetation in the undergrowth (I'm looking at YOU,
 Devil's Club..)

 If you really were stranded on an island in SE Alaska your best
 bet would be to dip into the forest to look for potable water and
 edible plants but otherwise you're better off remaining as close
 to the beach as you can -- assuming there *is* any beach (in plenty
 of places the forest runs right up to the tide line and the shore
 below that is a rock wall.)  On the beach you can find shellfish,
 crabs, several varieties of edible seaweed, and you have the
 opportunity to catch fish.  It's also where you are most likely
 to find good fuel for a fire if there is driftwood that has washed
 up above the tideline.  Not to mention nobody will ever find you
 in the forest unless they pass within 20-30 feet of you..
 If you want to be spotted, stay on the beach.

response 55 of 122:

May 18 13:54 UTC 2007

Let's not forget that, in this exercise, you're not in a "real" survival
situation and you're with a bunch of your peers who you will continue to
know for the rest of your lives, and you're at an age where peer
interactions and approval are vitally important to you.  That means
there are certain things that you would do in a real survival situation
that you'd never consider here.  If you come back from the trip having
survived but being awarded a nickname like "enema boy" you can hardly
call that a success.

response 57 of 122:

May 18 15:18 UTC 2007

You don't need a bidet, just a bit of water and your left hand, which you then
wash.  I lived one place for a few months (until late Nov) where the privy
had a bottle of water in it for cleaning with.  It seems unlikely that the
kids would use the 'facilities' as a group rather than privately.

response 59 of 122:

May 18 19:41 UTC 2007

re: packing the can... anything you put in there, you'll have to take
out and then probably put back in again, unless you're planning to find
a location and stay close to it for the 3 day trip.  I wouldn't pack it
too tightly, or I would pack it into compartments or separate bags. 
Both, most likely.  A 1 lb coffee can holds a fair amount of stuff.

I'd take:
wooden matches
a few small candles (such as birthday candles)
fishing line, hooks, sinkers and bobbers
a poncho
two pocket knives (in case I lose one)
a metal cup
a set of camping silverware (fork, knife, spoon)
several yards of aluminum foil, folded up
salt and pepper
tabasco sauce
a flashlight and some extra batteries
a couple of small notepads and a couple of pens
a compass
some rice
some oatmeal
some candy bars
extra socks
deck of cards
a spool of wire
iPod (heck of a way to take a good supply of music)
insect repellent
water purification tablets

*Everything* would be in ziplock bags unless it's inherently waterproof.
 Essential items like matches would be found in more than one bag.  

NOTE: I benefitted from some of the items listed by others.

response 61 of 122:

May 18 21:36 UTC 2007

If you're stranded on an relatively small island waiting for rescue,
what's the use of a compass?

Unfortunately an iPod doesn't include a radio, so the degree to which it
allows you to stay connected to the outside world is iffy.  An AM/FM
(and maybe other bands) receiver might do better and is even smaller.
Better still would be a hand-held marine VHF transciever and an EPIRB,
but I guess that violates the spirit of the exercise.

response 63 of 122:

May 18 21:48 UTC 2007

Here is what my kit would be:

- water purification tablets
- magnesium fire starter
- lifeboat matches
- fishing line
- fishing hooks
- glock knife
- signal mirror
- large tube of triple antibiotic ointment
- mechanical flashlight of some type
- couple space blankets
- glock entrenching tool (if there is enough space left)

response 65 of 122:

May 18 21:52 UTC 2007

(Note that, even on a very small island, this can be useful as if the
undergrowth is particularly dense, it can be difficult to tell which direction
one is going in).

response 67 of 122:

May 19 11:30 UTC 2007

re #55
 Let's not forget that, in this exercise, you're not in a "real" survival
 situation and you're with a bunch of your peers who you will continue to
 know for the rest of your lives, and you're at an age where peer
 interactions and approval are vitally important to you. 

Ok, then.  I'll skip the minimalist rambo rig and say I'd probably take a
waterproof faraday flashlight, some waxcoated matchsticks, waterproof bag of
oatmeal, some vitamins, salt, tobasco sauce, garlic powder, fork & knife,
tinfoil, twine, ivory soap, fish hooks and line, entrenching tool, and some
kind of thin tarpaulin.

response 69 of 122:

May 19 13:17 UTC 2007

Some of us mentioned entrenching tools, of which the Glock one contains
a saw for cutting branches.

response 71 of 122:

May 19 17:46 UTC 2007

 re #68:  this time of year the mosquitoes and flies are not a problem.
 later in the season I would definitely include insect repellent.

response 73 of 122:

May 21 13:47 UTC 2007

resp:72 I have seen folding shovels that would fit in a coffee can.