Those were some special boots.

I wonder if he and the boat drifted a combined 40 miles apart, or if it was under way when he fell and the boat sailed away. Either way, I wouldn't be surprised if he sees a pocket-sized PLB on the next gift-giving holiday...

but when I was in Navy boot camp, the showed us how to turn our shirts and pants into flotation devices.

We didn't fear drowning as much as we feared hypothermia. That is with the faith that the ship would turn around to get you, which of course, was the biggest fear.

You periodically need to "slap" the pants down as the air will slowly leak out. They stay filled long enough to make the effort more than worthwhile. Slap them hard and retry if they don't sufficiently fill.

but requires refilling more often (probably about half the lifespan of air).


Easier to slip the shirt off than the pants. Tie the sleeves and neck of a tee shirt into a single knot (quicker than two knots for the pants) and slap it down similarly.

The TV news reports described this happening in "shark-infested waters."

Stick out your index fingers (or thumbs depending on your favorite method) and poke them in the eyes......hard. Both eyes at once. Tough to do when you are in intense pain I suppose. Try to do it before they bite you .

I was told that the poisonous seas snakes in the Indian Ocean are very aggressive (and deadly).

Some advise punching a shark in the nose, though that may be hard to do with much force in the water. But I guess that worked for some survivors.

That was a problem we didn't have to deal with in the Army Infantry.

If I recall correctly, it is dependent upon your body position relative to the shark.

If your feet are closer, you "stomp" them in the snout, if your hands are closer, you gouge them in the eyes.

Then again, maybe you have no chance and the instructor was giggling to himself on the way back to the shower room. Those SOBs were known to be like that on occasion.

I do recall them mentioning that they quit using a certain type of shark repellent (found in a sealed pocket in the life rafts which also included " shake and snap glow sticks" and pills to precipitate salt for creating drinking water) was actually found to attract sharks after further study. Imagine that, giving you chum for shark repellent.

when we had to jump in a pool wearing jeans. You took the jeans off, tied the legs together, then swept them over your head to trap air, then wear them like a life preserver. Very effective.

"One of these days these boots'll float me back to you."