There are many tales of survival on the high seas. But when you take a luxury cruise, the furthest from your mind are thoughts regarding survival. Cruise lines cater to your every whim, from dining choices, entertainment and creature comforts.

Take, for example, Elizabeth Weed Shutes. She was traveling first class on a magnificent ocean liner, one of the finest and most opulent ships ever built. While Elizabeth was not one to afford such luxurious travel and accommodations, she was employed as a governess to the sixteen-year-old daughter of a wealthy businessman. Elizabeth accompanied the businessman's wife, Edith Graham, and her daughter Margaret on a European vacation. 

A parent's worst nightmare is when their child goes missing. Alone and lost in the wilderness is a frightening experience for anyone, let alone a young child. Luckily, though, some children find they aren't alone at all. If their dog accompanies them, they may find they have a loyal companion looking out for them.

The Hawaiian Islands. If you haven't been yet, perhaps lifting off in a helicopter for an aerial view of a luminescent lava stream or views of incredible rushing waterfalls has been on your bucket list. Dreams of escaping to a warm sandy beach, drink in hand, as the sounds of waves crashing and vitamin D-soaked laughter delighting ears have enticed millions upon millions of tourists every year. It is a destination noted for its hospitality in warmth and relaxation. 

Though hospitable to your dream vacation, these islands of volcanic origin are home to the Hawaiian hot spot - at present boiling underneath the Big Island of Hawaii. Five different major volcanoes decorate the Big Island with their torrid presence: Kilauea (kill lawe way yuh), Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea (kay-ah) , Hualalai (hoo-la-la-aye), and Kohala (koe-hal-uh.) The largest active volcano on Earth is Mauna Loa. But at present, the most productive volcano on Earth in terms of lava flow production is Kilauea. 

In the early morning on Sunday, January 25, 2004, Doyle Alexander Russell boarded his fishing boat, the Lady Maxi, and headed out from his home port in Nassau on New Providence Island. He turned south, heading toward the southern-westering part of the Tongue of the Ocean, to fishing grounds known as the Southern Bores. Little did he know, this trip would prove more perilous than most.

Intense heat, relentless exposure, treacherous and dry terrain. The Sahara Desert stands as the largest hot desert in the world. This vast waterless ocean of baked and circulated sand is a force of nature that demands fierce respect from any form of life crossing within its borders. The Sahara is both forbidding and alluring; its beauty is uncluttered yet mesmerizing. The desert hosts the Sahara Marathon, an ultramarathon in southern Morocco covering 156 miles of desert in six days. What could go wrong?

 The year is 1704, and Alexander Selkirk signed up as a sailing master on the Cinque Ports, an English vessel under commission by the King of England during the War of Spanish Succession. In years prior, Selkirk had joined buccaneering voyages. Buccaneering is a more pleasant-sounding term for piracy and was usually the term used for pirates in the Caribbean. The Caribbean was far away from governing authorities frowning on such activity, and there were many benefits to reap from this line of work.

But this voyage was different.

There is much online information available on the benefits of hiking for an individual's mental health, especially during pandemic times where we have all been sequestering indoors and avoiding public areas. Cabin fever is uncommonly intense due to the pandemic and combined with what seemed like a long winter. But the good news is that the weather is finally breaking, COVID appears to be on the downward trend, and service-based businesses are getting ready to gear up for increased capacities for patrons.

While many of us may not be ready to endure crowds yet, you can still enjoy outdoor activities away from most of the bustle and hustle of urban life. Hiking, backpacking, and camping all offer ways to get outdoors, take in the fresh air, and still socially distance.

Many of the real life survival stories told on this podcast involve people in frightful and desperate scenarios, stranded for days and sometimes weeks on end. This particular story went on for far longer. A Chinese sailor by the name of Poon Lim found himself in one of the worst survival scenarios ever recorded when at the height of World War 2, a Nazi U-Boat sunk the merchant ship he was on, the SS Benlomond. 

During the final days of the year 1992, a young Army private by the name of Jim Stolpa got a call that felt like a gut punch. It was an otherwise jubilant time; Christmas had just ended, and he was newlywed with his wife Jennifer, also an active-duty service member with the Army Reserves, they additionally just celebrated the birth of their first child, Clayton.

On March 31, 2017, Ann Rodgers, age 72, set off from home with her small dog and cat to Phoenix, Arizona, to visit her grandchildren. While driving through the White Mountain Apache Reservation, she became lost and ran out of gas on a deserted stretch of Arizona desert. Ann had a cell phone but no signal. Knowing it was best to stay with her car, she waited out the rest of the day and that night, hoping for someone, anyone, to come along to aid her.

Have you ever dreamt of ?getting away from it all?? Off the grid. Moving to a new place away from civilization, in peace and quiet? For many, their idea of being off the grid is similar to how Governor Jesse Ventura lives half the year. When he?s not in his home state of Minnesota, he splits his time at his home in Baja, Mexico an hour away from the nearest stores and neighborhoods.

It was the last weekend before the official start to summer in 2010, and Zak Anderegg of Salt Lake City, Utah decided to spend it alone enjoying nature. An explorer of sorts, he made the trek all the way to the other side of his state?s border in Page, Arizona, a nearly 6-hour drive. The destination being a slot canyon; these are narrow canyons created by the water from floods rushing through rocks long ago. There are a number of these breathtaking canyons in the region, and if you?ve never seen them before, a quick Google search of slot canyons in the region of Arizona and Utah is likely to make you eager to book a flight to take in its beauty.

Many of us are familiar of the Biblical story of Jesus Christ fasting in the desert for 40 days and nights. Could it be possible for a mere mortal replicate this journey and survive?

Throughout the years, there have been instances of conflict between people and cougars, with the ferocious animal making a permanent impact on those with whom the animal encounters. Cougars go by several different names, depending upon the region in which you live. Mountain lion, puma, panther, painter, and catamount are all common names for cougars, the largest and most fearsome of the six wild cats living in the United States and the second-largest cat in the western hemisphere after the jaguar. 

The Mojave rattlesnake, sometimes referred to as the Mojave green, is a highly venomous pit viper found in the southwestern United States and central Mexico. It has what is considered one of the world's most toxic venoms. The Mojave rattlesnake can grow up to four and a half feet long. Their color can range from different shades of brown or pale green, depending upon their habitat. A dark diamond pattern runs along their backs. Their color enables them to blend well with their surroundings for protection from predators, such as coyotes, eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons. But they are far from helpless when encountering a potential adversary. 

One Month Lost in the Canadian Wilderness

This is a popular episode that we are rerunning, originally published on June of 2020: West Virginia is a state widely known for it?s coal mining industry, a job that brings many men and their families financial stability, but it comes with an expense of great danger. There is probably no one more understanding of that danger than Randal McCloy Jr.

The gentle breezes whispering through the trees. The wonderful scent of pine and cedar. But the life of a lumberman was hazardous when without warning, an accident could occur, and the remote forest was turned into a place of pain, suffering, and panic.

Dozens of people who venture into the Adirondacks every year are reported missing. Sometimes they are found and reunited with their family and friends. Other times, the results are not so joyful. Unfortunately, the remains of some hikers and hunters are found long after their demise. And in some cases, they are never found, seemingly disappearing into the vast wilderness. 

Blizzards. Severe snowstorms, accompanied by high winds and low visibility, can be terrifying to endure. Before World War II, blizzards were especially menacing to people because the lack of forecasting technology allowed storms to appear without warning. People had to live through a blizzard with what they had on hand because help would not be accessible immediately. Communications, such as phones, were not readily available until 1920, and even then, only thirty-five percent of homes had them. Outlying rural areas were the last to obtain indispensable services, and these regions certainly lacked what we consider essential today. Even during a short commute, one could find oneself in the wild.

With the recent Northeastern storm dumping up to 46 inches of snow in the Mid-Atlantic and New England states, skiers and slope owners are rejoicing with the early winter snow cover. Ski areas rushed to open their slopes to skiers and boarders anxiously waiting for the new season to begin. Add Covid fatigue into the mix, and the ski industry has increased optimism for the coming season. Outdoor recreational opportunities provide for those struggling with extended isolation lethargy, and ski areas are happy to provide an outlet. 

But alpine skiing and boarding are not without significant risks. Injury rates have fallen from five to eight per 1000 skier-days in the 1970s to two or three per 1000 skier-days now. A skier day represents one individual day of skiing. Advancements in binding technology have improved skier safety, but helmet efficiency is still debatable. The main dangers include hitting rocks, trees, or other people, getting hit by another person, falls resulting in injury, sunburns, snow blindness, falling into tree wells, and avalanches. 

Alpine skiers and riders reach summits by way of chairlifts or gondolas. What are the safety statistics for this equipment? Chairlifts are safe, right?

Would you burn $150 in 10s and 20s if you were lost and cold? That's what Shawn Dougher and Ralph Vecchio did when lost on Mt. Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. But it was to no avail as the branches were wet. The feeble fire lasted only a few minutes before it fizzled out. 

White iced chocolate cake, root beer, and butterscotch sundaes are delightful treats for everyone, but to someone who spent five nights lost, alone, cold and hungry in the Adirondack Mountains, they taste better than ever imagined. 

Before we continue with our story, we need a little background information. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, referred to as ASD, is a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. There are many subtypes of autism, presenting a unique set of strengths and challenges for each affected individual. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that autism affects an estimated 1 in 54 children in the United States, and its impact is likely lifelong. 

The word dangerous doesn?t even begin to describe the risk to those who dare come near it. One of several avalanche chutes on the north flank of Mt. Werner in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Hell?s Wall has earned its name by reputation. 

Some consider space exploration as the pinnacle of off the grid survival experiences. And there are no grizzlies to bother you. But are there? The early days of space exploration were fraught with dangerous outcomes?even grizzlies. When the Soviet Union's empire collapsed, classified stories slowly leaked out to the rest of the world. The following is a miraculous tale of determination and survival, which began with a space shot.    

A spontaneous training exercise, turned an adventure leading it's survivors onto greater accomplishments.

Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana on the United States Canadian border covers more than 1 million acres. The park, established in 1910, contains two distinct mountain sub-ranges and borders Waterton Lakes National Park to the north in Canada. Waterton Lakes National Park makes up almost another 125,000 acres of protected wilderness to the area. Together, the two parks are known as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, established in 1932.

What began as an exciting adventure in Wyoming, ended with a young couple scared they may never see their 1-year-old daughter again. It?s every parent's worst nightmare. 

California in the mid-1800s was a dangerous and relatively unsettled area. The annexation of California from Mexico began in 1846, with the start of the Mexican-American War. Eight years prior, the non-Indian population was about 8,000. The region provided an abundance of game animals, including deer, elk, and antelope, and was a hunters paradise. Food resources were abundant. But the land also was home to the mighty California grizzly bear, a ferocious animal, weighing up to over 1000 pounds.

This past August, a ferry was running between Rio and Antirrio , Greece, when passengers noticed a white floating object in the distance.

Joseph told his friends that he would be in the woods for only one hour. Joseph Robinson from Menasha , Wisconsin, had decided to take his revolver into the woods with the intention of hunting for partridges. It was Friday, November 9, 1874, and though he was employed by the Wisconsin Central Railroad as a so-called "train boy," he was very much a grown man.

The setting is Shaw Island, Middle Saranac Lake, Ampersand Mountain and the surrounding Adirondack region. The time is the summer of 1912. Billy and his pal Buttsey set out to camp on the Island and this is his story as he remembers it?

One must always prepare for the unexpected when heading out into the woods. Even routine tasks, a short distance away from your home, can become life-threatening situations. One man, an experienced woodsman, set out to perform a regular chore, cutting trees for the coming winter's firewood.

People travel from all over the world to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway and explore the uncountable trails connected to the twisting road. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah (Piz-gah) National Forest, and other wildlands in the area offer breathtaking views.

It was a pleasant summer Sunday in July of 1962 when the Bronx's Boyle family had traveled to Hardscrabble Lake in Pleasantville, New York to relax, enjoy a picnic, a little fishing, and take in the lakeside scenery. James Boyle, his wife Margaret, his three and a half-year-old son Kevin, and the boy's aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Boyle, looked forward to getting out of the city and enjoying the day together. 

Dave Olesen, a pilot, author, and veteran dog musher, came face-to-face with the darker side of Northwest Territories.

A research mission went sour, and Dave's plane ended up in the icy waters. This is a tale that involves a floatplane capsizing, as well as the perfect combination of proactive preparation, luck, and survival instincts. Special guest on this episode, Dave Olesen!

Tham Luang Nang Non, a cave in the Chiang Rai Province of Thailand spanning nearly 6.5 miles in length, and at an elevation of nearly 1,500 feet. On Saturday June 23rd 2018, a group of boys from the Wild Boars soccer club, ages 11-16, set off to go exploring.

It was a warm Saturday in July of 1926 in Upper New York State. Earl Gates, a student of the Forestry Camp of Syracuse University, decided to take advantage of the day off and head out for an afternoon walk in the woods nearby.

There was no distinct trail for Gates to follow - no semblance of a path at all. Not thinking much of it, as he was just out for a nice walk, he just casually blazed his own.

Just imagine being a group of young boys, all between the ages of 16 and 18, embarking on a month-long survival course in the Alaskan wilderness. This is admirable in itself, as Alaska's great outdoors can be very unforgiving.

In the early 1880s, Dan Doty lived in a log cabin that he had reclaimed from the wilderness, not far from the small hamlet of Vermontville in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. Dan's wife had died two years prior, and his mother, Mrs. Betty Doty, was keeping house for him and his children.

It was a clear day in the Chugach Mountains near Anchorage Alaska, on April 27, 2003, Nick, age 19, a thrill-seeker, always dreamed of visiting Alaska and jumped at the chance to see it through a mutual friend, without even having met his hiking partners before.

Big Sur. 89 miles of breathtaking coastline located between Carmel Highlands and San Simeon, California. Home to only a small group of the ultra-wealthy, but visited by millions each year to take in its natural beauty. It?s also the highest coastal mountain in the continental U.S. with a peak reaching 5,155 feet...that?s just short of a mile. Now imagine the most peaceful scenic drive that one can fathom, and in the blink of an eye stopping short and tumbling down a cliff right into the rocks and thrown violently into the Pacifc Ocean. This is the kind of scenario that many of us have awoken to in a cold sweat...a horrifying nightmare. But 23-year-old Angela Hernandez experienced just this. This is her story.

One of the five million people each year who made that journey was Amber Van Hecke in March of 2017. A lover of the outdoors, the college student planned on a 3,000-mile solo road trip for spring break with this as the ultimate destination. First, she wanted to see the nearby Havasu Falls, but when she turned onto a road that did not exist due to a Google maps error, things took a turn for the worst.

The party of six had left the Katahdin Stream campsite in Maine around 1 o'clock to make the Hunt Trail climb. The group included Donn Fendler, twelve years old, his father, two brothers Tom and Ryan, and his friends, Henry and Fred.

Flying in a private plane with your bros headed back to California, after a gig in South Carolina with Gavin DeGraw and Perry Farrell of Jane?s Addiction. It?s what many of us dream of as kids, but for Travis Barker of Blink-182 and Adam Goldstein (better known as DJ AM,) that dream became an unspeakable nightmare.

Aron Ralston is a classic example of someone who did the unthinkable. After slipping into a canyon slit, he amputated his arm from the elbow down in order to escape an 800-pound boulder. He was then rescued after making his way out of the canyon which he called home for nearly a week.

In 2013, another astonishing story took place involving Marco Lavoie. A 44-year-old outdoorsman of Canada facing likely death under the most extreme of conditions. Sometimes nature?s most terrifying moments can only be faced head-on with the fiercest determination and will to survive.

Kaden and Arden Laga thought that they would enjoy a vacation in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness that straddles Montana and Idaho before welcoming their first child into the world. Fate had a different plan for the Iowa couple.

Mount Goddard ? an isolated mountain that is home to the largest peak in its immediate region. Located in Kings Canyon National Park, Mount Goddard is 500 feet higher than any of its neighboring peaks. The surrounding area is incredibly wild and alpine ? but Gregg Hein, a 33-year-old hiker, knew this. For him, it was just another adventure ? an opportunity to connect with the great outdoors, just as he had dozens of times prior to this trip.

It was early Sunday morning on May 26, 2013. The Jascon 4, a tugboat contracted by Chevron Corporation, was out at sea in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 20 miles off the coast of Nigeria. The waters were rough, and as dawn had not broke yet, it was still dark. Carrying a crew of twelve, most of the workers were still in their locked bunks. 

West Virginia is a state widely known for it?s coal mining industry, a job that brings many men and their families financial stability, but it comes with an expense of great danger. There is probably no one more understanding of that danger than Randal McCloy Jr.