What would you do if you were 'castaway' on a deserted island?

If I have food, water, shelter and a library, I wouldn't mind staying for a while. Eventually I'd want rescue though...

Hi, Debrakcarey! On an island, the first thing to do is a thorough search of the whole place, to see what's available. Then it would all rely on innovation. Shelter would be made from whatever's there, in accordance to whatever the weather seems to be on the average. Food? What's there that's edible? If there's no fresh water, it would have to be distilled from sea water through boiling and a series of filters made from whatever's on hand. Survival is only as easy or difficult as one's ability to adapt and invent used for whatever can be found. It would be a fun challenge, but not for all that long. Then it would become lonely and uncomfortable.

I would hope that it would be as easy as it appears to be on shows like LOST! No, in reality I probably would not be able to survive. I would hope that there would be fruit trees. On a side note: I work for Fed Ex and they are all proud that their airplane and company was in the movie "Cast Away". I guess the producers of the movie asked UPS to be in the movie, but UPS didn't want to show their airplane crashing. Completely random..but yeah.

This is a discussion that I wanted to start also, but then I saw your topic. It's one of those questions that change through time, as people change their opinions in different periods of their life. When I was little being castaway on a deserted island was more like a nightmare, because of the unknown variables of the situation. But recently I've changed my opinion. Somehow, I would love to be castaway at least for a while. I think this would bring me closer to nature and my self, would make me concentrate on other things than now. I mean, there wouldn't be any use for money anymore. Which frees people from speeding every moment of their life. Except for fishing and hunting, there wouldn't be much to worry about. Of course I wish the island that I would be castaway on wouldn't have any cannibal tribes or very dangerous wild life, as I don't think there's much that I can do to protect myself. But if I only have to take care of getting food, I don't think this would be a problem. :))

I will pray to God and ask for His help. With God, nothing is impossible.

I hope there are some trees and vegetation on the island. If not I have no other way but turn to the sea to catch some fish. If there are trees/vegetation, there is hope. You may find some edible fruits. May be even some leaves are eatable. There must be a rivulet or else one is doomed. Drink water, eat the fruits availabe and rest under the shade of the trees. You need no clothes as you are alone in the island, supposing the climate is moderate. If you feel awakward without some clothes on ,since you are used to it, use what you have until it is worn out. By the time you will be able to find out some wild,raw substitute from nature. I must now get some cooked food. Fire is to be kindled some how. May be using stones or may be some wild fire leaves some burning woods. The small animals/birds found in the island have never seen a human being and so they are less scared of humans. Catch and cook them in fire.

I would probably want to have something that could start fire, possibly some fire starter chemicals (accelerator, I think it's called?) or at least a book of matches anyway. I know they say you should be able to rub sticks together and make a fire, but this has never worked for me. I'd also like something to protect myself with, and not to go all Gary Paulsen on you, but maybe a hatchet. . I'm a vegetarian, so I would find it pretty hard to kill & eat an animal. Maybe I would try to live off of berries and leaves and whatnot. lol. I guess I would try to sleep under some kind of tree. and I would make fires often so that planes, passing over, would see the smoke and hopefully come down and save me. . What an interesting question.

I have never really thought about this. For food I guess I would learn to fish. I would also scope the place for fruit. As for shelter I would try to build something from the materials from by boat (if there was one) or from the plane (like in the movie) or maybe a nice cave. As for rescue, a fire or maybe some sort of sign that can be seen from above using rocks or branches that spell out a word? Not to be funny, but the good thing about this situation is maybe losing some weight from the healthier diet and developing some nice muscles like Tom Hanks did.