If you’re into survivalist shows, you’ve probably at least heard of, if not seen the series Alone. Blaine and I started watching it a few weeks ago, and thus far, I’m really enjoying it.
The season we are watching takes place in the Artic, and the premise of the game is, essentially, you’re dropped off in the middle of butt fuck nowhere (the Artic) with ten items of your choosing you decide to bring with you. These items can be whatever you so please, to my understanding, and some common examples of items participants bring with them include sleeping bags, knives, rope, a bow and arrow, etc.
There were 12 participants at the start of the show, and where we are at in the season now depicts six remaining people.
When I say this show is not for the faint of heart, I mean it.
The goal of the game is to win – the last participant receives $500,000, and to be completely honest, I can’t believe these people are putting themselves through some of the gnarliest situations ever for that amount of money – I think it should be a hell of a lot more.
The series isn’t called Alone for nothing; all 12 participants dropped off via helicopter are spread out, so you’re literally by yourself, in a foreign, gruelling landscape, trying to hunt to feed yourself, building a shelter from the materials available, and trying not to get eaten by a predator. Some examples of wildlife in the Artic that have been on the show include bears (grizzly and black), lynx, and wolverines.
The majority of participants that drop out are forced to do so because of medical reasons, like starvation.
The most advantageous element of watching this show is the knowledge I’ve gained about survival. I’ve learned things about how to gut and skin animals without knicking their stomach to avoid spoiling the meat; how to make a fishing pole and lure out of tin cans and wire; that pine needles, when soaked in water, offer antibacterial properties to clean wounds and prevent infection.
I’m not planning on living off the land anytime soon, but if I ever have to, I like to think watching this show may help me out, just a wee bit.
Image from https://images.pexels.com/photos/35435/pexels-photo.jpg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=1
ontheedgeofeverything 
