Thursday, August 9, 2007

Hazardous Journeys

Picture 1: Jolly Roger- The emblem for pirates
Picture2: A mouth infected by Scurvy





Problems travellers will face
-Broken Sails
-Strong currents
-Heavy Storms
-Pirates
-Getting lost
-Diseases like Scurvy
-Shortage of food
-Lack of water

How to overcome the difficulties?

-Broken Sails

Check that the sails are in good condition regularly and mend any tears immediately
-Strong currents/ Heavy Storms
If the situation is very bad such that the ship is going to capsize, throw overboard any heavy items. This will help lessen the load and will make it less possible for the boat to capsize.

-Pirates

Carry on board weapons in case pirates attack. Train the crew members so that all of them know how to use the weapons.

-Getting lost

Always carry navigational tools like compasses. determine sunrises and sunsets and observe the positions of the moons and the stars.

-Scurvy

Scurvy is caused by the lack of intake of Vitamin C which comes from vegetables. It's important to have enough vegetables on board. Pickled vegetables last longer so bring more of those. I've heard that lemons and lime can cure Scurvy so bring a boxful too.

-Shortage of food

You may have brought a lot of food but overtime, the food will start to rot and become infested with maggots. When the food is no longer fit for consumption, you may want to try catching fish.

-Lack of water

Sea water cannot be drunk because of its high sat content. The only way is to desalinate the water. however the process is very slow and produces very little water. You have to boil the seawater, let the water vapour condense and then collect the condensation. The tiny water droplets you collected is fit for drinking.