WHEN ADVENTURE BECOMES SURVIVAL

I really enjoyed Mac Mackenney’s Drive to Survive article in the Winter 2017 issue and have to say that I agree with each and every word he wrote. As Land Rover owners we drive one of the best survival tools on the planet, and we all know that it is perfectly capable of getting us out of practically any mess that we get ourselves into. It can easily be easily equipped to allow us to safely across mountains, jungles, deserts and even the M25. That, though, isn’t survival. If you are fully equipped and expect to get stuck or into trouble at some point, it’s camping or an adventure but it’s not survival.

Survival situations happen when you are not expecting them and the best survival tool is the one you have in your pocket when you need to survive. Thanks to the many books I have read and the survival courses that i have been on I am perfectly capable of survival techniques such as trapping and skinning animals or building a shelter, but let’s face it, how likely is it that we are going to be put in a situation in this country where our survival depends on being able to catch a rabbit or fish to save our lives? Probably never. So all I really want to say is that there are certain items you should always carry in your Land Rover to help you do just that. I lived and worked in the Middle East for 13 years and we always carried a good supply of water with us. So with air to breathe and water to drink, stay warm and you are definitely going to survive! Just something to keep in mind. Dennis White

I remember once getting horribly stuck on a rather remote track. I did not know when we would see another vehicle and so straight away went into survival mode. Fortunately, 30 minutes later someone came passed and pulled us out. – Pat