The Alaskan survival tour was the first of our tours we booked through the cruise. Brian, our tour guide, hailed from the Seattle area but had been living up in Alaska year round for the last three or four years. He shared with us tales of survival in the Alaskan wilderness, teaching us the five key elements to survival - shelter, warmth, food, water, and communication.
We then played a scenario out in which we learned how to use the survival techniques. Brian showed us how to use the gifts of the forest floor to create shelter, gather food, and build a fire. We picked watermelon berries, saw examples of shelters built from branches, and demonstrations of fire starters.
Patrick tried one of techniques for starting a fire, using a 9 volt battery. He confessed that it was something he had experimented with as a kid. The look on my in-laws faces was priceless! (However it makes me nervous to think about have children with this man... well only a little!)
The whole afternoon was incredibly fun and educational. Although after hearing those survival stories I don't think I would last very long out in the wilderness. Good thing I tend to stick close to home!
