What If You Were Lost At Sea

 What if a man is about to dive 20 m off the top of a cruise ship. What will happen to his body when he hits the water? Well, luckily for him, and others, the impact of hitting the water wouldn't be the worst part of going overboard. The worst part would be what could come next: being lost at sea. Even if you're wearing a life jacket, surviving all alone in a giant body of water until someone rescues you will not be easy. What would be the biggest threat to your survival? How could fish eyes save your life? And how long would you have before the water starts breaking down your skin?

Hypothermia will come in soon as it is so cold then dehydration will soon follow. It is way easier to drown in freshwaters than it is to drown in saltwater. Not only is saltwater more buoyant than fresh water, but it’s also safer to inhale. If you’re going to drown in salt water, it’s because the water you inhaled into your lungs stopped you from getting oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. But with freshwater, it can be a little more complicated. Freshwater can kill you even after it’s been removed from your lungs. When you inhale saltwater, the higher salt concentration prevents the water from crossing into your lung tissue. When you inhale freshwater, it can enter unprotected lung cells, and make them swell until they burst. This can lead to such severe damage that you might not recover, even after the water is removed from your lungs. But saltwater has its drawbacks too. If you only have saltwater around you, dehydration can be a major threat. If the hot sun is beating down on you, dehydration can begin in about an hour. you’ll be losing water from sweating, urinating, and even breathing. As dehydration sets in, you’ll start to feel extremely thirsty, dizzy, confused, and fatigued. None of that will raise your chances of survival. Fish eyes can save your life as they have a lot of water in them. I know it's going to be gross but it is your only chance at survival.

So I would recommend to stay away from the water and just stay at the shore if you want to

Author: Rishabh Ramasubramanian

Grade 6