Terror in Tanzania
21 day challenge located in Tanzania (Africa) – 100°+ F temperatures and storms. The survivalists must build a signal fire for extraction. 3 miles from the starting point to the only water source.
| EJ Snyder – Army Vet, SERE Instructor 46 years old – North Carolina Personal Item: Full tang knife Starting PSR: 7.3 Ending PSR: 8.2 Lost 33 lbs | Kellie Nightliner – Game Warden, Survivalist 38 years old – Alaska Personal Item: Pot Starting PSR: 7.5 Ending PSR: 8.1 Lost 28 lbs |
The recommendations will be written in bold italics, and the analysis is on the bottom.
Day 1: 98°-102°F
Kellie forages some purslane. All of purslane plant is edible. It is a highly nutritious plant which contains Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. It tastes milder than most greens in the summer. They encounter some acacia trees which have thorns that penetrate feet. Best to not step on those thorns. Heat exhaustion hits in the afternoon highs. They find a cave and attempted to start a fire with a fire file with no success. This is not the easiest way to start a fire, and it is as difficult as a bow drill. But with their limited resources, a fire file is the best way to start the fire.
Day 2: Still no fire
EJ’s hand is starting to blister from attempting to start a fire using a fire file.
Day 3: 51 hours without water
EJ finally was able to get a solid ember to pass to Kellie, who lights the tinder and the fire starts. Remember, 3 days without water and you could be in big trouble. They boil water and begin hydration.
Day 4: More hydration
Day 5: Firewood gathering
They gather firewood. This is a daily chore to grab some firewood and water to boil.
Day 8: Clear
Made shoes out of bark to minimize punctures in feet from acacia thorns. Making shoes is essential in areas with thorns or sharp rocks on the ground. It makes simple chores more difficult without shoes.
Night 8: Hyena
Hyena approaches very close to their camp.
Day 9: Clear
They are both starving. They have been eating roots, purslane, and tadpoles.
Day 10: Infection
EJ has a thorn in his foot that is infected.
Day 12: Pep talk
Kellie’s spirit is changing as she is hungry, tired, and thirsty. EJ has a chat with Kellie and they are back to survival mode. Having a survival partner is key, and you should both be in the right mind to survive. Proper communication is crucial to make sure that both of you are in the game.
Day 13: 99°F
Hyena prints near camp as EJ waits at camp. Kellie goes hunting and waits for the right opportunity. She stays out too late, and it is now dark to try to head back to camp. Hyenas are near her. If you split up from camp, make sure that the time you will be apart is agreed upon by all parties in the group. This way, if the time exceeds the agreed time, you can look fro the party away from camp before it is too late.
Night 13: Hyenas
Kellie is surrounded by hyenas but finds her way to return to camp.
Day 14: Catfish
They have had minimal food during the last couple of weeks. EJ finds fish in their water source, and Kellie catches 3 catfish. They cook the catfish and eat.
Day 16: Rain
They quickly move coals to a small cave and start a fire inside. EJ seeks a medic for his foot infection. The medic states it is bad, and drains, cleans, and provides antibiotics. A bad infection can cause sepsis or septicemia, where blood poisoning occurs from viruses, bacteria, and fungi. This can cause septic shock which can cause organ failure and sometimes death. If this happens in the wild, and there is no medic around, you must immediately seek medical care at a hospital or emergency care.
Day 20
They have decided to move towards extraction with the embers and sleep with just a fire.
Day 21
They only have embers and Kellie and EJ start the fire for extraction. Successful extraction
My analysis:
They did equally well. EJ’s tenacity allowed them to have fire and potable water. EJ’s infection was unavoidable, and without a medic, he would have been out of the challenge. EJ’s pep talk with Kellie helped her get back in the game, and they both thrived after Kellie caught the fish and they both ate. These challenges are much more difficult in real life than it is watching the show and commenting on a couch. I have done many expeditions and adventure outings, but I had clothes and at least a tarp and blanket to stay warm. Even with the gear I carried, it can be challenging. For these two survivalists to do this for 21 days with a successful extraction, this shows, as a team, that they can survive Naked and Afraid.
