Survive in the wild

My acquaintance with Kamchatka took place in very unexpected circumstances. I flew to the film crew, to shoot a film about how people survive in the wild, and I was lucky enough to get there by photographer.

idea

Modern man: what he can do if you suddenly found himself in the wild? Can he survive on its own, or you should not even try to fight for their lives?

Modern lifestyle is strongly pulled us from the wildlife with which side by side for centuries our ancestors lived. Cities and office work is greatly weakened man on the physical plane and, more importantly, psychologically.

That's about a range of issues set itself the crew, with whom I went to Kamchatka, where we planned to carry out an experiment of survival in the wild and to make a documentary about everything that happened with the main character.

Who

The protagonist - Stas from Rostov-on-Don, a computer programmer. Before the project was training 2-3-day trips, during which Stas studied the practice of survival. A man with no experience no one would have dared to take such a project. Director and he's operator - Sergei, a student of VGIK. And I - as a photographer.

Where

Conceived route was approximately as follows: Kamchatka, from the road 209 km in the valley Right Kamchatka Lake Demadova (Far), then to pass between Bakening and New Bakening, then the lake Bear, then at Verhneavachinskoe. This area was chosen also because there are few tourists, which could hinder the shooting and create an atmosphere of loneliness hero.

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The principle was that. Stas is a minimal set of survival knife, jar, pot, flint glasses (poor eyesight), Repshnur 25 meters, with a compass and map all the clothes that on it. With this set the hero had to go through a specified route and within 12 days to get out on the highway.

The film director has put very strict conditions - the crew had no right to interfere in the life of the hero, even banned all talk, except for those that were necessary in the course of taking photos and film. And even if the hero wandered, we do not have the right to correct him. It had to be the hero as far as possible immersed in the situation. A silent film crew, he soon noticed, being used, which is almost all the time it is removed, I or director.

There were only two - the photographer (s) and operator (Sergey). On the one hand, we were very mobile, but had to endure a very heavy backpacks. This greatly complicated the process of shooting: with a huge backpack is not particularly run for Stas.

Part One. Mutnovsky volcano

August 4 we all came to Kamchatka, and 5th have already gone to Mutnovsky region.

There we acclimatized 7 days, get used to the weight of the backpack and the new regime of the day: plus 9:00 to Moscow time, at first strongly unsettling - when you have to work very sleepy.

We filmed passages Stas, and established techniques, they work with each other. It was a holiday. I say this even after we went on Bakening. Fumaroles, exuding corrosive sulfur gases, I saw for the first time, and it was terribly interesting. It was certainly not easy work. The wind changes all the time, and sometimes we used to be covered the sulfur discharge, just in pairs.

Photographic equipment was kept well, but with the camera was more difficult. She quickly fog up, she had her "dress" in a specially sewn cover. However, it helped for a while. And I had to do take after take. Doubles gave me the opportunity again and again to look for interesting shots, but the final amount of cards in the camera, too, did not give much to turn around.

Part II

volcano Bakening State

After Mutnovskoe day rest on the basis of Ministry of Emergency Situations, and in the morning the next day move out to the side of the volcano Bakening. Loaded in the car body huge backpacks. In addition fotovideotehniki carry products that have reduced the maximum, and clothing, which is also the minimum. A part of the route, we will live with the director without a tent, and reducing the weight in favor of the technology. I am sleeping Stas: in case if for some reason Stas during the filming would not stand. And most of the first aid kit in case of problems with the health of the hero (or we).

Huge GASOLINE coming with us, his hide in the woods at the beginning of the route. It is our safety net. Making the cache, in which gasoline generator, gasoline and charging for the batteries.

In the car, as long as we go, Stas is still with us to talk and eat. We laugh, while he eats one after the other bars "Nuts". We all understand - that it will not last long. And after 4 hours we planted on the roadside in 209 km.

Scatters dust who went machines, silence envelops us, and Stas no longer with us. Grab backpacks barely keep up with him.

With few trees tundra stretches for 3-4 km, and then looming first hills, behind which stands a himself Bakening - now, in the haze of a hot day, a distant and harmless.

The first 5 minutes, still looking around, admiring the beauty, but then all thoughts are focused on how to get to the next halt. Fortunately, Stas makes them often, starting to eat blueberries, which in the marshy tundra is full.

Even before we started shooting, we discussed the route, and was developed by the approximate route of movement. We planned a small transitions in the afternoon (3-4 hours) after Stas night's sleep (at night he had to wake up frequently and maintain the fire, which he somehow warmed). The first light when teplelo Stas slept. In the evening, Stas had a lot of time to spend on collecting firewood and construction of shelter from the wind and rain. But, as happens on the road, having pads that changed the original plans. Since we do not have the right to intervene in the orientation process Stas, you could not even tell that it deviates from the route. As a result, Stas strayed from the route.

Transitions complicated by the fact that we had to wade through impassable thickets. Huge backpacks hinder promotion and Stas, for obvious reasons, I could not stop us. It happened on the third day of the journey, when the body of Stas was rebuilt on the regime "have nothing to eat." He turned aside too early.

Later Stas said that on that day he was thinking hard, and apparently this was the reason that he could not adequately navigate the terrain. These plutaniya spent another 3 days, as a result - the route had to be reduced, reaching only up to Bear Lake.

There also had to stay a day longer, leaving 2 days for the return of what was really in the butt. But Stas was necessary to rest and try to catch the fish to recover and reach the finish. Crew, this respite was also needed. Removed during transitions is simply unrealistic when behind under 40 kg.

Mostly Stas ate blueberries. Lingonberry is not yet ripe. But not everywhere was plenty of berries. In swampy areas and rocky passes berries and did not, and then he had to eat the flowers of willow-herb and nettle leaves. The weather was arid, and rely on fungi do not have to, and they would help greatly.

Even when up above, I began to meet creeping cedar, in which the cones have the nuts. Stas warmed them at the stake, in order to better choose nuts, and eat straight from the shell.

The fish was only in Bear Lake.

The first day of fishing was a failure. Made of sticks with a knife and Repshnur something like spears, Stas tried to catch fish, but to no avail. I tried to catch various small animals, but here it has failed. The next day Stas dedicated exclusively fishing. One fish he could catch his hand, and two more - with the help of T-shirts. Mike put it into the water, and on top - found on the banks of dead fish. When the concerned fish floated over a T-shirt, he yanks it.

So he was able to at least a little to quench his hunger, bake the fish in the leaves. Those three little fish, as it said Stas, seemed to him the most delicious that he ate in his life, even though they were without salt and spices. And it happened that, in spite of the abundance of fish in the lake, the main diet again consisted of nuts and berries.

Looking at Stas, I've tried to catch a fish, as our meager rations did not provide satiety, but soon became convinced from experience that catching fish without a fishing rod is not easy.

Our diet: the morning - oatmeal package of "fast"; lunch - at his brother polplitki chocolate; supper - sudzhuk or piece, or 100 g of cereals (buckwheat, rice, lentils).

Weather

Throughout the entire trip to the Bear Lake the weather favored us, except in rare and not strong rains. But when it came time to go, the sky overcast tightly. In the morning - fog and strong all day - cold wind and rain.

I had to go from morning to evening every 2 days, breaking the 15-18 km. Tired, dripping wet (top pours, and the bottom wet, sometimes waist-grass), on the strength limit, we descended into the valley. But when the road home - the legs themselves are.

On the 2nd day, late at night, we arrived at the Emergency Situations Ministry base where we had a headquarters. The first thing we visit the grocery store. Stas, of course, rations had been cut up raw carrots and boiled potatoes. After surviving, he did not dare to eat something else, and in the evening the next day, I cooked the boys ear of chum salmon, and it was necessary to see how it was eating our hero! However, we do not keep up with him, Hercules managed to annoy the order!

Now Stas already in his native city of Rostov-on-Don. Again he goes to work and communicate with colleagues in the office. But the events to which he was in August in Kamchatka, have fundamentally changed the view of the world, the usual household stuff and global issues.

Survival Experience has shown the importance of taking the right decisions and the ability to be focused and confident in yourself and your abilities. During survival Stas became very clear to count their forces, and if we understand that the action is not worth its effort, he refused it.

Undoubtedly, this experience will help Stas in ordinary urban life, and, of course, there are plans to continue the research themselves in similar situations ... Well, let's say, somewhere in the vast North Karelia. So, perhaps, the project is waiting for the continuation!

Despite the fact that such travel may not be easy, I want next year to arrange something of this kind in the North Karelian lakes or Arctic. Now we come up with a scenario with the filmmaker, but probably it will not survive and which is another goal, but more importantly, will the journey itself.