Smithsonian magazine published an article in the January/February 2025 issue titled “The Sailboat and the Storm.” It’s a fascinating, little-known story of the small vessel civilian fleet that patrolled the United States coastlines during WWII.
One of those civilian watercrafts was the Zaida, a 57-foot sailboat with a nine-man crew. The Zaida became lost at sea during a ferocious winter storm. They were finally found 3 weeks later and nearly 3,000 miles from home. They had been gone almost a month since they left on their original 7-day assignment. Three crew members were injured and the Zaida heavily damaged.
After 2 weeks at sea, their rations of beans, rice, and canned peaches were running low. Stress and calorie shortage were taking their toll. One crew member was too weak to go aloft and attach the repaired sail to the mast.
After 2-1/2 weeks, rations were 1 cup of food per day of whatever was left. Faces were gaunt and bodies weak. The 20-year-old crew member fainted on deck. Another young crew member was too weak to control the wheel. Tempers were short. Desperation, instead of common sense, was beginning to take control as starvation loomed.
Have you ever considered the effects of slow starvation on your mind and your body?
The BBC published a story in 2019 titled “What Happens When We Run Out of Food.”
These are some of the effects of starvation that researchers have found:
• Weight loss as your body metabolizes your spare fat and your muscle tissues
• Body temperature drops
• Lethargy
• Apathy
• Body organs begin to waste
• Liver and kidney problems occur
• Blood pressure regulation is impaired resulting in fainting
• Scurvy and pellagra occur due to lack of vitamins
• The immune system is impaired
Survival depends on a person’s body weight, how many calorie reserves are in their body, and the existence of chronic health conditions. Most people will die if their body weight drops to half of their normal body mass index. That occurs in 45 to 61 days without food. That’s 6-1/2 to 8-1/2 weeks.
Food shortages do not lead to famine and starvation and most famines, and starvation, are not caused by a shortage of food. Famines, and starvation, are caused by poor access to or no access to food.
There is something you can do about keeping your family famine-free. Take responsibility for keeping your family fed no matter what the circumstances. Store food now. While you can.
