I am greatly and deeply indebted to those who have helped me make this book happen.
Mike Vlessides is the ghostwriter, or perhaps more appropriately the editor, of this book. He spent hundreds of hours talking long-distance on the phone with me, pulling from my memory everything he could, to put down on these pages. Without Mike, and his tremendous patience, creative skill, and diligence, this book would never have been possible.
Laura Bombier is the photographer for this book. She is also the stills photographer for the TV series Survivorman and as such has traveled the globe with me, trying to capture the essence of what I do. And capture it she has! Her creative skill is second to none, and her partnership with me on this book has brought it to heights I could never have achieved without her.
Beverley Hawksley is the illustrator for Survive! I did not want the same old line drawings; I wanted the technical aspects to be combined with artistic beauty. Beverley captured that vision fantastically. Beverley’s work is inspired, beautiful, and powerful. She is an artist in the purest sense of the title.
I enlisted the help of a group of survival-instructor friends to read every word and throw their comments back to me, challenging anything thought to be not quite right. To Doug Getgood, Dave Arama, and Douw Kruger, thank you so very much. You saved me from a couple of blunders and some forgetfulness, helping to make this book the best it can be.
Along the way, I have learned so much from some great people in the field and often had my preconceived notions changed forever. Thank you to “Desert” David Holladay, Mike Kiraly, Allan “Bow” Beauchamp, Brian Brewster, Charlie Ford, Belly John, Frank Gagliano, Belize Sailing Charters, Lee Gutteridge, Koos Moorecroft, Raphael Gunduza, Douw Kruger, Ngaa Kitai, Dave Reid, Sam Omik, Jim Yost, Tomo, Kinta, Anna, Ippa, and Duey (from the Amazon rain forest), Ron Durheim of Alaska Aquatics, Fred Rowe and Frank Yamick (my very first teachers), Matt Graham, John and Geri McPherson, Robert J. Wilson, Gino Ferri, Ernie and Donna Nichols of Huron Air, Wes Werbowy, and Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht.
Sue, Raylan and Logan: You have put up with my absence, which was a hard sacrifice. You have feared for my safety. You have created an environment that nurtured and cared for me greatly during many times of stress and challenge. Raylan and Logan, I know it’s really hard to understand a dad who is away on adventures so much, but I miss you every single moment. You are the lights of my life, and I love you more than anything.
A special thanks to my “team.” Wendy Turner: I am there for you and you are there for me—it’s a beautiful thing; Beth Cavanagh, Andy Peterson, Max Attwood, Andrew Sheppard, Parres Allen, Barry Farrell, and Dan Larade: I have constantly felt bolstered and supported by you all and am very proud to call you my friends. Now “get back to work!”
Luke Despatie, for cover design and so much more—thank you so very much.
Also a nod of thanks to the Survivorman gang, who have fought hard through the challenges of making that series: Dave Brady, Seaghan Hancocks, Barry Clark, and Dan Reynolds. And none of it would have happened were it not for the first acceptance by Jane Mingay and Jane Gilbert of Discovery Canada and Anna Stambolic of OLN. Thank you, Patrice Bail-largeon.
As always, thanks, Mom. And thanks to my sister, Laura. A very special thank you to Peter Dale, whose faith in me got me into of all this in the first place.
Also a special thank you to Rick Broadhead, who came out of nowhere to quickly become a trusted literary agent and friend. Thank you for helping me navigate the waters of publishing, Rick.
Thank you Brad Wilson and Anne Cole, editors for HarperCollins. I am so very proud to become a member of the HarperCollins family. You have renewed my faith that large, successful corporations can also treat one lone person with integrity and respect, and I am very grateful for the incredible support, belief, and gentle advice you have given me.