Way of the Wolf (22 page)
Authors: Bear Grylls
In
chapter 25
of Way of the Wolf, Beck uses a tarp to create a deck for his make-shift raft. A tarp – or tarpaulin – is a sheet of waterproof material that can be used to create a quick and effective shelter, either for spending the night, or simply for protecting yourself from the elements. It has a number of advantages over a more traditional tent.
It’s lighter, so will keep the weight of your pack down.
If you try to erect a tent in the rain, you’re more than likely to get the inside wet. A tarp shelter can be erected much more quickly and, as there is no floor to get
wet, rain isn’t really a problem. It’s quick to dry, too.
Cooking under a tarp in wet weather is straightforward and safe.
Many people prefer the openness of a tarp shelter – you’re not enclosed in canvas so have more of a sense of being in the outdoors.
Tarps can be erected in a number of ways. Common configurations include an A-type roof (elevated or at ground level), a lean-to, over a camp cot or hammock, or any combination of these.
I have used tarps in some very obscure, difficult places, from jungles to swamps, and they have been very useful when needing cover in a hurry. They also provide good space to work in while keeping out of the rain. They don’t keep the mozzies out, but a well-placed fire can do that job for you.
HIDDEN DANGERS
If you’re in an environment where wildlife is a consideration, use a tent rather than a tarp as it puts a wall between you and any unwanted visitors. It may not seem to be a particularly strong wall, but no lions or tigers, for example, have ever been known to rip through a tent purely to get at the occupant. Bears have been known to do this, but only when the occupant has made the mistake of taking food into the tent with them – a big no-no if you’re in bear territory.
BEAR GRYLLS
is one of the world’s most famous adventurers. After spending three years in the SAS he set off to explore the globe in search of even bigger challenges. He has climbed Mount Everest, crossed the Sahara Desert and circumnavigated Britain on a jet-ski. His TV shows have been seen by more than 1.2 billion viewers in more than 150 countries. In 2009, Bear became Chief Scout to the Scouting Association. He lives in London and Wales with his wife Shara and their three sons: Jesse, Marmaduke and Huckleberry.
 | GOLD OF THE GODS |
| Location: The Colombian Jungle | |
| Dangers: Snakes; starvation; howler monkeys | |
| | |
| | Beck travels to Colombia in search of the legendary City of Gold. Could a mysterious amulet provide the key to uncovering a secret that was thought to be lost forever? |
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| WAY OF THE WOLF |
| Location: The Alaskan Mountains | |
| Dangers: Snow storms; wolves; white-water rapids | |
| | |
| | After his plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, Beck has to stave off hunger and the cold as he treks through the frozen mountains in search of help. |
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| SANDS OF THE SCORPION |
| Location: The Sahara Desert | |
| Dangers: Diamond smugglers; heatstroke; scorpions | |
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| | Beck is forced into the Sahara Desert to escape a gang of diamond smugglers. Can he survive the heat and evade the smugglers as he makes his way back to safety? |
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| TRACKS OF THE TIGER |
| Location: The Indonesian Wilderness | |
| Dangers: Volcanoes; tigers; orang-utans | |
| | |
| | When a volcanic eruption strands him in the jungles of Indonesia, Beck must test his survival skills against red-hot lava, a gang of illegal loggers, and the tigers that are on his trail . . . |
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| CLAWS OF THE CROCODILE |
| Location: The Australian Outback | |
| Dangers: Flash floods; salt-water crocodiles; deadly radiation | |
| | |
| | Beck heads to the Outback in search of the truth about the plane crash that killed his parents. But somebody wants the secret to remain hidden – and they will kill to protect it. |
