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Thread: Out of the Wild - Venezuela (REVIEW)

  1. #1

    Default Out of the Wild - Venezuela (REVIEW)

    I just finished watching the last episode of this year’s Out of the Wild series from the Discovery Channel and I had some thoughts about it all. I would be interested in what others thought as well. This series took place in Venezuela and had a similar format as last year’s Out of the Wild, The Alaska Experience. The basic premise is that 9 “everyday” people are placed in the middle of a remote wilderness where, with very little outside support, they must travel 70+ miles to reach civilization. According to the Discovery Channel website, each person was allowed to bring “only” the following items:

    1 Pair of good hiking boots
    2 pairs of long pants
    1 Pair of trainers (aka running shoes)
    2 long sleeve shirts
    3-5 pairs of socks
    bandannas — suggested
    1 rain jacket (Gore-Tex or rubber)
    Hat — Wide brimmed or baseball
    1 pair of rain pants (Gore-Tex or rubber)
    2 T-shirts
    1 fleece jacket or wool sweater for warmth
    2 pairs of shorts
    3 pairs of underwear (not cotton)
    Bathing Suit
    Malarial drugs

    In addition to the personal items above, each participant was able to choose supplies from a cache provided to them near their initial drop-off point. They were limited only by what they could or wanted to physically carry. Some of the gear was modern day survival equipment such as mosquito nets and fishing line and the rest was primitive equipment like that used by the Pemon Indians, the indigenous people that inhabit the area. This list included the following:

    2 small metal-framed military backpacks
    1 magnifying glass
    7 Pemon packs
    1 axe with handle
    4 bows with real barbed 1 and 2 point arrows
    1 axe without handle
    1 flint stone rock 1 hatchet
    1 spool of bailing wire
    2 military belt-mount canteens
    1 yucca strainer
    7 round shoulder slung canteens
    1 big fish trap
    9 pairs rubber boots
    10 fish hooks
    9 hammocks
    9 GPS Beacon transmitters
    1 roll of 1/8" parachute cord-style twine
    1 small dutch oven-style metal pan
    4 pairs of leather gloves
    1 big dutch oven-style metal pan
    1 oversized metal cooking pot/wash basin
    1 skillet
    2 maps per leg
    1 spool of 1/2" twine approx. 50' in length
    300 electrolyte tabs
    2 broad blade hunting knives with leather belt sheaths
    3 tall baby food jars
    1 Pemon big drop basket
    2 boxes of tampons
    4 small gourds
    1 compass
    1 large gourd with cork
    1 lb of Pemon ground grain
    3 machetes (small Pemon-style)
    1 Block of local back salt beef
    3 Pemon baskets
    5 military fleece blankets
    1 big flashlight and 4 extra batteries
    1 spool of spare slingshot cord
    9 mosquito nets
    1 palm hook knife with no handle
    2 candles
    1 roll of screen mosquito net
    9 whistles
    1 file for sharpening
    1 small roll of duct tape

    Unfortunately, neither the show nor the website explicitly indicates exactly what gear was chosen and what was left behind (though I did note that not once did I see anyone wearing leather gloves - what's up with that?). In contrast, the website for last year’s installment, Out of the Wild - The Alaska Experience, very clearly states that the group took EVERYTHING from their cache – even a ukulele.

    This is, at least, the official list. Careful observation during the show reveals that there were some other items that participants were allowed to carry. Included in this list would be at least one magnesium block with a firesteel, one fairly well-stocked first aid kit, some letters from home, and a very large “waterproof” Bible. In the Alaska Experience each participant was allowed to bring one personal item of their choice and it would seem reasonable that this group did as well – at least that’s what I read in to the presence of that huge Bible, the letters, etc. Looking at the official list makes me wonder what each of us think we would have lobbied to take/leave had we been there.

    The format to me was fascinating and I very much liked the fact that no one was there to win a big cash payout or any other prize. An equally awesome part of the format was the fact that no one could be “voted off the island.” That is, no one could “vote” anyone off but themselves. Each person carried their own SPOT GPS locator and could press the “911” button summoning a helicopter to come take them out at any time they wished. This represents a lifeline that would not really exist in a “real” survival situation but, proved a mighty powerful temptation to most of these adventurers, too much for some.


  2. #2

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    I would like to take a moment to record some initial thoughts about each of the participants and the lessons I took from their example.

    1. CAROLINA DELLEPIANE, Operations Manager (left on Day 8)
    Carolina was the quintessential city girl who simply didn’t understand some basic things – things that ended up costing her big time in the end. She brought along brand new hiking boots – no break in period. You can’t really blame her. After all, as a city girl, how was she to know that boots need to be broken in? (The answer, of course, is she should have researched everything she could about her trip as soon as she found out she was selected.) As a result, her feet got badly blistered and she was unable to complete the arduous hikes. In truth, she lacked any real knowledge of the outdoors and so who know how much she would have really contributed or how long she might have lasted if it hadn’t been for that one big mistake with the boots. Lesson learned: what you don’t know WILL hurt you.

    2. TARA FILER, Park Ranger/Wildlife Artist (left on Day 12)
    As a park ranger you would expect Tara to have had perhaps one of the very best understandings of anybody in terms of what she was getting herself into. She was the epitome of the rugged, do-it-youself, “I don’t need a man” (her words not mine) kind of gal. She was one of the strongest, most knowledgeable, and most beneficial members of the group while she was there. She was in reasonably good shape physically (no overt injuries, no passing out from malnutrition, etc.) when she quit. What did her in? A mirror. On day 11 the group made it to a modestly provisioned hut for a period of rest and one of the things they found in the hut was a mirror. She looked at herself and saw she wasn’t looking as pretty as she was accustomed to being. It scared her and she wouldn’t allow herself to get passed it. So she quit. This really demonstrated well my long-held belief that many people, like park rangers, forest rangers, game wardens, etc. who most of us would think are pretty familiar with wilderness are, in fact, not nearly as “one” with nature as they would like you to believe. Lesson learned: Vanity will get you EVERY time.

    3. ROB LACOMBE, Marketing Manager (left on Day 14)
    Rob is, in my opinion, a quitter. He was too prideful to be the first to go home but, he knew all along he would never reach the end. He had no intention of going that far. He’s a guy that likes to start things but does not have the fortitude to see anything through to the end. Thus he left because he had to (I’m paraphrasing him here) “get started living my life; having learned all the big lessons this experience has to offer.” Little did he know how much he missed because he was so anxious to get on to the “next thing.” Lesson learned: None really. Just that it would suck to be a quitter.

    4. SAMUEL EBEYER, Recruiter (left on Day 16)
    Despite the fact that he left only two days after Rob, I think Sam teaches a very different lesson. Sam was in great pain. Not muscle pain from lots of exercise, not hunger pain from lack of nutrition, but injury-based pain. Sam, based on other experiences in life, mis-self-diagnosed himself as suffering from hemorrhoids. They were so painful he could hardly move. He chose to leave to seek medical treatment. Truth is, hemorrhoids can be very uncomfortable, but are never life-threatening. So, we might think to toss Sam in with Rob as just a quitter. But then we wouldn’t have, as Paul Harvey used to say, the “rest of the story.” We were informed by the narrator that, upon arriving back to civilization, Sam was examined by a doctor and was found to be suffering from a rectal tear – a much different and much more serious problem then simple hemorrhoids. Had he stayed to tough it out, Sam could easily have put his life in jeopardy. Going was the smart choice and, had he not had this completely-unavoidable and unforeseeable problem, I’m sure Sam would have made it through to the end. Lesson learned: None of the survival (or other) games we play are worth losing your life. If you need help, get it!

  3. #3

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    The rest of the participants made it to the end of the experience, which occurred on Day 26.

    5. RYAN VAN DUZER, Freelance Journalist and Endurance Runner
    I’m on the fence a bit about Ryan. The thing is, he talked a lot about what he should be able to do, but he didn’t really, actually, DO much of anything. He worked on tasks, but only when someone else was working with him. He went fishing and such, but only with another person and always that other person did the fishing while Ryan observed and provided commentary. He was supposedly an endurance athlete, but he was the one in the absolute worst shape physically as the experience went on. At least, that’s how the editors’ choices of what to show made it seem. I can’t think of a single thing Ryan did of his own free-will and choice that served to help the group. He just freeloaded his way along. His only “saving grace” being that he was willing, with constant encouragement, to endure as much hardship as anyone else – as long as they were there working for his survival. Lesson learned: Freeloaders are everywhere. If you find yourself stuck with one, give them lots of chores to do. They won’t come up with a way to be useful otherwise.

    6. MICHAEL MERCHANT, Wildlife Technician
    Michael, to me, represents an excellent example of the age-old question of what to do with poorly behaved, but otherwise highly performing individuals. Everyone has these people where they work. You know the type: guys who won’t get along with anyone else, who tear down team morale with their immaturity, who stir the crap wherever they go, and who just generally make life miserable for all – but who at the same time are really, really talented at their chosen field and who make your venture (whatever it is) successful and profitable. You just can’t get around the fact that Michael consistently brought food to the table. That’s huge. Is it worth the trouble he represents? I don’t know. But since you can’t very often take these people and “vote them off the island,” you’ve got to find some way of living with them. Lesson learned: Antisocial high performers should, as much as possible, be allowed to do what they do best on their own. Isolate them from the group-dynamics as much as you can.

    7. NICK ALBINI, Capt. US Army, Army Ranger
    Nick was an interesting duck. You would think that his experience as a Captain in the army, as an Army Ranger, and having been a Platoon Leader in actual combat would just sort of cause him to become the defacto leader of the group. But that didn’t happen. Oh sure, he helped with a lot of the decision making and he used some of his Army skills to help with orienteering and brush busting but, this was definitely not the army and no one seemed to ever acknowledge Nick as a leader of the group, rather he was just another participant. Nick himself observed at the beginning of the first episode that he wondered if he could be a leader of people who did not have to follow him. Nick also demonstrated that military survival training – like that afforded an Army Ranger – is not necessarily all that useful in non-combat, non-military survival situations. Nick didn’t catch the most fish, he didn’t demonstrate any useful hunting skills, and he wasn’t much of a forager. His military training mostly helped by making him perhaps the most physically fit member of the group and thus able to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Don’t get me wrong. I could see that he was truly an active participant and a great benefit to this group, but by no means was he the leader. Lesson learned: Military training is great for military situations and where members of the group are compelled to follow the established chain of command. It doesn’t always apply or even necessarily help in non-military operations.

    8. BRAD STRAND, Healthcare Clinic Receptionist
    Brad was one of the most impressive members of this group, despite seemingly having nothing tangible to bring to the table. He is a receptionist at a healthcare clinic. His job is the very definition of monotony. He had no real outdoors experience or training. He seemed a reasonably decent fisherman but, his hunting efforts were laughable. He wasn’t particularly well educated. He didn’t really seem to know how to build shelters, start fires, set snares, or anything else. But this kid was enthusiastic beyond description. He was there to have an experience and he went all in for it. He would participate in anything, do anything, try anything, go anywhere and he did it with a smile on his face and in his heart. He took everything he could get from this experience and he buoyed up the others as they went along. Lesson learned: When you go in for an experience, go all in.

    9. MELISSA MAHONEY, Office Administrator
    This young lady is, in my estimation, the true leader of this group. She wasn’t assigned the task, no one asked her to take on the responsibility, she may not have even realized that she had taken on the role herself, but she had. Throughout the 26-day ordeal she was constantly upbeat, constantly striving, constantly motivating others to push on. She wasn’t squeamish about any chore or food or hardship and she never complained about anything. When the guys were lying around “spent” at camp, she (who had traveled just as far and on just as little nourishment) was fixing up the shelter, going fishing or foraging for food, portaging supplies to the raft, mediating disagreements, scouting out the trail to follow, providing medical and psychological care, and just generally encouraging the group to stay together, to work together, and to push on to the next goal. She brought in almost as much food as did Michael and she did it without complaining, or whining, or getting into personality conflicts. She wasn’t the biggest, the strongest, the most knowledgeable, or the most “qualified” but, she was undoubtedly the one who got the rest of the group to perform. I was so impressed with this girl. Lesson learned: Real Leadership is not a title to hold, not an honor to be bestowed, and not a bludgeon to be wielded. It is a lifestyle choice, based in humility and service to those being led. Those who possess this quality are easy to spot and are worth following.

    I found the show to be quite interesting. So much so that I would love to be able to sit down at Discovery Channel and watch all the video bits that didn’t make it to the final production. Alas, I'm sure that's never going to be a possibility.
    Last edited by lucznik; 08-29-2011 at 01:04 PM.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Aurelius95's Avatar
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    Good description of the show and the volunteers (I don't say "contestants" because there was no prize). I think it would have been useful to see what they chose as well. In previous shows like this, Discovery has always had "experts" show up and help the volunteers in their adventure. They would take them hunting, and provide them with enough firepower to take down dall sheep or moose. There was (apparently) none of this type of assistance on this go-round, which probably made it much harder for them. Wouldn't it have been cool if some Pemon showed up, helping them hunt or where to gather food?

    I don't necessarily agree with your analysis of all the participants. For one, Ryan, was always encouraging the group on their hikes. He was the one doing "cadence" to their steps. While he seemed faint at times, remember, being an endurance athlete, he doesn't have much body fat. Most of that was lost quickly, I would guess. If I was ever chosen for a show like this, I'd bulk up on some milkshakes for about a month before, adding to my reserves. I just think Ryan didn't have much left. Again, I think editing is important. We don't see everything that went on for 26 days.

    Like you, I was most impressed with Brad, and his attitude, and Sam, and Melissa. Nick, while he wasn't the designated leader, I do think he stepped in to that role. Remember, in any situation, you don't want everyone wanting to be the chef and nobody wanting to cook. Nick stepped up when needed, but didn't "lord" over anybody. I thought they did a good job of handling Michael. Is he not one guy you'd wish had pushed the button to go home? I'd prefer to take my chances without the headache. But you bring up a good point, that he did put a lot of food on the table.

    Anyway, good review, and rep sent.
    Not all who wander are lost - Tolkien

  5. #5

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    That was a very interesting summary of the characters. I would add a different take:

    It seemed to me that not a single participant really stood out as the leader all the way through. The "leadership" qualities seemed more to be a period of time when one participant makes more suggestions/observations than the others, than real leadership. Some were just more vocal.

    Nick, the Army Ranger, tried at times to take the lead, but you could see he was dealing with a different dynamic: 1. on camera and 2. dealing with civilians where there is no established authority structure. #2 makes all the difference. Because if he comes across too "bossy" by trying to lead, he'll get push back from the others (as he did from Mike in episode 7, for trying to telling him what to do).

    In the end, those who dropped out, had physical limitations. They were not necessarily weak minded. And the Forest Ranger did not drop out due to being traumatized by seeing herself in the mirror. She was the most starved, physically, than the others. Most of her body weight was gone. The ones who lasted, had the best health and were basically, survivors...not leaders. Nick, the Army Ranger, did very well, considering his situation.

    I saw that most all of them had the mental capacity to push all the way through. The limiters simply seemed to be when the health began to fail. Melissa was, simply put, a survivor.

    Very good show. Lessons to be learned in basic human instincts and the social dynamic, as well as physical limitations.

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    One more thing, is about Mike. As much of a pain that he was at times, he came through too many times with the food. Mike was critical, regardless of the personality.

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    I just started to watch this on netflix last night.
    I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
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    Senior Member SemperFi's Avatar
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    I love the out of the wild series , very good , when they were by the river starving , they couldnt catch a fish , couldnt find insects or fruits , lots of stuff was within grasp , but they didnt see it!
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Did this group try to backpack with a freekin' cast iron dutch oven like the last crew?

    I did not see the series and probably will not in the near future (no cable). I do note that the show has done the job most of the genere promotes, study of the personality rather than the activity/skills/tools/improvization.

    I see no firearms in this list, yet you speak of hunting. Did the mighty Cahvez decide that the Americans should not benefit from the existance of such tools?

    We are on much better political terms with Brazil at this point. I wonder why the producers decided to set this episode in a country so blatently hostile to all things American?

    They were out for 26 days? How did the gear hold up in the heat, humidity and fungal environment of the tropics?
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SemperFi View Post
    I love the out of the wild series , very good , when they were by the river starving , they couldnt catch a fish , couldnt find insects or fruits , lots of stuff was within grasp , but they didnt see it!
    I lived in Venezuela for approximately 1 1/2 years and it seemed like there was lot's of stuff to eat there, and everything else wants to eat you. A lot of the Insects were huge, and many kinds of fruit grows all over the place. I didn't get all the way into the Amazon jungle, just in the northern edge of it, so it could be quite different down in the middle by the river.
    But man I loved those Venezuelan women, there are hot lookin women all over that place!

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by lucznik View Post
    6. MICHAEL MERCHANT, Wildlife Technician
    Michael, to me, represents an excellent example of the age-old question of what to do with poorly behaved, but otherwise highly performing individuals. Everyone has these people where they work. You know the type: guys who won’t get along with anyone else, who tear down team morale with their immaturity, who stir the crap wherever they go, and who just generally make life miserable for all – but who at the same time are really, really talented at their chosen field and who make your venture (whatever it is) successful and profitable. You just can’t get around the fact that Michael consistently brought food to the table. That’s huge. Is it worth the trouble he represents? I don’t know. But since you can’t very often take these people and “vote them off the island,” you’ve got to find some way of living with them. Lesson learned: Antisocial high performers should, as much as possible, be allowed to do what they do best on their own. Isolate them from the group-dynamics as much as you can.
    I agree with most of what you wrote, but I think you might have short-changed Michael somewhat. I think he often had good survival sense and was ignored by the group. Sure, that is his fault for being so disagreeable, but he certainly had the right idea about not crossing rivers, not letting the boat go downstream, not wasting too much time repairing the boat, and where to forage. Had Nick and Sam not argued with him so much, the entire group would have benefitted. That said, I was surprised Nick did not stab him at some point.
    7. NICK ALBINI, Capt. US Army, Army Ranger
    Lesson learned: Military training is great for military situations and where members of the group are compelled to follow the established chain of command. It doesn’t always apply or even necessarily help in non-military operations.
    Yes, I agree with this a lot. It surprises me some that Nick appeared to make the decisions he did. Many times it seemed he was more willing to blunder through things with brute force than take a moment to think things through. I believe his attempt to walk across the single log was a good example. Mike's insistence that he use a rope or tree seemed sensible and a much more prudent option. I applaud this show for coming the closest to showing real survival, but Nick's behavior reminded me that he knew he always had a copter ride one button-push away. In a sense, thats probably why it would be a shame to judge his behavior or military training by his performance on this show, he knew it wasn't real and that might have made a difference for him.

    As for Brad and Melissa, I agree with everything you wrote. Melissa was the true leader of the group. But, I think there is a bigger and more tangible reason why she and Brad seemed to perform so well when the other's were so lethargic they could barely hold their heads up - body size. Brad and Melissa were small people - with slight body structure. Under extreme starvation with that level of work output, Nick and Ryan's larger frames and heavier muscle mass would completely have worked against them. I think what Nick really had going for him was stubborn determination. As the days wore on, it was all he could do to cary himself through the day. Ryan barely managed it. In prior seasons, it was the same issue. The larger struggled more. The first 7-8 days, the big guys were fine. But once you are into the depths of starvation, having less muscle and organ mass to feed is a huge advantage. Also, it appeared that the contestants shared their food portions equally. That meant that 90 lb Melissa got the same portion as 170 lb Nick. That make a very large difference to you mental state as well as your energy level. I just don't think she, Mike, or Brad were as calorie deprived as Nick or Ryan.

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