Helpful Survival Recipes vol. 1 By: Dean the Deckhand
Included in this book are some recipes for helpful survival items, and some basic usage information for the items.
Compass: Though you can get your bearings by checking the position and movement of the sun and moon, a compass is a handy thing to have in times where getting a good view of them is impossible or inconvienent. You'll need a magnetic stone, and some hardstone. Mold the hardstone into a hollow cylinder shape. Shave the magnetic stone into a needle and attach it inside the cylinder so that it can rotate freely. Color the north end of the needle red for easy reference.
Sextant:
This is a simple, but often invaluable tool for finding your way. It is used to calculate your world coordinates. The entire structure doesn't need to be too strong, so it can be made out of hardstone. You will also need a small sharp stone to use as a fine-tuning view marker. Combine the items together so that you have a view port to measure the angle between the horizon and a celestial body of your choice.
Flag marker: I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for a well placed flag. I find them handy for marking where I've already travelled. Just cut you up some wood into a pair of poles, and fasten some cloth inbetween them. The dual pole structure is of my own design, and apparently it caught on quick. Quite a few others have adopted the method after seeing mine.
Tripwire:
If you are the adventuring type, then no doubt you have experienced trouble. You can slow any pursuers down with a good old fashioned tripwire. Find you some strong plant fibers and connect them beween some wood. Keep the structure low to the ground so that it is hard to see. Lead them to where they will run over it, and you my friend will gain yourself an advantage. After tripping over a few thorn vines, I also had the idea of maknig a tripwire out of them, but I have yet to try it out.
Healing Potions and Bandages: The white flowers that are common among many of this islands in this area seem to have healing properites. Crush a couple of them together to make a potion. They are also beneficial when applied topically. If you don't have any flowers handy, you can make a simple bandage out of some cloth.
Bamboo Fishing Pole
The ocean is teeming with fish of all types. Some are good to eat while others have more interesting uses. My preferred method of catching them is with a bamboo pole. Bamboo is plentiful on many of the islands in the region. Make a pass through the bamboo patches as you see them, and eventaully you'll find a pole suitable for the job. Then find some sort of stringy material. Normal plant fibers are not strong enough in my experience, but sometimes you can find some extra strong ones that will do the job. The silk of the native island spiders is also sufficient. Lastly, find a ripe tree fruit to use as a bobber.