Off Grid Living: Great Barrier Island, NZ

I don’t watch much TV, but recently while flipping through channels before going to bed I saw an episode of “House Hunters” on HGTV located on Great Barrier Island, New Zealand. A few things that would make any survivalist/prepper take notice:

As the island is geographically isolated, there are some important things to keep in mind when preparing to travel there to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable trip… As there are no banks or ATMs on the island, it’s recommended that you take cash.
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Great Barrier Island has no mains power, water supply or sewage system. It is powered by alternative energy systems – mostly by generator or solar.

While tourism brings income with which to purchase supplies, electricity, heating, and water are all handled by individual households. It’s not a stretch to imagine farming, herds of small animals, and fishing to supply food. At just over 60 miles from the mainland and with an area of about 110 square miles and a permanent population of 852, it seems pretty close to ideal for a TEOTWAWKI situation.

However, given New Zealand’s firearms laws and the fact that tens of thousands of people with boats might have the same idea about living there, it may or may not be an ideal. Regardless, the way in which the residents of Great Barrier Island live can be a model to strive for.

Great Tips from Survival Blogs

Here are several great tips from the various survival/prepper blogs I visit daily that I’d like to share here. Still not weekly, but we’ll see.

• Cooking Off-grid: STHF Plan has a post on Cooking Off the Grid by The Survival Mom that is full of recommendations on useful items, in the main post and comments. For solar cooking, the Solar Oven looks like a pretty good place to start. A bit pricey, but can be had for just over $200 new on eBay. There are several types, so shop around. Also check out the Solar Oven Society. Another cooking backup recommendation is the StoveTec Rocket Stove (w/video here).
• Emergency Water Storage: Survival Cache highlights a product for emergency water storage, with an item called the Water Bob, and they even found the best price out there for us. Rather than just storing water directly in a bathtub during an emergency, this large bag fits in a bathtub and includes a small pump. Aside from not having to put water into a potentially unclean tub, the bag will keep the water fresh longer, prevent seepage down the drain, and prevent evaporation. I’m ordering one today.
• Hidden Rooms: Readers of Survival Blog sent in several links for products that will help you conceal rooms in response to an article on the same topic. I think this is a critical but often overlooked aspect of storing supplies. While my brothers and I haven’t yet created a hidden space to store food, weapons, etc., it’s definitely in our plans.
• Make Your Own MREs: Accept the Challenge has a post on making Homemade MREs, which I think is a great idea. Basically put together meals based on calorie content, shelf life, what you’ll eat (!), etc. and prepackage them for emergency situations. I do this to a lesser degree, but will use this info to get more organized in doing so.