Coastal Survival Techniques Course
This course gives you the essential knowledge to face an emergency on the coast, whether after reaching shore from a boat or when stranded on an isolated stretch of coastline. You will learn how to assess the situation and set vital priorities, recognize coastal hazards such as rip currents, tides and cliffs, protect yourself and build an emergency shelter, manage heat and cold, obtain usable water and safe food, move along the shore safely and make yourself visible to rescuers.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Coastal Survival Techniques Course?
This short course prepares you to make sound survival decisions in coastal environments. You will study the principles of coastal survival and the initial assessment of your physical state, resources, weather, tides and terrain, vital priorities, coastal types from sandy beaches and cliffs to marshes and estuaries, hazards such as rip currents, surf, hypothermia, heatstroke and rockfalls, thermoregulation and emergency shelters made from natural and recovered materials, water collection and the dangers of drinking seawater, emergency food and food risks, orientation using natural references, tide windows and safe routes towards help or rescue.
What sets this course apart: it is built around decisions rather than tricks, so you learn to prioritize protection, water, warmth and signaling according to the coast you are on and how conditions are changing; it gives special weight to the tide and to the risks that most often turn a coastal incident into a tragedy; and it closes with an applied final project in which you resolve a complete survival scenario and assess its short and medium-term viability.
Program highlights
- Initial assessment: physical state, resources, weather, tides, terrain and immediate threats.
- Coastal hazards: rip currents, surf, tides, cliffs, fauna, hypothermia and heatstroke.
- Shelter and thermoregulation: emergency shelters, insulation and safe waiting locations.
- Water and food: rain collection, condensation, filtration and safe coastal food sources.
- Orientation and movement: natural references, tide windows and safe routes to help.
- Applied project: full coastal survival scenario with action plan and viability assessment.
Syllabus of the Coastal Survival Techniques Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of coastal survival, initial assessment of the environment and vital priorities in coastal emergencies
- 1.1. Concept and principles of coastal survival: preserving life, controlling risk and making decisions in changing coastal environments
- 1.2. Initial assessment of the situation: physical condition, available resources, weather, tides, coastal relief and immediate threats
- 1.3. Prioritizing vital needs: protection, water, body heat, signaling, shelter and planning the first actions
- 1.4. Types of coast and their influence on survival: sandy beaches, cliffs, marshes, rocky areas, estuaries and isolated coastlines
- 1.5. Identifying coastal hazards: rip currents, surf, hypothermia, sunstroke, fauna, rockfalls and rapid tidal changes
Personal protection, shelter, thermoregulation and adaptation to the coastal environment during prolonged exposure
- 2.1. Principles of thermoregulation in coastal environments: heat loss, humidity, wind, solar radiation and management of physical effort
- 2.2. Building emergency shelters with local resources: sand, rocks, vegetation, flotsam and recovered materials
- 2.3. Protection from rain, wind, salt spray and night-time exposure: shelter orientation, basic insulation and conservation of body heat
- 2.4. Prevention and initial management of hypothermia, hyperthermia, exhaustion and sunstroke in coastal and marine environments
- 2.5. Choosing safe locations to spend the night or wait for rescue: distance from the tideline, ground stability and protection from waves
Obtaining water, emergency food and safe use of natural resources on the coastal strip
- 3.1. The priority of water in coastal survival: physiological needs, risks of dehydration and common decision errors
- 3.2. Techniques for finding and obtaining usable water: rain collection, condensation, run-off, basic filtration and improvised storage
- 3.3. Risks of drinking seawater and contaminated sources: physiological effects, warning signs and rejection criteria
- 3.4. Obtaining emergency food on the coast: basic shellfish gathering, improvised fishing, responsible foraging and safe selection of edible resources
- 3.5. Identifying food risks: toxic species, biological contamination, spoilage and handling errors in a salty environment
Orientation, safe movement and reading the coastal environment for survival and rescue decisions
- 4.1. Fundamentals of orientation in coastal areas: natural references, position of the sun, relief, tides, currents and the shape of the coastline
- 4.2. Interpreting tidal cycles and safe movement windows: risks of being cut off, flooding and loss of escape routes
- 4.3. Techniques for moving across beaches, dunes, rocks, cliffs and unstable coastal ground without compromising safety
- 4.4. Choosing evacuation routes or progression towards help: criteria of visibility, access, stability, distance and exposure to the sea
- 4.5. Recognizing signs of human presence, infrastructure, shipping routes and likely points of location and rescue
Final project: coastal survival strategy, scenario resolution and assessment of response capacity
- 5.1. Definition of the survival scenario: type of coast, weather conditions, initial resources, number of people and main threats
- 5.2. Preparation of the immediate action plan: vital priorities, choice of shelter, water, signaling and organization of the group or individual response
- 5.3. Design of the strategy for managing the environment: mobility, safety, tide watching, use of resources and prevention of further incidents
- 5.4. Integration of basic first aid and rescue signaling: initial treatment of injuries, emergency communication and maintenance of a safe point
- 5.5. Assessment of short and medium-term survival viability: resource consumption, environmental exposure, accumulated risks and adaptive decisions
Duration and format of the Coastal Survival Techniques Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Coastal Survival Techniques Course
Career opportunities after the Coastal Survival Techniques Course
Questions about the Coastal Survival Techniques Course
Protection from immediate dangers such as the sea and the tide, then shelter and body heat, water and signaling. The right order depends on the weather, the type of coast and your physical state, which is why the course starts with a structured initial assessment.
No. Seawater increases dehydration and can make the situation much worse. The course explains how to obtain usable water from rain, condensation and run-off and how to recognize contaminated sources.
Because a rising tide can cut off routes, flood a shelter or isolate you at the foot of a cliff in a short time. You learn to read tidal cycles and plan safe windows for moving and choosing where to wait.
Yes. It is built around realistic scenarios, decision exercises and case analysis that you resolve step by step. Any practice outdoors should be done in safe conditions and, where appropriate, with qualified supervision.
You define a coastal survival scenario, draw up an immediate action plan, design a strategy for managing the environment, include first aid and rescue signaling, and assess how viable survival is in the short and medium term.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with simulated scenarios, practical exercises and personalized guidance from the teaching staff.
The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in Safety and survival
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at outdoor enthusiasts who hike, camp or paddle on the coast, tourism professionals and nature guides, maritime rescue and safety staff who want to update their knowledge, volunteers with organizations working in coastal areas and anyone who wants to learn to protect themselves on the coast; no previous experience is required, and basic knowledge of swimming, orientation and first aid is recommended.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer, tablet or mobile device with a stable internet connection and an up-to-date browser to follow the classes, scenarios and materials.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.