Sunburnt & Sinking: A Stranded Deep Survival Diary โ€“ Final Day

Sunburnt & Sinking: A Stranded Deep Survival Diary โ€“ Final Day

Difficulty: Normal
Optional Features: Permadeath enabled (naturally)

“They say the sea is unpredictable. Turns out the real danger was bacon on legs.”

Weather / Loot / Mood

  • Weather: Pre-dawn calm, rising chop mid-crossing, sun blazing by mid-morning
  • Loot: One rock (upgraded into a knife), empty shipping container, one near-death experience
  • Mood: Optimistic โ†’ seasick โ†’ suspicious โ†’ hogged off the mortal coil

Goodbye, Starter Island

I woke before sunrise, sipped the last drips from my water still, and realised food was once again my biggest problem. My emergency coconut stash stared back at me like an unsolvable puzzle โ€” great for hydration, but without a knife, they were just spherical disappointments. The conclusion was obvious: this island had given me all it could, and it was time for me to move on.

Two new islands called from the horizon, their silhouettes promising fresh loot and maybe, just maybe, an edible dinner. I picked one, whispered a fond but brief farewell to my starting island, and began the process of leaving. This was a mistake โ€” not the leaving, but underestimating how much my raft had bonded with the beach.

Raft Wrestling & Ocean Gymnastics

Step one was prising the raft off the sand. The thing behaved like it had signed a long-term tenancy agreement and was not about to leave voluntarily. Once I freed it, I faced my next foe: the paddle, which seemed determined to stay attached like a stubborn remora. Then came the ocean itself.

Within minutes, my crossing turned into an impromptu extreme sport. I capsized more times than I care to admit, each time righting the raft while muttering things not suitable for a survival diary. The swell toyed with me, and every few waves I was convinced Iโ€™d see a shark fin break the surface. But eventually, the new island came into focus โ€” and with it, signs of potential treasure. A red shipping container sat on the shore, while offshore, a wooden pole jutted out of the water. Wreckage? Supplies? Or just an elaborate distraction?

New Shore, New Knife, No Loot

Landfall came with an overwhelming sense of relief. First priority: tools. I grabbed a rock, worked it into a knife, and set out to investigate the shipping container. The excitement lasted right up until I swung the door open to revealโ€ฆ absolutely nothing. No food, no tools, not even decorative debris. My mood sank faster than my raft had earlier that morning.

Still, the island was bigger than it first appeared, with palm trees casting long shadows across the sand. Somewhere out here, there had to be food. Or at least something less likely to stab me in the stomach than my own hunger.

The Hog Strikes Back (โ€ฆTwice, Actually Thrice)

Thatโ€™s when I saw it: a hog. Large, broad-shouldered, and wearing the kind of expression that suggested it already hated me. Before I could take a step back, it charged โ€” no hesitation, no negotiation, just a blur of tusks and fury.

Desperation kicked in. I fought back with my newly crafted knife, scoring a few hits before it bolted into the undergrowth. Victory? Not quite. As I turned to check my surroundings, I spotted a snake winding its way across the sand. Excellent โ€” protein! I lunged, only for the hog to return for round two. We clashed again, my health dropping with each collision.

By the time round three began, I was already bleeding and winded. Iโ€™d love to say I managed a heroic counter, but the truth is the hog bowled me over like I was nothing more than driftwood in its path. The world went dark, the game flashed its verdict, and my save was gone. Just like that.

Epilogue: Lessons from the Hog

So ends my Stranded Deep run โ€” three days according to the game, four by my own count. I learned a lot: coconuts are useless without a knife, rafts are stubborn, and hogs are natureโ€™s way of telling you to keep your distance. It was a short ride, but fun. Next time, maybe Iโ€™ll survive long enough to cook that bacon instead of becoming it.

Continue the Journey

Day 1 |
Day 3 |
Final Day (You Are Here)

From Solo Chaos to Shared Adventure

What do you enjoy most about writing?

The connection. Writing lets me share survival chaos with people who get it โ€” those who know the panic of wolves howling in The Long Dark or the joy of finally finding duct tape in Stranded Deep. It turns solo survival into a shared adventure

(Plenty more shared survival chaos at Survivor Incognito.)

Rain I Can Handle โ€” Wolves, Not So Much

What do you love about where you live?

Loving where I live is easy โ€” mainly because I donโ€™t need a campfire and a hunting knife just to make it through the week.

The weather. Specifically, that it isnโ€™t as brutal as the survival games I play. Sure, it rains more than Iโ€™d like, but at least I donโ€™t have to fight off wolves on the way to the shops or light a campfire just to boil tap water.

(For harsher climates and questionable survival tactics, Survivor Incognito has plenty.)

Survivorโ€™s Dread Hub + Rules of Survival Updates

Hub & Rules Updates โ€“ Survivorโ€™s Dread and Beyond

Two big refreshes: the Survivorโ€™s Dread hub gets a makeover with clickable images and new content, and the Rules of Survival page is sharper, broader, and now includes Day One Diaries.

Survivorโ€™s Dread Hub Refresh

The horror corner of Survivor Incognito has had a makeover. The Survivorโ€™s Dread Hub is now cleaner, more visual, and easier to explore:

  • Clickable images: Each series hub can be entered directly by tapping/clicking the banner images.
  • Subnautica added: While not strictly survival horror, leviathans in the dark absolutely qualify as โ€œhorror-adjacent.โ€
  • Cleaner sections: Each series now has its own block with a blurb so you can jump straight in.
  • Coming soon: Future plans include Resident Evil, Metro Redux, and more Switch-friendly nightmares.

Check out the updated Survivorโ€™s Dread hub โ†’

Rules of Survival Page Updated

The Rules of Survival (According to Me) page also got a major refresh. It now serves as the central rulebook across all my permadeath runs and diaries, and includes:

  • Day One Diaries rules: One day, one shot. Added with a link to the Day One Diaries Hub.
  • Expanded series add-ons: Grounded, Stranded Deep, Subnautica, Alien: Isolation, Dredge, Skyrim, The Long Dark, and SnowRunner all have their own entries.
  • Streamlined global rules: Now strictly focused on in-game survival, with practical, Switch-friendly allowances.

If youโ€™ve ever wondered what invisible rulebook guides my permadeath chaos, this is the place to look.

See the updated Rules of Survival page โ†’

Why This Matters

These refreshes make the site easier to navigate, clearer for new readers, and a stronger foundation for the survival chaos to come. Whether youโ€™re following the horror diaries or the more traditional survival runs, youโ€™ll know exactly what rules Iโ€™m following, whatโ€™s changing, and where to dive in.


Laughing Through the Chaos

What positive emotion do you feel most often?

Amusement. Usually at my own terrible survival decisions. If I can laugh after freezing to death in The Long Dark or being headbutted by a doedicurus in ARK, then Iโ€™m probably doing alright.

Because if I canโ€™t laugh at freezing, starving, or being eaten by wolves, whatโ€™s the point?

(Plenty more questionable decisions and laughs at Survivor Incognito.)

From To-Do List to Side Quest

How do you plan your goals?

I treat goals like I treat survival game objectives: make a list, ignore it, then improvise wildly while avoiding disaster. Sometimes I even complete the original goal โ€” usually by accident.

(Plenty more accidental victories at Survivor Incognito.)

Snowrunner Survival: The Permagear Diaries โ€“ Driver Log Five

Frank puts in a full shift as Road Block and Wet Harvest get cleared in Black River. Red gets a look at the map, and we hit Rank 4.

๐Ÿ“œ Series Hub: SnowRunner Survival: The Permagear Diaries Main Hub

๐Ÿ›  Rules: SnowRunner Permagear Rules

๐Ÿ’ก Why Permagear Works: Read the reasoning behind the challenge

Missed Day Four? Find it here.


A Day in the Life of Frank

We begin the day staring down a literal Road Block. It wants two service parts from the warehouse. No problem. This is Frank’s moment. The Fleestar rolls out, collects the goods, and delivers them without so much as a grumble. Road cleared. Mission done. Easy.

With the path open, Red (our sprightly little Scout 800) heads out and uncovers another Watchtower. A little more map, a little more potential chaos.


Wet Harvest, Maximum Effort

With more of the map visible, I queue up Wet Harvest. Itโ€™s a multi-stage farm delivery runโ€”only one truck is suited to the task. You guessed it: Frank is back in action.

First stop, the warehouse. We grab some bricks and discover they also stock metal beamsโ€”very handy intel for future tasks. Bricks get dropped off at the farm without incident.

Frank heads home for a well-earned breather, some repairs, and a small upgrade: a raised exhaust pipe. Itโ€™s not glamorous, but it keeps the engine breathing when the terrain gets swampy.


Wood, Metal, and a Promotion

Next, weโ€™re off to the lumber mill for wood. Frank makes the pickup and hauls it straight back to the farm. No drama. Just dependable grunt work.

Finally, we collect metal beams from the warehouse. One last delivery and the Wet Harvest task is officially in the rear-view mirror.

And with that, we hit Rank 4. Not bad for a dayโ€™s work. Frankโ€™s still in one piece, Redโ€™s scouting strong, and the map keeps growing.


๐ŸŽฏ Task Summary:

โœ… Road Block โ€“ 2x Service Parts delivered

โœ… Wet Harvest โ€“ Bricks, Wood, and Metal Beams delivered to the farm

๐Ÿ“New Watchtower discovered


๐Ÿ›  Fleet Update:

Frank (Fleestar 2070A) โ€“ Now with a raised exhaust. Still the MVP.

Red (Scout 800) โ€“ Cleared the fog and didnโ€™t flip once. Proud of them.


๐Ÿ†™ Rank Up!

Weโ€™ve hit Rank 4. A few more levels and we can start unlocking better upgrades, which will come in handy when the terrain stops playing nice.


Want more SnowRunner? Day 6 link coming soon.

The Gamerโ€™s Guide to Emergency Preparedness

Create an emergency preparedness plan.

Step 1: Gather essentials โ€” food, water, first-aid kit, and a fully charged Nintendo Switch.
Step 2: Identify safe zones (bonus if they have Wi-Fi).
Step 3: Keep a backup power bank, because no disaster is worse than a dead console mid-survival run.
Step 4: Practice evacuation routes โ€” both in real life and in-game, because you never know when the blizzard (or the cougar) will hit.

(For more survival plans โ€” most of which involve questionable decisions โ€” Survivor Incognito is fully prepared.)

Immersion, But Make It Glitchy

What is a word you feel that too many people use?

โ€œImmersive.โ€ Itโ€™s become the seasoning everyone sprinkles on a game review, even if the most โ€œimmersiveโ€ part is falling through a glitchy map. In my world, true immersion is shivering on the couch while playing The Long Dark on Voyageur.

(Plenty more โ€œimmersiveโ€ disasters await at Survivor Incognito.)

Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 6: Blizzard Send-Off, Ptarmigan Detour, and the Great Cooking Pot Tragedy

Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 6: Blizzard Send-Off, Ptarmigan Detour, and the Great Cooking Pot Tragedy

Weather: Blizzard โ†’ calm โ†’ chilly dusk
Loot Highlights: Maple syrup, ptarmigan, teas
Mood: Mildly triumphant, then deeply betrayed by my own memory

โ—€ Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay  | 
What is Customloper?

Mountain Town Farewell Tour

The plan was simple: head for Mystery Lake. Naturally, The Long Dark decided my departure needed to be as unpleasant as possible. I stepped outside, full of optimism and travel plansโ€ฆ straight into a wall of snow. The blizzard hit so hard I half-expected the wind to demand my boarding pass.

Not keen on becoming a frozen cautionary tale before I even left Milton, I retreated back inside. While the storm roared outside, I repaired my climbing socks โ€” because if Iโ€™m going to dangle from a rope over a death drop, my feet should at least be comfortable.

When the snowstorm finally lost interest in my destruction, I made a quick supply drop at my blizzard cache in Milton Park: food, flares, and a little hope for future me. If my track record says anything, future me will absolutely need them.

En route, I spotted a couple of ptarmigans. One made a clean getaway, but the second wasnโ€™t so lucky โ€” a quick stun and scoop secured dinner. My frame rate then staged its own protest against survival, solved with the ancient ritual of a one-hour nap and a full restart.

A Quick Rope-Climbing PSA

For anyone following along at home:
1. Over your carry weight? Youโ€™re not climbing.
2. Too tired? You wonโ€™t make it far before the rope wins.
3. Both? Prepare for a long fall and a high hospital bill (if hospitals still existed).

The climb up was almost suspiciously smooth. No wolves lurking at the bottom, no moose guarding the top. Just crisp air, creaking rope, and the growing certainty that something unpleasant was saving itself for later.

At the top, my guy was winded but not dying โ€” a personal best. It was a short slog to the transition cave, where I took one last look at Mountain Town and stepped into the dark unknown.

Cave Navigation Pro Tip

Pick a wall โ€” left or right โ€” and stick to it the entire way. Youโ€™ll either find the exit or discover youโ€™ve been walking in circles for hours. Either way, youโ€™ll feel like a pro.

The cave was mercifully straightforward. I found a pre-built campfire setup and used it as an excuse for a much-needed coffee break. The simple act of brewing coffee pushed my Cooking skill to Level 2: Novice โ€” still a long way from โ€œChef,โ€ but Iโ€™ll take it.

With caffeine restored, I pressed on until daylight spilled through the cave mouth. Welcome to Mystery Lake.

Mystery Lake: The Training Wheels Region (With Wolves)

The Hunt for a Rifleโ€ฆ and a Cooking Pot

The sun was already sliding toward the horizon, so I aimed straight for Trapperโ€™s Cabin. First thing I checked: the rifle rack. Empty. The loot gods remain cruel.

The safe offered a small consolation prize in the form of maple syrup โ€” proof that at least one deity in this frozen world still cares about my morale.

Finally, I harvested the ptarmiganโ€ฆ and immediately remembered that every single one of my cooking pots was still back in Milton. All of them. My dreams of a hearty stew crumbled faster than my willpower in a wolf chase.

Instead, I brewed a round of reishi and rose hip teas, boiled water, and contemplated the life choices that had brought me to โ€œhot leaf juiceโ€ as my primary meal. The only upside? I now have a reason to return to Milton, assuming I survive long enough.

Day 6 Summary

  • Location: Mountain Town โ†’ Mystery Lake
  • Finds: Maple syrup, ptarmigan
  • Wildlife Watch: Ptarmigan spotted and secured
  • Conditions: Blizzard start, calm finish
  • Status: Alive, caffeinated, cookware-less

Continue the Journey

โ—€ Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay
Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 7 โ–ถ

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