For the non-caveman among us, there are portable desalination pumps. These look like fancy water bottles with a pump on top. You stick the hose in the ocean, pump like you’re inflating a stubborn air mattress, and out comes fresh water. It uses a special membrane called reverse osmosis, which is basically a bouncer that kicks salt out of the party.
The downside? These gadgets cost a pretty penny and love to clog if you don’t pre-filter the sand and seaweed. I once tried one on a camping trip and spent more time unclogging it than actually drinking. It was like owning a sports car that only runs on Mondays—cool in theory, frustrating in practice.
Make Your Own "Ocean Straw"
You can even build a DIY desalinator with a plastic bottle, a piece of tubing, and some heat. Fill the bottle with salt water, attach a tube to the cap, and wrap the bottle in a black shirt (to absorb heat). Put it in direct sunlight. The water evaporates inside, the vapor travels down the tube, and you collect it in another container. It’s basically a sweating soda can, but for survival.
How To Purify Salt Water: Staying Hydrated Regardless What
I tried this in my backyard once. My neighbor saw me sitting on the lawn, staring at a black sock wrapped around a bottle. He asked if I was “okay.” I said I was making drinking water from the ocean. He nodded slowly, backed away, and I haven’t seen him since. The point is: it works, but you’ll look like a mad scientist.
