He Survived 65 Days Alone at Sea in a Deliberate Self-Experiment

In 1952, French biologist Alain Bombard set sail all alone in a 15-foot inflatable boat from the Canary Islands. His aim was to sail alone across the Atlantic. That was a crazy idea in itself, but what was even more remarkable was what he didn't take with him. Bombard had no engine, no food, and no fresh water. That was no mistake- Bombard had deliberately equipped himself like a shipwreck survivor to prove a point. 

Bombard had witnessed the toll of shipwrecks as a young doctor, and as he studied marine biology, he became convinced that castaways on the high seas could survive if they had enough knowledge about sea creatures and their nutritional content. It's not the kind of experiment you can round up university students for, so he took it on himself. After practice runs on the Mediterranean, Bombard spent two months alone on the Atlantic ocean, eating raw fish and other creatures and drinking seawater. He was "rescued" once, but after one meal, took to the sea again. He lost more than 55 pounds on his journey. But what about drinking seawater? Isn't its salt content supposed to be deadly? Bombard explained his theory and how drinking seawater worked for him during his 65 days as a castaway in an article at Amusing Planet.