# On a deserted island

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-deserted-island/48613>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 5, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-deserted-island/48613 "2001-01-05T19:34:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![devaultm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@devaultm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devaultm)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-deserted-island/48613/1 "2001-01-05T19:34:56Z")

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With the popularity of Cast Away, it got me wondering. Has there ever been a DOCUMENTED case of someone being stranded on a deserted island then returning to “civilization”?

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**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-deserted-island/48613/2 "2001-01-05T19:52:38Z")

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Sure. Alexander Selkirk was supposedly the inspiration for Robinson Crusoe.

[http://wy.essortment.com/alexanderselkir\_rehj.htm](http://wy.essortment.com/alexanderselkir_rehj.htm)

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**Author:** ![devaultm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@devaultm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devaultm)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-a-deserted-island/48613/3 "2001-01-05T19:57:58Z")

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Aw…that doesn’t really count…he did it voluntarily.