One famous castaway real life story is that of Robinson Crusoe, although it was a fictionalized account based on real - life castaways. In real life, there was Alexander Selkirk. He was marooned on an uninhabited island for four years. His story inspired Defoe to write 'Robinson Crusoe'. Another is the story of Marguerite de la Rocque. She was stranded on an island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in the 16th century. She survived along with two other people through great hardships.
A notable castaway real life story is that of Mau Piailug. He was a Micronesian navigator. Once, he was stranded on an island for some time. His skills in traditional navigation and his ability to survive in the harsh island environment are remarkable. He later became well - known for teaching traditional navigation techniques.
Well, there's the story of Juana Maria. She was the so - called 'Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island'. She was left alone on the island for 18 years. She managed to survive by building shelters and finding food sources like fish and shellfish. Also, there was the case of Jose Salvador Alvarenga. He drifted at sea for over a year on a small boat. He survived by catching fish and birds and drinking rainwater.