Beachcombing

A fishing boat found while beachcombing.

Beachcombing is a gameplay mechanic in The Long Dark, which allows the player to acquire otherwise non-renewable items.

Items can wash up along the icy shoreline regions of Great Bear Island (Desolation Point, Coastal Highway, Bleak Inlet and Crumbling Highway). Rarely the player's character must stand atop Weak Ice to gather these items, but most of the time a player can safely stay on normal ice or the shore.

Tideline Spawns

The quality and quantity of items found appears to vary with experience mode. Items you can find from beach-combing include:

Standard

	Item	Rarity
	Stick	22.22%	Yes
	Reclaimed Wood	7.41%	Yes
	Cedar Firewood	5.93%	Yes
	Cloth	5.93%	Yes
	Smallmouth Bass (Raw)	4.44%	Yes
	Cat Tail Stalk	4.44%	Yes
	Birch Bark	4.44%	Yes
	Cat Tail Head	3.7%	Yes
	Green Birch Sapling	3.7%	Yes
	Fir Firewood	3.7%	Yes
	Scrap Metal	3.7%	Yes
	Rifle Shell Casing	2.96%	No
	Coho Salmon (Raw)	2.96%	Yes
	Broken Arrow	2.22%	No
	Green Maple Sapling	1.48%	Yes
	Old Man's Beard Lichen	1.48%	Yes
	Rifle Cartridge	1.48%	No
	Flare Shell	1.48%	No
	Cotton Toque	1.48%	Yes
	Bandage	1.48%	Yes
	Painkillers	1.48%	Yes
	Sports Socks	1.48%	Yes
	Baseball Cap	1.48%	Yes
	Broken Fire Hardened Arrow	1.48%	No
	Wires	1.48%	Yes
	Cured Leather	1.48%	Yes
	Improvised Knife	0.74%	No
	Tin of Sardines	0.74%	Yes
	Running Shoes	0.74%	Yes
	Leather Shoes	0.74%	Yes
	Recycled Can	0.74%	Yes
	Cured Leather	0.74%	Yes

Post-blizzard

	Item	Rarity
	Cat Tail Head	5.38%	Yes
	Green Birch Sapling	5.38%	Yes
	Fir Firewood	5.38%	Yes
	Smallmouth Bass (Raw)	5.38%	Yes
	Cat Tail Stalk	5.38%	Yes
	Birch Bark	5.38%	Yes
	Cedar Firewood	5.38%	Yes
	Cloth	5.38%	Yes
	Reclaimed Wood	5.38%	Yes
	Stick	5.38%	Yes
	Rifle Shell Casing	4.3%	No
	Coho Salmon (Raw)	4.3%	Yes
	Broken Arrow	3.23%	No
	Green Maple Sapling	2.15%	Yes
	Old Man's Beard Lichen	2.15%	Yes
	Rifle Cartridge	2.15%	No
	Flare Shell	2.15%	No
	Wool Toque	2.15%	Yes
	Painkillers	2.15%	Yes
	Climbing Socks	2.15%	No
	Cured Leather	2.15%	Yes
	Hunting Knife	1.08%	No
	Ketchup Chips	1.08%	Yes
	Leather Shoes	1.08%	Yes
	Hacksaw	1.08%	No
	Emergency Stim	1.08%	No
	Wool Longjohns	1.08%	No
	Simple Arrow	1.08%	No
	Fire Hardened Arrow	1.08%	No
	Broken Fire Hardened Arrow	1.08%	No
	Quality Tools	1.08%	Yes
	Spray Paint	1.08%	Yes
	Rabbit Carcass	1.08%	Yes
	Military-Grade MRE	1.08%	No
	Marine Flare	1.08%	Yes
	Cured Rabbit Pelt	1.08%	Yes
	The Frozen Angler	1.08%	Yes

Items that you can find inside spawned containers:

Backpack

	Item	Rarity
	Beef Jerky	7.46%	Yes
	Chocolate Bar	7.46%	Yes
	Ketchup Chips	6.72%	Yes
	Granola Bar	6.72%	Yes
	Summit Soda	5.97%	Yes
	Stacy's Grape Soda	5.97%	No
	Wood Matches	5.22%	Yes
	Dog Food	5.22%	Yes
	Spray Paint	5.22%	Yes
	Water (Potable)	4.48%	No
	Tin of Sardines	4.48%	Yes
	Accelerant	3.73%	Yes
	Salty Crackers	3.73%	Yes
	Pinnacle Peaches	2.99%	Yes
	Energy Bar	2.99%	No
	Wool Toque	2.24%	Yes
	Wool Mittens	2.24%	No
	T-Shirt	2.24%	Yes
	Baseball Cap	2.24%	Yes
	Wool Socks	1.49%	Yes
	Down Vest	1.49%	Yes
	Hoodie	1.49%	Yes
	Military-Grade MRE	0.75%	No
	Thin Wool Sweater	0.75%	Yes
	Rifle Cartridge	0.75%	No
	Fishing Tackle	0.75%	No
	Flare	0.75%	Yes
	Climbing Socks	0.75%	No
	Recycled Can	0.75%	Yes
	Go! Energy Drink	0.75%	No
	Revolver Cartridge	0.75%	No
	Marine Flare	0.75%	Yes
	Maple Syrup	0.75%	Yes

Frozen Corpse

	Item	Rarity
	Beef Jerky	5.1%	Yes
	Tinder Plug	5.1%	Yes
	Wood Matches	5.1%	Yes
	Wool Toque	5.1%	Yes
	Summit Soda	5.1%	Yes
	Chocolate Bar	5.1%	Yes
	Stacy's Grape Soda	5.1%	No
	Trail Boots	4.1%	Yes
	Running Shoes	4.1%	Yes
	Ketchup Chips	4.1%	Yes
	Flare	3.6%	Yes
	Tin of Sardines	3.6%	Yes
	T-Shirt	3.6%	Yes
	Hoodie	3%	Yes
	Revolver Cartridge	2.5%	No
	Charcoal	2.5%	Yes
	Energy Bar	2.5%	No
	Lantern Fuel	2.5%	Yes
	Rifle Cartridge	2.5%	No
	Cotton Scarf	2.5%	Yes
	Bandage	2%	Yes
	Sport Vest	2%	Yes
	Windbreaker	2%	Yes
	Sports Socks	2%	Yes
	Thermal Underwear	1.5%	Yes
	Dog Food	1.5%	Yes
	Fishing Tackle	1.5%	No
	Marine Flare	1.5%	Yes
	Thick Wool Sweater	1%	No
	Condensed Milk	1%	No
	Spray Paint	1%	Yes
	Arrowhead	1%	Yes
	Antibiotics	0.5%	Yes
	Painkillers	0.5%	Yes
	Flare Shell	0.5%	No
	Combat Boots	0.5%	Yes
	Recycled Can	0.5%	Yes
	Go! Energy Drink	0.5%	No
	Maple Syrup	0.5%	Yes
	Whetstone	0.5%	Yes
	Sewing Kit	0.5%	Yes
	Flashlight	0.5%	No

Locker

	Item	Rarity
	Trail Boots	3.45%	Yes
	Running Shoes	3.45%	Yes
	Leather Shoes	3.45%	Yes
	Driving Gloves	2.76%	Yes
	Windbreaker	2.76%	Yes
	Cotton Toque	2.76%	Yes
	Hoodie	2.76%	Yes
	Sweatshirt	2.76%	Yes
	Sport Vest	2.76%	Yes
	Jeans	2.76%	Yes
	Newsprint	2.76%	Yes
	Plaid Shirt	2.76%	Yes
	T-Shirt	2.76%	Yes
	Wood Matches	2.76%	Yes
	Book	2.07%	Yes
	Book	2.07%	Yes
	Cloth	2.07%	Yes
	Cotton Scarf	2.07%	Yes
	Ketchup Chips	2.07%	Yes
	Lantern Fuel	2.07%	Yes
	Simple Parka	2.07%	Yes
	Newsprint Roll	2.07%	Yes
	Scrap Metal	2.07%	Yes
	Light Shell	2.07%	Yes
	Accelerant	1.38%	Yes
	Wool Scarf	1.38%	Yes
	Marine Flare	1.38%	Yes
	Antiseptic	1.38%	Yes
	Painkillers	1.38%	Yes
	Chocolate Bar	1.38%	Yes
	Pork and Beans	1.38%	Yes
	Down Vest	1.38%	Yes
	Flare	1.38%	Yes
	Fleece Mittens	1.38%	Yes
	Revolver Cartridge	1.38%	No
	Summit Soda	1.38%	Yes
	Go! Energy Drink	1.38%	No
	Stacy's Grape Soda	1.38%	No
	Spray Paint	1.38%	Yes
	Wool Toque	1.38%	Yes
	Water Purification Tablets	1.38%	Yes
	Thin Wool Sweater	1.38%	Yes
	Work Boots	1.38%	Yes
	Work Gloves	1.38%	Yes
	Cargo Pants	0.69%	No
	Combat Boots	0.69%	Yes
	Flare Shell	0.69%	No
	Replacement Fuse	0.69%	Yes
	Cured Leather	0.69%	Yes
	Line	0.69%	Yes
	Thermal Underwear	0.69%	Yes
	Wool Mittens	0.69%	No
	Stack of Papers	0.69%	Yes
	Simple Tools	0.69%	Yes
	Tinder Plug	0.69%	Yes
	Tomato Soup	0.69%	Yes
	Water (Potable)	0.69%	No
	Wires	0.69%	Yes
	Work Pants	0.69%	No
	Arrowhead	0.42%	Yes
	Rifle Shell Casing	0.42%	No

Trunk

	Item	Rarity
	Ski Jacket	8.57%	Yes
	Windbreaker	8.57%	Yes
	Sport Vest	8.57%	Yes
	Simple Parka	8.57%	Yes
	Light Shell	8.57%	Yes
	Cotton Toque	5.71%	Yes
	Fleece Mittens	5.71%	Yes
	Down Vest	3.43%	Yes
	Old Fashioned Parka	3.43%	No
	Wool Scarf	3.43%	Yes
	Wool Toque	3.43%	Yes
	Trail Boots	3.43%	Yes
	Wool Mittens	3.43%	No
	Driving Gloves	3.43%	Yes
	Hoodie	3.43%	Yes
	Running Shoes	3.43%	Yes
	Ski Gloves	1.71%	No
	Urban Parka	1.71%	No
	Military Coat	1.71%	No
	Newsprint	1.71%	Yes
	Cloth	1.71%	Yes
	Mackinaw Jacket	0.57%	Yes
	Mariner's Pea Coat	0.57%	No
	Long Wool Scarf	0.57%	No
	Insulated Boots	0.57%	No
	Mukluks	0.57%	No
	Ski Boots	0.57%	No
	Snow Pants	0.57%	No
	Flare	0.57%	Yes
	Cowichan Sweater	0.57%	No
	Expedition Parka	0.57%	No
	Flight Jacket	0.57%	No

Suitcase

	Item	Rarity
	Sport Vest	3.26%	Yes
	Wool Toque	3.26%	Yes
	Light Shell	3.26%	Yes
	Cotton Scarf	3.26%	Yes
	Simple Parka	3.26%	Yes
	Running Shoes	3.26%	Yes
	Leather Shoes	3.26%	Yes
	Fleece Mittens	3.26%	Yes
	Wool Scarf	3.26%	Yes
	Cotton Toque	3.26%	Yes
	Wool Shirt	3.26%	No
	Down Vest	3.26%	Yes
	Thick Wool Sweater	3.26%	No
	Plaid Shirt	3.26%	Yes
	Wool Socks	3.26%	Yes
	Baseball Cap	3.26%	Yes
	Cargo Pants	3.26%	No
	Thin Wool Sweater	3.26%	Yes
	Hoodie	3.26%	Yes
	Dress Shirt	3.26%	Yes
	Sweatshirt	3.26%	Yes
	Thermal Underwear	3.26%	Yes
	T-Shirt	3.26%	Yes
	Sports Socks	3.26%	Yes
	Jeans	3.26%	Yes
	Ski Jacket	1.63%	Yes
	Combat Pants	1.63%	Yes
	Climbing Socks	1.63%	No
	Wool Longjohns	1.63%	No
	Wool Mittens	1.63%	No
	Book	1.63%	Yes
	Book	1.63%	Yes
	Sewing Kit	1.63%	Yes
	Book	1.63%	Yes
	Hockey Jersey	1.63%	Yes
	Antibiotics	0.82%	Yes
	Painkillers	0.82%	Yes
	Fisherman's Sweater	0.16%	No
	Fishing Tackle	0.16%	No
	Firearm Cleaning Kit	0.16%	No

Fishing Boat Large Container

	Item	Rarity
	Newsprint	9.76%	Yes
	Running Shoes	4.88%	Yes
	Scrap Metal	4.88%	Yes
	Light Shell	4.88%	Yes
	Windbreaker	4.88%	Yes
	Cotton Scarf	4.88%	Yes
	Cloth	4.88%	Yes
	Beef Jerky	4.88%	Yes
	Granola Bar	3.41%	Yes
	Marine Flare	3.41%	Yes
	Wool Scarf	2.44%	Yes
	Baseball Cap	2.44%	Yes
	Work Boots	2.44%	Yes
	Orange Soda	2.44%	No
	Leather Shoes	2.44%	Yes
	Fleece Mittens	2.44%	Yes
	Cotton Toque	2.44%	Yes
	Hoodie	2.44%	Yes
	Trail Boots	2.44%	Yes
	Down Vest	2.44%	Yes
	Spray Paint	2.44%	Yes
	Hockey Jersey	2.44%	Yes
	Sweatshirt	2.44%	Yes
	Wires	2.44%	Yes
	Replacement Fuse	2.44%	Yes
	Simple Parka	1.46%	Yes
	Wool Toque	1.46%	Yes
	Chocolate Bar	1.46%	Yes
	Cardboard Matches	1.46%	No
	Plaid Shirt	1.46%	Yes
	Stone	1.46%	Yes
	Wool Mittens	0.49%	No
	Rifle Cartridge	0.49%	No
	Insulated Boots	0.49%	No
	Revolver Cartridge	0.49%	No
	Simple Arrow	0.49%	No
	Hacksaw	0.49%	No
	Jerry Can	0.49%	Yes
	Flare Shell	0.49%	No

Fishing Boat Left Small Container

	Item	Rarity
	Scrap Metal	5.1%	Yes
	Cloth	5.1%	Yes
	Beef Jerky	5.1%	Yes
	Cured Leather	5.1%	Yes
	Line	5.1%	Yes
	Lantern Fuel	5.1%	Yes
	Cardboard Matches	5.1%	No
	Charcoal	5.1%	Yes
	Chocolate Bar	5.1%	Yes
	Bandage	5.1%	Yes
	Wires	3.06%	Yes
	Hook	3.06%	Yes
	Newsprint	3.06%	Yes
	Arrow Shaft	3.06%	Yes
	Crow Feather	3.06%	Yes
	Sewing Kit	3.06%	Yes
	Painkillers	3.06%	Yes
	Flare	3.06%	Yes
	Tinder Plug	3.06%	Yes
	Replacement Fuse	3.06%	Yes
	Rifle Cartridge	3.06%	No
	Canister	3.06%	Yes
	Work Gloves	2.04%	Yes
	Arrowhead	2.04%	Yes
	Flare Shell	2.04%	No
	Stump Remover	2.04%	Yes
	Birch Bark	2.04%	Yes
	Sewing Kit	2.04%	Yes
	Gauntlets	1.02%	No
	Revolver Cartridge	1.02%	No
	Rifle Shell Casing	1.02%	No

Fishing Boat Right Small Container

	Item	Rarity
	Cloth	11.72%	Yes
	Newsprint	11.72%	Yes
	Scrap Metal	7.81%	Yes
	Cardboard Matches	6.25%	No
	Line	4.69%	Yes
	Recycled Can	3.91%	Yes
	Flare	3.91%	Yes
	Charcoal	3.91%	Yes
	Spray Paint	2.34%	Yes
	Work Gloves	2.34%	Yes
	Ketchup Chips	2.34%	Yes
	Wool Toque	2.34%	Yes
	Stone	2.34%	Yes
	Rifle Cartridge	2.34%	No
	Wool Scarf	2.34%	Yes
	Fishing Tackle	2.34%	No
	Hook	2.34%	Yes
	Fleece Mittens	2.34%	Yes
	Tin of Sardines	2.34%	Yes
	Revolver Cartridge	2.34%	No
	Long Wool Scarf	1.56%	No
	Summit Soda	1.56%	Yes
	Herbal Tea	1.56%	Yes
	Marine Flare	1.56%	Yes
	Energy Bar	1.56%	No
	Dusting Sulfur	1.56%	Yes
	Tomato Soup	1.56%	Yes
	Wires	1.56%	Yes
	Balaclava	0.78%	No
	Climbing Socks	0.78%	No
	Aviator Cap	0.78%	Yes
	Salty Crackers	0.78%	Yes
	Flare Shell	0.78%	No
	Aviator Cap	0.78%	Yes
	Down Vest	0.78%	Yes

Fishing Boat Cabin Container

	Item	Rarity
	Trail Boots	3.45%	Yes
	Running Shoes	3.45%	Yes
	Leather Shoes	3.45%	Yes
	Driving Gloves	2.76%	Yes
	Windbreaker	2.76%	Yes
	Cotton Toque	2.76%	Yes
	Hoodie	2.76%	Yes
	Sweatshirt	2.76%	Yes
	Sport Vest	2.76%	Yes
	Jeans	2.76%	Yes
	Newsprint	2.76%	Yes
	Plaid Shirt	2.76%	Yes
	T-Shirt	2.76%	Yes
	Wood Matches	2.76%	Yes
	Book	2.07%	Yes
	Book	2.07%	Yes
	Cloth	2.07%	Yes
	Cotton Scarf	2.07%	Yes
	Ketchup Chips	2.07%	Yes
	Lantern Fuel	2.07%	Yes
	Simple Parka	2.07%	Yes
	Newsprint Roll	2.07%	Yes
	Scrap Metal	2.07%	Yes
	Light Shell	2.07%	Yes
	Accelerant	1.38%	Yes
	Wool Scarf	1.38%	Yes
	Marine Flare	1.38%	Yes
	Antiseptic	1.38%	Yes
	Painkillers	1.38%	Yes
	Chocolate Bar	1.38%	Yes
	Pork and Beans	1.38%	Yes
	Down Vest	1.38%	Yes
	Flare	1.38%	Yes
	Fleece Mittens	1.38%	Yes
	Revolver Cartridge	1.38%	No
	Summit Soda	1.38%	Yes
	Go! Energy Drink	1.38%	No
	Stacy's Grape Soda	1.38%	No
	Spray Paint	1.38%	Yes
	Wool Toque	1.38%	Yes
	Water Purification Tablets	1.38%	Yes
	Thin Wool Sweater	1.38%	Yes
	Work Boots	1.38%	Yes
	Work Gloves	1.38%	Yes
	Cargo Pants	0.69%	No
	Combat Boots	0.69%	Yes
	Flare Shell	0.69%	No
	Replacement Fuse	0.69%	Yes
	Cured Leather	0.69%	Yes
	Line	0.69%	Yes
	Thermal Underwear	0.69%	Yes
	Wool Mittens	0.69%	No
	Stack of Papers	0.69%	Yes
	Simple Tools	0.69%	Yes
	Tinder Plug	0.69%	Yes
	Tomato Soup	0.69%	Yes
	Water (Potable)	0.69%	No
	Wires	0.69%	Yes
	Work Pants	0.69%	No
	Arrowhead	0.42%	Yes
	Rifle Shell Casing	0.42%	No

Container Spawns

New with the overhaul, larger objects and containers will now have a possibility of washing up after blizzards.

Containers:

• Backpack
• Frozen Corpse
• Single lockers
• Double lockers
• Trunk
• Suitcase

Harvestable:

• A ravaged Deer Carcass
• A ravaged Wolf Carcass
• Pallet
• Planks

Boats:

• A canoe with arrows and Beef Jerky.
• A rowboat with a Hatchet, Fishing Tackle and 3 fish.
• A fishing boat with 4 containers, raw fish in the back and may include distress pistol along with shells, marine flares, tin of sardines.

Strategy

• Wearing Crampons increases the timer of weak ice (from 5 to 6 seconds).
• Sprinting is useful or even necessary to collect beachcombing items without getting wet.
• Not being Encumbered or Fatigued greatly affects movement. Dropping heavy items before an attempt increases speed.
• Fleeing to the thicker ice and starting over from a failed attempt is often safer than risking getting wet.
• Beachcombing items spawn every few days at finite spawn locations; however, no item will spawn if there is already an item present, regardless of condition or usefulness. Thus, undesirable items should still be gathered to allow new items to spawn.
• Bringing firestarting materials to warm up should one fall in, or removing clothes pre-emptively so they will be dry if the player fails.
• Some of the items found when beachcombing can be heavy. If you have Tales from the Far Territory installed, consider bringing along a Travois to maximize efficiency.