By Ashley Thompson

The survivalists are in Cayo Venado, Mexico, just off the Yucatan peninsula on an inhospitable island. The remote landscape of mangroves is excellent cover for big cats, jaguar and black panther (the largest cats in the western hemisphere). The rainy seasons saturate the land with methane spewing swamps which are home to 4 different types of venomous pit vipers.

Brandon is a 28 year old animal control officer and Navy vet from Jonesboro, AR. Basically he quit his job to do this because he "needs a challenge". He brings along a machete, possibly a fire starter and a PSR of 6.8. Robin is a 32 year old nurse and Air Force reservists from California. She has participated in several wilderness challenges but doesn't like being naked (um... bad choice of show, then). She comes in with pot and a PSR of 6.9.

To get to their first camp they must trek through mangled negation to the beach on the other side of the island. Two hours into their journey they run into a chechen tree, which has poisonous black sap that causes blisters and second degree burns. If left untreated it could become infected and cause septic shock. While building their shelter from the cats circling their camp during the night, Brandon gets the chechen sap on him. It becomes severe quickly and the medics are called in for prevention. Since he is allergic to poison ivy, the medic is concerned due to the fact that apparently chechen is like poison ivy. The next day the medics are called again and he cannot continue the challenge unless he receives two shots, one for the allergic reaction and another for the swelling.

Although Brandon is hurting, he is also hungry. But it's hard to hunt when you can't move because your joints are on fire. It doesn't look like Robin would be able to do much without him because as soon as she starts to re-enforce the shelter it collapses. She convinces him to try for one more night when he discloses his eagerness to tap out. She quickly remembers a Mayan herbal medicine that works as an antidote for the chechen sap. Thanks to his thoughtful partner, Brandon decides to stay the remaining 12 days! But not if they don't eat soon.

If the island is so inhospitable, what do the big cats eat? There must be food other than coconuts somewhere. They don't get a chance to find out because the rain starts and they are stuck inside their shelter conserving energy (7 inches of rain in 36 hours). Since they didn't bring in fire wood before the rain started their fire is slowly dwindling. Plus the wind blows their shelter over and they are beyond screwed. It's only day 14. Exposed to 5 days of cold rain and now no fire with a windshield of 46 degrees, they are at risk for hypothermia. It prompts the team to call in the medic once again. Hello potato sacks (warming blankets).

Although the pair made a pact to stick it through together, they in fact tap out together, one week shy of their extraction. Brandon leaves 25 pounds lighter and a PSR score of 6.1. Robin lost 16 pounds and her PSR dropped to 6.1, as well. It is the first time in Naked and Afraid history that a pair taps out together.

Photo credit: Discovery