O-Black Water (also known as Polar Express, Splash Into Me, and Seahorse With No Name) is a recurring water challenge in Survivor. It first appeared in Survivor: Worlds Apart and reappeared in Game Changers, Survivor 46, and Survivor 47.
Rules[]
The castaways are divided into two teams of five. One at a time, each castaway will cross three obstacles: a ramp, a net obstacle, and a balance beam. Once all five members have completed the course, they will dive into the water for a grappling hook, which they will use to secure five rings. The first team to grab all their rings wins.
The international version of this challenge uses the same water obstacle course, but replaces the grappling hook element with a puzzle element.
An individual variant of the challenge debuted in Survivor 46, with the ramp replaced with a tower obstacle.
History[]
United States[]
In Worlds Apart, the teams were neck and neck at the grappling portion, but the blue team of Dan, Mike, Shirin, Sierra, and Tyler pulled ahead, winning a feast of chocolate as their reward.
In Game Changers, the blue team of Andrea, Aubrey, Brad, Debbie, and Sierra had a huge lead and won a picnic reward after Cirie on the orange team was unable to cross the balance beam. After the challenge was over, Jeff Probst and Cirie's castmates all encouraged her to cross the balance beam, which she did, earning a round of applause from everybody. It was also at this challenge that Sarah Lacina found a secret advantage at the sit-out bench after the challenge concluded.
In Survivor 46, the challenge was played for individual immunity. Instead of climbing and sliding down a ramp, the castaways now jumped off a tower in the first stage of the challenge. Additionally, the final task was replaced with a dolphin jigsaw puzzle. Although Ben Katzman looked to be the favorite early on in the puzzle component, Maria Shrime Gonzalez surged into the lead and won her third Immunity Challenge, unknowingly defusing the Nuinui tribe's plan to blindside her.
The Survivor 46 version of the challenge was played for tribal immunity in Survivor 47. Each tribe would first send out one member, then their remaining members in pairs to complete the obstacle course, collecting keys along the way. Two tribe members would then solve a seahorse jigsaw puzzle at the end. Despite Andy Rueda floundering early on in the challenge, Gata was able to make a comeback and clinch a first-place finish. Due to Teeny Chirichillo's struggles on the balance beam, Lavo fell hopelessly behind as Tuku cruised to an easy second-place finish.
Australia[]
In Australian Survivor (2017), the challenge was used as a tribal Immunity Challenge. The castaways had to dive off a tower, go up and down a slide, and cross a net obstacle. Once on shore, one member will use a machete to hack through a pole, releasing a bag of puzzle pieces that two tribe members will use to piece together a seashell. Asaga member Henry Nicholson succeeded in his plot to throw the challenge, granting Samatau victory and sending Asaga to Tribal Council.
South Africa[]
In Island of Secrets, the challenge appeared as the first tribal Immunity Challenge. The three tribes had to start by taking apart a Burr puzzle and carrying the pieces across the water obstacle course. They would then reassemble the block puzzle, with the first two tribes to do so winning immunity. The puzzle proved to be a challenge for all three tribes as they spent nearly 90 minutes in the rain struggling to reassemble their blocks. In the end, Ta'alo finished their puzzle first, while Laumei scored a second-place finish to send Sa'ula to Tribal Council.
Winners[]
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Worlds Apart "Livin' on the Edge" |
Team Reward |      Dan, Mike, Shirin, Sierra, Tyler |
| Game Changers "A Line Drawn in Concrete" |
Team Reward |      Andrea, Aubry, Brad, Debbie, Sierra |
| Survivor 46 "Mamma Bear" |
Individual Immunity |  Maria Shrime Gonzalez |
| Survivor 47 "Belly of the Beast" |
Tribal Reward/Immunity |      Gata |
     Tuku |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Survivor (2017) Episode 6 |
Tribal Immunity |         Samatau |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Island of Secrets "I Just Want to Fix Your Crown" |
Tribal Immunity |        Ta'alo |
       Laumei |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Sierra Dawn Thomas is the only person to compete in this challenge twice. She won both times she competed.
- Both times the challenge was used in the United States, the Blue Team won. Both times the challenge appeared internationally, the teal tribe lost.