Ever been caught?

[Sinkman61]

Have any of you ever been caught sinking into really deep mud or quicksand? And if you did, how we’re you able to explain what you were doing to others, especially if you happened to be waist deep or more?

[CreamyClayK]

Yes, I had great luck as it was my first time out. I found a spot on a riverbank where a bunch of loose silt built up, a little over waist deep when some people in canoes decided to paddle on by. Luckily for me I had my excuse, I took my Kayak to the spot and I just laughed and said I chose a bad place to stop and rest. Since I was so deep they couldn't see my legs, and it was pretty hot out so me being without a shirt made sense. If I wasn't down as deep that could have gone very differently. Main point is you never know if you're gonna get caught so always have a good, convincing excuse lined up

[cj125]

I got real real close very recently. I have a great spot that is easily accessible via trail but is all but out of view of it unless you are very intentionally looking for it. Bottomless thick silty mud. It's amazing. The only issue is that the lake it is contained within is surrounded by neighborhoods. Normally this isn't an issue as there is a healthy cushion of woods between the spot and any houses but it does run the risk of people exploring the woods from the opposite shoreline discovering me which, until recently, wasn't a problem.

I'm neck deep shirtless, wearing a hood so hopefully my hair doesn't get too messy, and all of sudden I hear some hootin and hollerin from the other side of the lake...and getting closer quickly. I don't think another human being has gone from neck deep to completely out in a shorter amount of time than I did in that moment. I had no idea where they actually were, just that they were close and to get back to my clean up gear would mean very possibly being spotted and antagonized so I did the sensible thing and plowed through thick thorn bushes and stinging nettles while half naked and hunkered down until they went away.

Well I waited for what felt like an hour having a silent panic attack burrowed into the bushes and there was a thunderstorm moving in so I just decided I needed to get out of there. I just dropped my sinking gear right there, pushed through the rest of the bushes to the trail, hoping to god that no one was on it, and made my way around to my clean up bag from a more secluded approach. At that point, the mud was pretty dried so I just rubbed as much of it off as I could, threw my clothes on, and booked it back to my car.

I still have no idea if anyone saw me or not but even with all this time to think about it, I still have no idea what I would have said had I been caught and confronted. 0/10 would not recommend.

[mud_dreamer]

I have never been caught sinking but I did come very close once.

I was sinking almost neck deep at my favorite location which just happens to be under a bridge. All of a sudden I heard someone say something. It sounded like they were right behind me and asking me a question. I did not hear their question clearly so I just said, "Hello?" and then I turned around to find that no one was there.

I quickly realized that what I had heard was someone talking while riding a bicycle over the bridge above me. Fortunately they did not hear me and come back to investigate. I almost blew my own cover!

I decided then and there that if I ever get caught by Joe Public or Officer Tom, I will just act like a homeless guy hanging out under a bridge. I won't say much, maybe ... "Hi, I'm ok." and end it right there. Technically, I was not breaking any laws as I had clothes on (it was still light out). I did have a few beers in my backpack but since I rode in on a bicycle, I doubt many cops would care.

I will have money in my wallet so that I cannot be charged with vagrancy.

[Sinkman61]

I too almost got caught. I was sinking along side a dirt road that was rarely used down in south Florida. I was about chest deep when I heard the clanging of pedals turning on a rickety old bicycle. I never managed to get out of mud faster. I then turned and ran deep into the woods where I hung out for about a half hour. The bike had rode by and was apparently none the wiser. I don’t know how they could’ve possibly missed all the disturbed mud I had left in the area, well within plain site of the road. That was back in the early 80’s.

During that time I also found a large area along the New River that looked like a full fledged rain forest. All throughout the forest floor there were areas filled with mostly water. But there was also one particular area that looked like it came from the latest version of the movie “JUNGLE” when the guy gets himself trapped in quicksand while trying to find the river. That was a great, realistic scene of someone that doesn’t know how to escape gets himself trapped. Obviously I too went into that quicksand, and like our hero in the movie (which is on Netflix), I too managed to escape. A couple of weeks later, while looking for the quicksand again, it had started to rain. The forest floor was only an inch or so above the river, so it was quickly covered with water. I had decided that it was just best to leave because I couldn’t make out the forest floor from the deeper areas that always had water in them. I had done what I most feared, and stepped off the forest floor right into one of the water holes. But I didn’t sink a bit. Nope, instead I saw a large tail go swishing through the water right beside my foot, which was now being held up by the back of a very large, pissed off Florida alligator. I preceded to do my impression of walking on water and managed to escape the entire forest within seconds. I never went back to that location again. These days the forest is long gone and has become another damn shopping mall. Like we really needed another one.

I don’t worry nearly as much about getting caught as I once did. With the advent of YouTube, there’s plenty of good excuses that are certainly believable and frankly, entirely legitimate. You can claim that you’re simply “mudding up” to protect yourself from getting sunburn. You can likewise claim that you’re taking yourself a “mud bath” because it really is extremely good for the skin, as mud removes microscopic irritants that are often left behind by regular soap and water. After all, people actually pay good money at spas for mud baths that they could be getting for free, only better. And the survivors on “NAKED AND AFRAID” “mud up” quite often. My number one fear on getting caught is someone calling in a rescue team because when they catch me, only the very top of my head would still be sticking out of the mud. The last thing I want is some rescue team thinking that they need to extract me from the mud when I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself.

I’ve seen videos in YouTube of people that have been rescued and ended up being on the news. Usually these people are stuck waist to chest deep. However, there’s a couple where those being rescued were caught laying down in the mud while claiming to be stuck. There’s one in particular where the guy in laying in mud right next to some new construction. He claimed that he was cutting through as a short cut when he got himself stuck. I DON’T BELIEVE HIS STORY. HE GOT CAUGHT AND CLEARLY LIED TO COVER HIS ASS. The video shows this guy laying in the mud, about half sunk into the mud. However, his entire body, hair, face, and all is completely covered with mud. Why would someone that’s legitimately stuck then lay down and take themselves a full blown mud bath? There’s just no other way to reconcile the fact that this guy was COMPLETELY COVERED WITH MUD had he just gotten himself stuck unless he was a mudman!!! No doubt, he was playing around in the mud at the construction site when a contractor showed up and caught him literally red handed. The ...mud...it was the deep red clay like soil that’s typically found throughout western North Carolina and the Piedmont region.

[mud_dreamer]

I had done what I most feared, and stepped off the forest floor right into one of the water holes. But I didn’t sink a bit. Nope, instead I saw a large tail go swishing through the water right beside my foot, which was now being held up by the back of a very large, pissed off Florida alligator. I preceded to do my impression of walking on water and managed to escape the entire forest within seconds. I never went back to that location again.

I can create a perfect image of this in my head.

As far as what to say if caught ... I think that most of us will probably say too much. We have been mentally rehearsing this situation for so long that we are likely to throw out more information than the person possibly needs to know. They just need to know that you are ok and that they can leave without further concern for your safety.

Them: "What are you doing?"
You: "I'm playing in the mud."

The word "playing" should immediately defuse the situation and will likely end the exchange.

Them: "Why?"
You: " I enjoy it."

Now give them time to let that sink in (no pun intended).

DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO JUSTIFY ANYTHING FURTHER.

Make them just stand there and stare at you. That's going to be hard for both of you and consider that there could be several people, but they will likely go away.

I think that most people have stepped in mud while barefoot and know that it feels good. They will soon realize that you have simply taken that to a whole new level.

Skinny dipping plus mud.

[ontmud]

I am vary careful to make sure my spots are secluded despite that i have been seen once.
Luckily i was far away i saw him in time that i could get out and away.Since than i make sure my spots are more secluded than before.When doing this i always look at possible escape routes and ways to get cleaned up fast.

[lonesinker]

Have not been caught yet so far...thank goodness but did come close last fall. I found a lot of my spots by taking hikes and long walks in a very marshy area that is known to me but it is quite close to hiking/ski trails and the spots I go to are just off the trail but luckily this one area I sink in is quite far from the trail hidden by cat tails and tall grasses, I can see the trail but people cannot see me. So last fall I was in my spot and noticed 2 ladies hiking with a dog and the dog knew something was up and kept barking,I could here the woman say its probably an animal or something and scooted her dog with her, I kept thinking if that dog would have raced out to me OMG.
I am very private with this quicksand thing and its just the way it is for me,not interested in opening up the door to passer by,s on the trail so I do use many precautions and props that a lot of people suggested here which is helpful. We are all different how we deal with this fetish,its something I am sure I will always keep to myself as long as possible. Cheers