Quicksand Exploration Kit

[bigray55]

I don't know where you live and what you really want to do, but i have never needed anything from this list and i have done a lot of bog exploration.
The water is useful to clean your face in case you sink over your head but that's it.

Useful is a long and stable stick to probe the depth of possible spots and to give you some leverage when you want to get out.
Also bring a waterproof GPS-receiver to mark good areas.

Yea I'm sorry I wasn't more specific, I'm still in the planning phase of this plus I've got a good 2 to 3 months before everything will thaw out here. I live in the Midwest here in the States so it's very possible I won't find any spots worth mentioning. I honestly just want to explore and satisfy my curiosity, I know what I have listed is more than overkill so I will trim down what I take after I do some scouting first and see if there is anything out there first and go from there.

[bigray55]

Thank you all for the suggestions, it will be a few months before I can even get out so we'll see what happens.

[Nessie]

From what knowledge I have I'd have to say the most important safety items would be a second person and a cell phone

That second person can be hard to find. They are a luxury when it happens.

A ziplock bag works well for the cellphone. In a pinch I used a regular plastic bag but you could waterproof that with a rubber band. Since my favorite mudholes weren't all that wide in circumference, the cell phone was just laid on solid ground within reach.

The most effective rescue tool was a shovel.

Fortunately I preferred non-solidifying matter. I like clay, and peat in natural locations -- neither dry out or lock around limbs. So I didn't really need to dig a lot, ever, but...that can be nasty if you like real sand, because that it does lock -- I only experienced locking sand once and the second person and I dug each other out with our hands.

(20-20 Hindsight Advice: The second person is not much help if he's stuck too.)

It took us quite some time. Fortunately we both thought it was more funny than scary.

So while a shovel is very effective, you may need the second person to help you carry it. Maybe a garden trowel, kept within reach -- might be an option when carrying space is limited and you happen to love those locking sinky sands.

Nessie

[Nessie]

Only time in the field that we felt the need to pack iron was in Chester. We were in the immediate area of an escaped psycho, the infamous Recindez Ramirez "Railway Killer" and Chuck Lang strapped on a Browning 9mm under the guise that he needed it for work while he was on call.

Yikes. Well, I'm glad that all turned out okay. Human beings are actually the scariest threat out there.

When packing iron, I would strongly recommend the second person mentioned by Fred remain out of the mire, on solid ground, and on guard.

There aren't too many places to keep your gun while actually sinking. And a gun isn't any good if it can't be used in a hurry. It's worse than being without a gun at all if the bad guy gets at it before you do.

Nessie

[Duncan Edwards]

Only time in the field that we felt the need to pack iron was in Chester. We were in the immediate area of an escaped psycho, the infamous Recindez Ramirez "Railway Killer" and Chuck Lang strapped on a Browning 9mm under the guise that he needed it for work while he was on call.

Yikes. Well, I'm glad that all turned out okay. Human beings are actually the scariest threat out there.

When packing iron, I would strongly recommend the second person mentioned by Fred remain out of the mire, on solid ground, and on guard.

There aren't too many places to keep your gun while actually sinking. And a gun isn't any good if it can't be used in a hurry. It's worse than being without a gun at all if the bad guy gets at it before you do.

Nessie

Quite correct. That's the kind of logistical detail born out of experience that's truly helpful. Managing all of your stuff is part of it.

[Mynock]

Another really important thing to do: Let someone know the general area where you are going, and when you plan to be back. You don't have to be specific about what you're up to, just a general "Hey I'm going hiking at this place and I'll be back by this time". Having a cell phone with you is great but if you're laying in a dead zone with a broken leg, or fall and knock yourself out, it's nice to know someone will come looking for you eventually.

[quickbeard]

Pump sprayer for herbicide is under $20. (Make sure you label it water only!) much easier for cleanup afterwards

[lonesinker]

A lot of great ideas here but I can even fathom the idea of having to carry a firearm when bog exploring. I am not naïve, realizing there are crazy people out there and perhaps a predator wild animal maybe,the worse I have encountered was a fox,raccoon and even a black bear which never threatened me at all but I live in Canada I go on crown land where there are literally no people at all.
My biggest concern was always the worry of getting stuck and not extricating myself. The problem with having a cell phone is that there is no signal where I go so that's pretty much out.
I always scout the area well before I attempt any sinking excursions and go at a planned time and do it at dusk or dawn. My kit is always a hiking stick to test the ground to probe, I always bring a whistle on my hikes and water to drink or gater aid and a few energy bars. I also pack thick paper towels to wipe off and most of the time I would wash at a nearby creek or lake if possible, but on occasion brought 2 large bottles of water to clean up after if there was no lake to wash in. I also carry small binoculars to check area out more.
Carrying binoculars and a digital camera is a great diversion if you encounter a person,people will think your a hiker or birdwatcher, the biggest nuisance for me is having an interloper or someone that crashes your sinking session
Last summer I found a lot of nice sinking spots, the nicest area was a swampy bog which was almost dried over and sank almost 4' in, Im fairly strong but it took everything to get out of that *whew* thats why having gater aid is so important after,you dehydrate quickly. Having someone with you is a plus if you can get someone, I prefer going alone but makes the safety part more difficult.Some people mention bringing a rope well its all cattails and weeds on the shore where I explore ,hard to tie onto that.

[Fred588]

This is meant as tongue in cheek mostly, but it might have some value occasionally. If you are in the right sort of terrain a caver's helmet might be useful as part of cover story about why you are so muddy. I used to be an active caver and many times I remember checking into a motel in a rather muddy condition. If there is anything even close to as muddy as going sinking its going caving.

[Duncan Edwards]

This is meant as tongue in cheek mostly, but it might have some value occasionally. If you are in the right sort of terrain a caver's helmet might be useful as part of cover story about why you are so muddy. I used to be an active caver and many times I remember checking into a motel in a rather muddy condition. If there is anything even close to as muddy as going sinking its going caving.

The best of two motels in Chester, Illinois is Reid's Best Western. It's a nice place so it must be entered through the lobby. To cover the messy lot of us that use to descend on the place every summer I concocted the ruse that we were part of an internet society that explored river banks. That was at least partly true and it covered a world of questions.