Quicksand Fans

Does anyone here have any experience with sinking at spots that are only accessable via kayak (especially tidal creeks)? I have really only paddled on calm lakes and was wondering if anyone has gone to spots that are on the banks it such creeks set lower tides.

I was thinking of reconning this spot an hour before low tide to see how fast the current can become.

Any suggestions?

Spots like this: https://youtu.be/5xvL3nHfvCA

I use a kayak to get to my spots all the time. Check your local tide chart for accurate info on when the tides shift,, high/low tide depth, etc. I'll typically be out already at my sinking spot about an hour before low tide, so I have plenty of time to work with. The tidal mud I adventure to is thick, truly bottomless stuff. The kayak has been a solid investment.

The good thing about kayaking is that you're much less likely to be disturbed. If you explore lakes and the creeks/streams that run into them you don't have to worry about tides rising. And if you really run into problems, keep a leash to the kayak close so you can pull it over and use it so get yourself out. Enjoy, stay safe, post pix.

I had some limited success exploring a tidal inlet on Friday. Went up to my waist in some very smooth, sticky mud. It was very private and I brought a large piece of wood with my kayak to use as an extraction tool. I suspect there is bottomless mud further up the channel as during low tide, the channels further up are completely drained vs only the banks. I intend to go back soon, but I need to wait for a day with < 20% chance of thunderstorms.

The area was surprisingly quiet, despite the fact that it had a proper launch with floating docks. Most were apparently going out to the river, and not the inner channels.

I use a jet ski to get to some locations. I just have to be careful exactly where I park my jet ski, as I’ve found that the tide has left it sitting high and dry before. That can become an issue if the incoming tide doesn’t arrive before it gets dark, because I can’t “carry” my jet ski to deeper water.

Sinkman61 wrote:I use a jet ski to get to some locations. I just have to be careful exactly where I park my jet ski, as I’ve found that the tide has laft it sitting high and dry befoe. That can become an issue if the incoming tide doesn’t arrive before it gets dark, because I can’t “carry” my jet ski to deeper water.

I bought two pieces of 2x4 wood. One to help get myself out with leverage, and one I stick 2ft deep into the mud, attached to the kayak with a rope. I know my knots (see my profile pic). . . the kayak moved a bit, but the "anchor" kept it from drifting away.

I have an anchor to keep my jet ski from drifting away. That’s happened before as well. It was a lesson learned as I ran and swam after it. Good thing I caught it when I did too, because it was about to enter the Intercoastal Waterway on an outgoing tide. No telling where it might have ended up. The time I got it trapped on a mud bank was because I had parked it in what was at least 3 feet of water and anchored when I went exploring more nearby areas. Unfortunately, the tide was still going out and just my luck, but it dropped another 4 feet. That left my ski sitting on the middle of a huge mud bank about 50 feet from the nearest water. So I did what any reasonable person would’ve done and did some really deep sinking while waiting for the tide to come back in. I’ve heard of people powering their jet skis right through such mud, but there was simply no way I was going to allow all that mud to get sucked up into my superchargers’ intercooler workings.