Practical Considerations

[k2g2j2k2]

I have a week off to explore some areas nearby. I found a peat bog and adjacent to it a quarry. It looks like it should be fairly secluded at least given reviews about how the conservation area is not maintained. There are some things that are making me somewhat hesitant and I can't easily find threads with good advice / best practices.

I have 3 main concerns:
- safety
- privacy
- clean up

With regards to safety my concerns are more related to cuts that may get infected and ticks. I suppose having rubbing alcohol and being current with tetanus covers the first. Tucking in pants into my socks and a tick check should cover the second? Not keen on those lymey critters crawling on my legs. Any other thoughts?

With regards to privacy I'd have to wander of trail somewhat. I guess the best way to do that is to stay close to trees where the ground is firmer to get good cover / distance? The quarry I'm considering also has some woods. But I'm still on the fence (pun intended) on going that route.

Finally my biggest concern is clean up. The area is about 1.5 hours from where I live and to get to a good spot I'd guess would be a hike of at least half a mile. What's the best way to cleanup? At the quarry there's water nearby so that is somewhat straight forward. What about a bog? Would it make sense to change clothes before heading back? I'd plan to get fully covered in mud since worst case to get out I'd have to swim / distribute my weight. Probably need to cover the drivers seat with plastic for the drive back as well.

Any help on this would be much appreciated!

[Boggy Man]

Have you explored the area fully enough to see if there is water in the vicinity of the bog? Did you check Google Maps? If there isn't water near the peat bog, and the quarry is adjacent to it with water nearby, then perhaps cleaning up at the quarry may work if it isn't too far away.

[Sinkman61]

If you come back completely covered in mud you’re going to have to cover a lot more than your driver’s seat. Mud will find itself all over the interior of your car, so yeah, cleanup is really important. I don’t go sinking in locations where I’m unable to cleanup. There should be plenty of water at the quarry. Just make sure it’s accessible before you go sinking. Water sitting in the middle of a pond that’s completely surrounded with deep mud isn’t accessible for a cleanup. Thankfully where I go has tidal creeks as well as the Intercoastal Waterway. And on the way out there’s a pavilion with a water hose that’s just a stone’s throw from the parking lot. I usually take my boots off there and give them a good rinse. As for the peat area, again, you’ll need to search around for accessible water.

Another option is to sink in coveralls. You can then remove them before you get in your car, then put them in a plastic garbage bag and place them in your trunk for cleanup when you get home. Just don’t sink down deeper than the top of your coveralls unless you get some with an attached hood. As I’m always completely covered with thick mud after a sinking expedition, cleanup isn’t optional. I don’t mind if people along the Intercoastal see me covered in so much mud though. But that’s because there’s quicksand spots all along the beach as well, so occasionally I’ll sink in one of those as well.