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[bart1997]

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[Nessie]

Back on topic: the problem wasn't exactly being stuck! This stuff was so soft i could move my legs quite freely, but it was just thick enough to hold me at one place. Well the problem was that with every movement i sank i bit deeper and i hadn't something to grab or hold onto. Had i stayed in this vertical position a bit longer i would have sunk up to my shoulders and that would have been much worse.

Ahh, I should have read that more closely. Yes, I could have that problem if I don't know the bog. I don't get into bogs at all when it's wader-weather unless I'm 100% sure of the depth and/or grabbing place. I do pretty good...I've gone to within an inch of the top with my feet dangling in no bottom but never have I filled them.

On walking: I usually change right by the site. When I leave the mud, I roll 'em up and put 'em in the bag and carry 'em out. They get hosed off at home.

A couple times I did walk from the car to the bog in them...with the aquasocks on my feet over them...but it was raining and these waders are like rain pants with feetsies.

They are still fine but that's not a habit.

Nessie

[nachtjaeger]

I have managed to get myself stuck in really sticky clay/silt mud once- took me quite a while to dig myself out of that. The suction is incredible.

The danger with peat bogs (at least the kind in the NE US) is that you can have a layer of moss on top of deep black water. Sink through that wearing a heavy pair of booted chest waders and heavy clothes, you might not come up again.

[tempman]

I went sinking last week, I only go once a year and I like to plan ahead for the perfect moment. There is a massive peat bog area around where I live and wanted to try it out. I waited for a rainy, warm and misty day. Found one!

I find mist is great because it hides my activities from others, since its quite an open area, and it also makes me feel quite warm.

It wasn't deep. I got to my upper thigh. The mud was cold below, not freezing but cold enough for me to stop and warm up every few minutes, which made the mud quite warm indeed (warmer than the exposed air). BUT! I almost had a cramp in my foot and that scared the **** outta me. The mud was really thick, I was forcing myself to go deeper! There was no bottom but I could try and pull each leg out without the other going deeper (had to point toes down to sink).

It. Was. AWESOME. But the almost-cramps got me worried. I thought I'd stop. Except my legs didn't want to come out.

I wasn't too worried... as soon as the fog would have lifted I would be in perfect view of the main path. I'd explain that the bog had stole my boots but I carry spare shoes just incase.

But instead I lent back and struggled for what seemed like 15 minutes. My legs were exhausted after that and it was another 5 mile hike to the bus stop. Checked my wallet and (I travel light) didn't have enough for a snack or drink after . I was a wreck by the time I got back home.

[water_bug_62208]

Ah, yes, cramps... you just reminded me of another story.

Back in college one summer, I found this really cool "back water pond." It was like a branch of calm water that came off the fork of a river. The mud throughout was soft gray, thick, and deep, probably due to layers left from flood waters. This one particular back water area was quite extensive and kept winding further and further from the main fork. The area as primarily filled with lily pads in very shallow water, but very deep mud.

After sinking along various sights and working my way further back into this area, I found a spot amongst some lily pads that offered thick mud against an intriguing background... the kind of setting that great, natural Quicksand Videos by Kaol and MPV are made from. In this particular spot, I managed to work my way just over the knees when suddenly I had cramps in both legs. This is where the fun stopped because I was hurting pretty bad. When I tried to retrieve a leg and pulled against the suction, the cramp would kick in and I had to stop. The same thing would happen with the other leg. All I managed to do was sink in a little deeper with each attempt.

What I had to do was just stay still for a while and let my leg muscles recover. After several minutes, I tried again. I was finally able to get one leg free before the cramp kicked in again. After working the other leg free, I stood there all muscle bound in both legs... and I had several minutes and a long distance of deep, thick mud to work my way through just to get back to where my classmates were. Needless to say this took the better part of an hour and I pretty much stayed close to the vegetation to ensure some firm footing in the mud.

And, yeah, I did go back into that area for more mudding trips.

[creekjumper]

From experience, getting stuck has (nearly) happened for a number of reasons.

First, I’d say is from clothes – these add to the drag and weight in thick mud and can weigh you down just under a few inches of mud (jeans being really bad for this). The feeling of smooth mud on my skin is the best feeling for me, but being in cold Blighty means I have to sometimes wear more than nothing – but venturing out in to thick deep mud with heavy clothes would be asking for trouble.

Cold and cramp – others have said about this and never under estimate how much pain can impede your ability to do physical stuff. Even if the surface mud is warm, deeper stuff will always be colder. Getting cramps while sunk up to your waist is bad news, so is getting it hundreds of yards out in marshes or mud-flats. Keeping a clear head, resting and knowing how to get out is the key here – unless the tide is coming in, where physical endurance may be more important.

Exhaustion – not dissimilar to cramps, as they can be both experienced together.

Low density muck – this is always going to be tricky to judge and navigate. Anything that has a lower density than water may make you sink uncontrollably. Around here, we don’t generally have natural bogs, but I have come across a few man-made sinks, where having a secured rope or other means of escape is a very good idea.

As you probably realise, JUST being able to escape is the key.

[Nessie]

Exhaustion – not dissimilar to cramps, as they can be both experienced together.

I have one ironclad rule:

If I start to feel tired, I get out before I am very tired.

Fortunately, the better shape I can keep myself in, the longer it takes to wear me out!

Nessie

[MuddyEddie]

It's quite easy to get exhausted when sinking. Most of the time we're having to walk a long distance to get to the bog, then spending 30 minutes trudging slowly through the shallow areas to get to that one spot that has the perfect mud.

And, after all that workout, we spend an hour sinking into the bog!

Then, to top it all off, we still have to get back to where we parked!

Eddie

[chefothefuture]

Aloha folks,
Newbe to this forum but not to sinking so I thought this might be a good place to chime in.
Forgive me if I missed something 'cause I have yet to fully read all posts....
I seem fortunate enough to have a place on the mainland with a swamp for my back yard.
Nice and deep with many spots of varying thickness. I have never felt too "stuck" or worried about not getting out.
For "gear" , I use a wetsuit depending on temperature- doesn't seem to get stuck although the mud stays with me when I get out....
Seems that a problem here might be caused by gear as opposed to mud, but forgive me if I am in error....
I might be unobservant here, but I have not seen if any one else has tried one(a wet suit that is...).

Peace,
chefo