Waders and Bogs

[Kippy]

Hello everyone

As people may have seen on the threads I'm into wearing wellies into mud as well as deep mud/quicksand. And like I've
said before the first is easy to come by for me, the second not so. Although I don't mind getting the odd bit of mud
inside my boots it's then a problem to clean. About two years ago I came across a nice deep looking bog in a wood and
after testing the edges by sliding my boots into the gunge it was obvious I would need something more protective if I
was going in. The bog was thick on the bottom and appeared to swallow my wellies if I let it. Therefore waders were now in order.
So I purchased a pair of chest high waders and this is the first encounter into that bog.

I'd picked a nice rainy day to test them out as less people would be about - I thought it would look a bit odd wearing
waders through a wood otherwise. Wouldn't you agree? So putting on a pair of thick socks over my walking trousers I
slid into the clean green waders thrusting my feet into the welly like boots, pulled it up to my chest and then finish
the outfit with a raincoat over the top. The effect being I looked like I was just out in the bad weather.
So I set of to the bog getting soaked by the rain and sliding in tread to ankle deep sludgey paths. Eventually I got
there and stood at the edge. I was excited as I knew this was the deepest muck I would have been in to date. True it
might not be deep at all but I did not now that at this point. All I knew it was gonna be deeper then anything I'd
stepped in before. The rain spattered the bog which looked quite watery towards the middle. The question was how to
enter? Do I wade slowly in? Seeing how each step into the marsh swallowed me. Or do I take a run up an just jumped as
far into the reedy swamp as I could? How deep would this put me? Would I gets mired doing this? And most thrilling thought of all would I sink?
Would the mud act like quicksand and I would feel my clean new waders being sucked into it?

I decided to walk in but confidently. So I strode into the marsh. At first it was qite shallow but only after a few
steps my feet sank to just past my knees. The feeling was great as each booted foot was sucked at, disappearing into
ooze, rotten slime and muck. Each step squelch and popped and released gas from the bog that smelled like farts and
legs became more splattered with mud. As I got deeper and more towards the middle it became harder to move in. The
bottom was thick clay like mud that grabbed the treads of my waders and would not let go. I had now waded out to the
middle and was thigh deep. Felt good to be there and so I stomped my feet hoping I would sink. I suppose the bog
sucked me down a little more but there was a definte bottom. My stomping had caused me to get stuck in the clay bottom
and although the water boggy surface quivered as I moved I was not going anywhere. But I had waders on I thought. I
could sit down in this foul swamp fully protected. SPLAT! The bog shifted around my bottom and my legs sank into the
gunge so I was kinda sitting suspended now waist deep in the mud. That was fun and it helped free my feet from the
suction of the bottom of the pit. Unfortunately if I stood up again I would just sink back in so through a
combination of crawling and tugging of the waders I edged my way back to solid ground. I did venture back and too for
a while but that was my real first experience of that bog.

I hope you like that short tale. lol

Kippy

[Nessie]

You have described...my cold-weather ensemble!

Almost.

I too have used the tactic of choosing a drizzling day so that people won't be there. A raincoat, a set of waders...maybe a bit of headgear to keep the water out of your hair...you're good to go! Also, yeah, waders look kind of weird, although I'm getting used to the idea of just telling folks I'm a marsh photographer/investigator. People won't notice, though, if there's a raincoat over the tops.

It does sound like you enjoyed it. It's a success if you did! Wading in...good choice. I know we want it deep but jumping in to find it unexpectedly deeper than waders go is not such a bright idea, especially if it's cold mud.

Wow, though, it makes sense that if you like mud with wellies, you'd buy the booted waders. I'm glad you got out of there. Yes, it does get hard to move in and the problems I've had retaining footwear of any kind have been really...really...a pain in the bog and I'm not surprised your feet got stuck.

What mud likes aren't your feet, actually...they like your BOOTS, just about as much as you do. If I had your kind of waders, I'd never get my body out of there because there'd be no way to leave just the boot in there!

I use neoprene stockingfoot waders and I use aquasocks on my feet, tied on with extra laces. This is only the latest revision on footwear. I've tried sneakers (they don't stay on), neoprene socks (too dang hard to get on and off)...every draft of this is an improvement but not total success. Bare feet slide out. But mud loves to hang onto anything I try to put on my feet.

(Footwear is necessary when waders aren't booted to prevent springing leaks.)

I was out yesterday, actually (see Home Movies) and I am grateful to the manufacturers of the stockingfoot wader for extending my season by two months in both directions. But I must admit that I've been at this since March so I'll be glad to finally get in with some bare skin in the mud. My neck of the woods ain't quite there yet, though.

Keep at it...you'll find what works and what doesn't. It gets easier, and better, with practice!

But be careful.

Nessie