Quicksand Fans

That is extricating yourself out of your favourite mudpit?...Im sure this question has been asked and wondered about several times,I live in northern Canada and we have loads of muskeg mud bogs up here particularly on crown land. There is one bog ive checked out recently and very secluded, it has the consistancy of thick black pudding,and I was easily able to push a 7' branch in it without any problems,my concern is if I slowly go in and sink shoulder deep ,hopefully not deeper,how do you actually get yourself out?? there are no trees nearby to tie a rope..I know this seems like a silly question ...any tips anyone? thanks....lonesinker

Yes, it's been discussed a great deal, even recently. There is always a risk but it's a manageable one. There are certainly many untold stories in this group of those who had a terrible time getting out. All of the locations that we encountered in Canada were terrific but you need to check with Boggyman. He'll know exactly what you are talking about.

Kaol and I accidentally relaxed for too long in the the Chester slurry pond. Um, we got out okay, and it was more funny than scary, but I had no fingernails left from clawing us out of all that gritty sand.

I also spent 40 minutes extricating myself from Fred's Claypit after doing a scene in a humongous poofy red taffeta gown with a netty big underslip. I gained 50 pounds, all of it bentonite clay.

The same claypit entrapped one sink partner of mine. He was a mud virgin with no experience at all. Like a true gentleman he put his hands on my muddy heinie and thoughtfully landed me on solid ground only to discover that he had no clue how to escape this pit himself. I had to get back in there and do the heinie-push-up thing on him. Then I climbed out on my own.

My own mudpits seem to pose no problem. I have also been in several natural claypits, one on a Kaol shoot and four others with a mud partner who won't sink in anything but good clay; none of those were overly difficult.

I was so buoyant in Kaol's that I cannot even remember expending effort to climb out although at the time I had very little experience nor was I in anywhere near the physical condition that I am in now.

Nessie

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bart1997 wrote:You wouldn't sink more than shoulder-deep unless you want to.

Regarding that getting out thing: I would bring two wooden sticks with me, they should be as tall as yourself and place them just right beside you. They should not sink into the bog easily, even when you are pushing them.
I have been surrounded by nothing but quaking mud a few times and these branches of wood were very helpful!

i have to agree with you there Bart, having a couple well placed sticks is one of my better methods as well. oh and where in northern canada did you happen to find this pit Lonesinker? im going to guess somewhere in the fort mcmurray region

I've never been deeper than my stomach. It's too risky where I live as its really secluded and the quicksand is super thick. You actually have to work really hard just to get that deep.

So no I've never had trouble getting out, i'm too much of a chicken to go that deep!

Thanks for the tips...actually the stick idea is interesting, kind of makes me think of when i had a set of stilts way back ...of course you wouldn,t get far with those...Muddy pup, im east of you northern Manitoba,close to the tundra...muskeg is way worse than quicksand..cheers everyone

Bart...I had to laugh for a sec. regarding the use of 2 sticks, I had a set of stilts when I was a kid and was quite good on them...obviously this wouldn,t work at least not in this deep muskeg pit...Muddypup, Im further east of you in northern Manitoba, almost in the tundra..in my opinion muskeg is way worse than a couple of feet of quicksand,this stuff has been known to be metres deep

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I read somewhere while she was filming Four Babes in Bog Scarlett Winchester needed a little assistance getting out.