Quicksand Fans

I finally made it to the nearby creek for a sink. But I encountered the same problem I always do, I cant get past my waist, if I'm lucky i'll get to my lower belly, but no deeper. I used a stick and found it should be around armpit deep. any tips?

I think what you need to do is figure out what is preventing you from sinking deeper. Are you hitting bottom? If so then perhaps the stick is giving you a false indication by going in between rocks or whatever is at the bottom. Are you unable to go deeper because you are floating? If so, then either the mud is VERY heavy or perhaps you are displacing too much of it, such as you might if you are very overweight. Is the mud thicker at the bottom? If so then stirring it up might help. Perhaps there are other factors.

As far as I know, I am not hitting the bottom where I was at, but it did feel alot thicker by my feet, like clay

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I have tried to soften up a spot, I got it abit deeper but the deepest I am getting is my belly, if i really squat down/ work my legs out i have gotten to my arm pits

From this new description it sounds to me that you are reaching your "float point." Beyond that, to go deeper you have to cause yourself to go deeper - you will not simply sink. If the mud is very fluid this can be extremely difficult or even impossible. If it is thick near the bottom you may b able to dig your feet in and then pull yourself down by means of a squat. If it is too liquid for that, at the bottom, you might be able to use your hands and arms to lift against the mud to push yourself down. Failing that, and provided the mud is not too thick, you can try doing a layback. Get as deep as you can, leaning back at something like a 60 degree angle, and then arch your back. Do not do this if the mud is very thick at the surface - it could prove rather difficult to get back up if the mud is very thick or if you are too horizontal.

maps wrote:I have tried to soften up a spot, I got it abit deeper but the deepest I am getting is my belly, if i really squat down/ work my legs out i have gotten to my arm pits

Lol....you've discovered the sad truth....the thicker and more awesome it is the less you actually sink in. My clay pit does the same thing, I can take a 10' stick, shove it all the way under, but I jump in and only go down to my belly button and have to force myself the rest of the way down.

Wear a backpack of bricks!

klib21 wrote:Wear a backpack of bricks!

he wants to sink not drown

You can use ankle/wrist weights to sink deeper but make sure you have a safety rope and a friend near by just in case. In thick mud the chances of sinking all the way under are slim even if you're weighted but it can make getting out a trip haha....