I’d already checked a spot out when wearing rubber thigh waders and stopped myself from sinking over the rims by using a stick laid out on the surface of the mud. I’d also sank here two other times, but close to the safe edge and solid ground.
This time I wanted to step into the dangerous area more in the middle with no edge nearby and no stick at hand. I did put a heavy stick though just out of reach
in case the situation got out of hand.Taking the first long stride out into the mud and away from the safety of the edge, the ground resisted my boots and it started to quiver and buckle around me, but the surface held firm. It was like standing on a rubbery membrane over a quaking pit of mud.
I stepped up and down for half a minute then the surface broke and one boot went knee deep into smooth clay. Playing out the situation, I tried pulling the boot free, which only made the other boot break through into glistening clay. One minute later I was mid-thigh deep and no bottom could be felt. I pointed my toes downwards and they felt no resistance.
After trying to pull both boots out I sank crotch deep. This is the point when you know you’re not going to be able take walking steps out of the situation. Then after pumping my legs down into the clay I sank waist deep – still no bottom and it was like being held in suspension. I could feel the pressure of the muddy clay increasing around my legs. I could even feel the folds of the waders pinching my skin deep down below.
At this stage I thought I’d try getting out by twisting my hips and making an effort to step up out of the mud. I went nowhere but down a bit. Pressing down with my hands on the ever softening surface of the mud I managed to push my way up a couple of inches. But just as I thought I was making it, my gloves broke through the surface and I sank back down – a bit deeper this time, not much but the mud was rising up to my chest.
My struggles were getting sluggish and the clay seemed to be like super thick glue and slowing my movements as well as taking energy away. I rested chest deep with my rubber covered arms out over the surface of the mud pool. I was stuck.
After getting some energy back, I made another attempt to push down on the mud’s surface to see if I could make some upwards movement. My gloves kept on breaking through and there was no solid surface to push down on anymore. My gloves were more than elbow deep when I felt some harder clay below the surface. I pushed down on this and felt my hand “sink” into the thicker clay about 8 inches. I felt the mud closing in around my chest – much tighter and less yielding than before. As I tried to pull my arms out, I realised that one of them was stuck in the thicker clay, I could feel the grip of the thick mud and it pulled me down another few inches. Then the mud started to go over the rims of the chest waders as I felt it soak through my shirt under my arms. I was really stuck now and very much knew it.
I had to put Plan B into action and try and reach for the safety stick I had placed just out of reach. Damn it was out of reach too far – by a good 15 inches! I stretched for it and in the movement, pushed the front of the waders under the mud. The mud smeared my chin. I could smell it up close and personal. I have to admit, my heart was seriously pounding. Not sure if it was fear or adrenaline or both, but I was getting more stuck with every move and still sinking deeper.
There was a thin short stick closer to me – not strong enough to press down on, but it was the only thing I could use to try and hook the safety stick to me. After maybe 5 minutes I managed to flick the heavy stick up in the air and towards me. Four more tries like this and I eventually got hold of the thicker stick. I grasped it like it was my one and only friend. I was starting to get covered in thick mud – it had totally covered my gloves and under my arms and up to my chin and cheek in the front. I could feel it flowing, not fast, into my waders.
I had to get out. A slight feeling of panic set in. My waders felt like the weight of another person around me and their ripples and folds only acted as muddy hands below the surface – gripping my legs and torso - making my escape slow and energy sapping. Inch by inch I worked my way upwards out of the sticky mire.
I had used the same safety stick on two occasions previously to help me escape from the same area – I trusted it. But then as I worked and wiggled my way out of the mud until I could see my waist, the stick snapped in half and I glided back down to chest deep again. I felt dejected and deflated. The thrill of the sink had turned into sticky nightmare of sorts. Was it such a good idea to play it out this far? I questioned myself.
The mud felt thicker now. Its glutinous mass making upwards movement depressingly slow. As my waders gradually revealed themselves above the mud, they were hardly recognizable. Clay hung off them concealing the form of the legs and boots.
I doubled the two halves of the safety stick and continued my escape. The sticks kept pushing through the liquefied surface making the effort twice as long and arduous. Twenty minutes later, I pulled the first leg above the surface and collapsed with my head resting on my arms face down in the mud. Exhausted and still one leg to get out. This is crazy I thought. Another five minutes and I dragged my other leg out.
The waders were so heavy that I couldn’t stand up. I managed to get on one knee and as I made a weak effort to get closer to the edge – now five yards away. The surface of the mud broke again and I collapsed again. No more energy to escape a second time. I rolled on my side and wiggled my half sunken leg free. And after all that effort, I crawled like an exhausted lizard keeping as low to the surface as possible. As I crawled and slithered, the mud heaved and quivered all the way back to the edge. That’s why I call it quickmud.
So, can you escape from this type of mud unassisted? I think not. If it wasn’t for my half trusty stick, my arms would have plunged under again and again. And to answer the question of leaning back slowly and letting your legs float to the surface … I tried it and only sank deeper. It was too thick.
Think before you sink
)
must be a lot of mud noise as your trying to move along. I do understand the adrenalin that you have when this is all happening,your heart is just pounding,like its fun but scary at the same time. 