I told my friend to pull out one leg slowly and gently place it on the iron. I pulled it over to the lime and lay it on top between my friend and I. I told my friend to just stay still while we worked out what to do.Īfter a few minutes scanning the farmyard, I found a sheet of corrugated iron that I knew could save the day. I had to think about how to get them out before the lime dried like concrete (or they spent a freezing night there). Neither my friend nor the sheep had any hope of getting out themselves. That giant pile of lime was so wet it had become like quicksand. But then I realized, it was no laughing matter. Three steps in and both of them were stuck like glue.Īt first, I couldn’t stop laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Not thinking anything of it, my friend waded on in to help the sheep. Sheep like to be high up, and this one wanted to climb up on top of the pile. It was just another ordinary day in the countryside when we spotted a sheep stranded up to it’s belly in a giant pile of lime. The day I helped a friend survive quicksand (sort of) Keep your body as horizontal as possible to avoid disturbing the sediment below. If your feet are stuck, lean back towards solid ground. You can do this by increasing your surface area on top of the quicksand. Try to disperse your weight over a larger area.Remember to grab your PLB or other signalling device from your survival kit before you do this just in case you need to call for help. Throw your backpack or any other weight you’re carrying back onto solid ground. Lighten the load or weight of your body in the quicksand.Remember, every move you make separates the sediment from water and can make escape harder. Imagine you’re a sloth and move that slowly. If you do become stuck, stay as still as you can and when you move, move slowly and purposefully.If you feel your feet sinking, quickly take a few light steps back onto solid ground.Also carry an emergency or survival kit with you that includes a signalling device like a Personal Locator Beacon.Slipping out of them can help you survive. Shoes create suction in quicksand because they’re not malleable. Wear shoes you can easily slip out of in quicksand country.Laying on top of your walking stick can help you move across the surface of this murky mix. You can also use it to lay across quicksand if trapped. You can use it to test how solid the ground is in front of you. Carry a walking stick if you’re in an area known for quicksand.Here are the dos and don’ts of how to survive quicksand by yourself: If you get stuck in quicksand in real life, do everything you can to stop sinking. Knowing the science of quicksand helps you get out. You could die from exposure to the elements or from drowning if you’re near a tidal river and the tide comes in.Īvoid sinking by dispersing your body weight and increasing your surface area ontop of the quicksand If you get stuck, can’t get out, and become exhausted. The biggest risk from quicksand is drowning and exposure. It is more like a fluid that increases in density the more weight is added to it, making it difficult to move through or get out of. It is typically not that deep, only a few feet or less than a meter. This means you may have a few seconds to avoid sinking. The mix of water and sand doesn’t liquify immediately.It can be hidden under a thin layer of sediment or water, making it difficult to spot and avoid. But, you can encounter quicksand in many different types of environments like beaches, deserts, and even in urban areas near construction sites.It’s found most commonly near river deltas in swamps and marshes, where sand and water mix.Quicksand occurs when water seeps into the ground and mixes with loose sediment, creating a slurry that is not solid enough to support weight.These quicksand facts and common myths can help you survive quicksand Remember to never try to stand up when you are in quicksand, it will only make it harder to get out.If you are unable to get yourself out, use the PLB in your survival kit to get help. Once you have an anchor to solid ground, keep moving slowly and steadily until you are completely out of the quicksand.If you can’t move your feet, lay on top of the flat object. Pull one foot out at a time, and then move it to solid ground. Slowly and carefully try to free your legs.If you’re with someone, get them to find something flat and wide – a plank, bushwalking stick, corrugated iron sheet, for example – to lay over the top of the quicksand and use as bridge to solid ground.Gradually move your legs and arms to redistribute your weight and float more on the surface.Panicking will only cause you to sink deeper. Avoid it! Learn how to spot it or use a walking stick to test the ground in front of you.
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