How to Get Out of the Sand Dunes

You are camping in the wilderness, thinking wild, when suddenly you find yourself standing on a quicksand and sinking very quickly. Will you die from choking on mud? Not really! Actually quicksand is not as dangerous as in the movies, it’s a real phenomenon. Any type of sand or silt can become quicksand if enough water is soaked up and/or a vibrating agent is introduced into the sand, which often happens during earthquakes. Here’s what to do when you find yourself sinking into quicksand.

Table of Contents

Lift Your Feet Out of Quicksand

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Throw everything away. If you fall into quicksand while you are backpacking or carrying something heavy, immediately remove your backpack or discard what you are carrying. Because your body is lighter in density than quicksand, you can’t fully sink unless you panic and struggle too much or you’re wearing something heavy.

If you can take your shoes off, do so. Shoes, especially those with flat and inflexible soles (e.g. boots) will create a pull that holds your foot as you try to pull your foot out of the quicksand. If you know in advance that you will face the risk of quicksand, change your shoes for barefoot or wear shoes that you can pull out easily.

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Let’s move horizontally. If you find your foot is getting stuck, take a few quick steps in the opposite direction before the quicksand catches your foot. It usually takes a minute for the quicksand mixture to liquefy, which means that the best way to get rid of quicksand is to not get stuck in it in the first place.

If your foot is trapped, avoid taking large steps in an attempt to break free. Taking a big step can remove one leg, but sink the other foot deeper, making it extremely difficult to get out of the quicksand completely.

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Lie on your back. Sit down and lie on your back if your legs are sinking rapidly. Creating a larger “footprint” can relieve your feet by reducing the pressure created by your feet, allowing them to float more easily. When you feel comfortable lifting your legs, roll away from the quicksand and get away from its grip. You’ll get dirty, but it’s the fastest and safest way to free yourself from quicksand. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Don’t rush. If you get stuck in quicksand, hasty movements will only harm you. Whatever you do, take it slow. Slow movements will prevent you from inciting quicksand; Vibrations created by rapid movements can cause hard surfaces to become quicksand more easily.

More importantly, quicksand can react very unpredictably to your movements. If you move slowly, you can easily prevent adverse reactions and by doing so, prevent you from sinking further. You will need to be persistent. Depending on the amount of quicksand around you, it may take a few minutes or even hours for you to slowly and methodically exit.

Escape from the Deep Quicksand

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Be comfortable. Quicksand is usually no more than a meter deep, but if you fall into a particularly deep quicksand, you can easily sink down to your waist or chest. If you panic you may sink faster, but if you relax, your buoyancy will help you to float.

Deep breath. Deep breathing not only helps you stay calm, but it also makes you more buoyant. Keep as much air in the lungs as possible. “Sinking” is impossible if your lungs are filled with air.

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Lie on your back and “swim”. If you sink to your hips or higher, lean back. The more places you distribute your weight, the harder it will be to sink. Keep your body floating on your back as you slowly and carefully draw your legs up. Once your legs are free, you can move to safety by using your arms to gently and slowly push your body back, like a backstroke. As you approach the edge of quicksand, you can roll onto hard ground.

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Use a stick. Bring a walking stick whenever you’re in an area with quicksands. As soon as you feel your ankle sink, place the stick horizontally on the surface of the quicksand behind you. Then leaned back on the cane. After a minute or two, you’ll have balance on the quicksand, and you’ll stop sinking. Place the stick to a new location; bring it below your hips. The cane will prevent your hips from sinking so you can slowly pull one leg out, then the other.

Still lying on your back with your arms and legs fully touching the quicksand and using the cane as a guide, inching along the cane to hard ground.

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Take regular breaks. Freeing yourself can be exhausting, so you need to do it cautiously, keeping your strength up before you become exhausted.

You need to move quickly, however, as the pressure of the sand can block blood flow and cause nerve damage, numbing your legs and making it difficult to get out on your own. almost impossible.
Contrary to popular movies or TV shows, most deaths don’t happen because you get sucked into the sand, but from being exposed to the sun for too long or drowning in high tide. go up. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Avoid Meeting the Sand Lump

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Identify areas where quicksand is common. Since quicksand is not a single soil form, it can form anywhere when groundwater mixes with sandy soil, forming a distinctive paste. Learning to recognize locations where you may encounter quicksand is the best way to avoid them. ^{[3] X Research Source} Quicksand usually occurs in:

Tidal beach
Swamps and bushes
Near the lake shore
Near underground springs

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Notice the ripples. Always be on the lookout for surfaces that appear wet and unstable, or sandy beaches with unusual looking “ripples” on the surface. You can see water seeping out from under the sand, making quicksand visible if you watch your way.

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Check the ground in front of you with a walking stick. Always carry a large stick, both to use when you accidentally fall into quicksand, and to test the ground ahead as you move. A few seconds of using a walking stick can make the difference between struggling in quicksand and a safe walk.

Advice

If you’re camping with someone in an area where you’re likely to encounter quicksand, be sure to bring at least 6 meters of rope. This way, if one person falls in, the other can safely stand on hard ground and pull the person out. If the person standing on hard ground is not strong enough to pull the other person out, the rope should be tied to a tree or some other solid place so that the person who is sinking can pull himself up.
Relax and keep your mind clear so you don’t become stressed.

Warning

When you choose to walk barefoot, you will not protect yourself from quicksand, but it may expose you to some parasites that penetrate through the skin, such as hookworms or helminths.

Things you need

A big stick
Rope
Apparatus for floating

Steps