#BEA STUCK IN QUICKSAND HOW TO#

It is usually pretty tight and heavy so it can sometimes actually support your weight without sinking.īut if it contains too much water, the grains of sand will loosen up and draw you under.Ī person can sink according to her weight. Quicksand is a combination of fine sand, water and sometimes clay. The density of the body is way lower than sand so it’s impossible to sink and die in quicksand. Why? They just don’t have the proper density. That could never happen because humans (and animals as well) just float in it and couldn’t sink all the way under. Hollywood movies and their exaggerated scenarios have created the misconception that quicksand can completely draw people under and kill them. It’s so not that horror trap that will kill you within a few minutes. But it works very different in real life than in the action scenes. Quicksand is real and not just another invention to make movies more interesting. It has always been pictured as a deadly trap that you are unlikely to ever escape.Įveryone has seen terrifying images of people or animals simply sinking and dying in quicksand.īut the perception of fatal quicksand is inaccurate and exaggerated – quicksand can’t and won’t kill you. Quicksand is a common obstacle and life threat in movies. If you use this content please attribute Philip Page via as a contributor of your adapted content. Once both limbs are free, gently flip onto your belly and crawl to solid safety.This content is licensed under CC BY 4.0. It may take a while to remove your leg, but you’ll get it out eventually. Removing your leg in one fell swoop would require as much force as it does to lift a mid-sized car, so take your time. Water will slowly flood the sand around you, weakening the quicksand.

Wiggle one leg in small circles and pull. With your upper body now serving as a counterweight, you can start pulling your legs out. You’ll sink if you stand, but you’ll float if you spread out on your back. Don’t panic about sinking-a pit of quicksand is like a swimming pool. If you’re ankle or knee deep, slowly sit down.

That’s your route to escape-and the only way to do that is to move. But if that water can return, the sand’s grip should loosen. You’re sinking because the sand around your legs has lost water. With the water gone, the sand thickens, creating a vacuum that tugs you down. As you sink, your weight pushes water from the sand. Quicksand is what’s known as a non-Newtonian fluid, so it liquefies whenever there’s movement. They will make escaping more difficult (boots in particular become stubborn suction cups when in mud). Ditch your backpack and try wriggling out of your shoes. 2) Toss Your GearĪll that extra weight will make you sink faster. The more air you have in your lungs, the better you’ll float like a human cork. Even in the deepest quicksand, you won’t sink far past your midsection. 1) Calm Down!įorget what you’ve seen in movies - you’re not going to be sucked into a bottomless pit. Unless the tide rolls in while you’re stuck, you should be able to escape to safety. If you’re hiking alone and get that sinking feeling, don’t panic.

#BEA STUCK IN QUICKSAND HOW TO#

However, quicksand is still somewhat common near rivers, estuaries, and marshes, so it’s worth knowing how to get out. Despite what every corny '70s adventure flick may have led you to believe, you’re unlikely to run into quicksand in your day-to-day life.

Bea stuck in quicksand