#She got stuck in the quicksand skin

If the ground gives way, take another way around. Start by knowing where quicksand is likely to occur, and be careful around marshes, tidal flats, and other swampy areas. Get a thick stick and prod the terrain ahead of you as you go along. Pay close attention to the ground, watching for water bubbling up or ripples along an otherwise flat surface. Areas with underground springs, including desert areas, can also have quicksand. Stay on alert when you are in quicksand danger zones such as tidal flats, river banks, lakes, swamps and marshes. If you’re in the desert, get your clothes back on quickly for protection from the hot sun. This can lead to rashes, boils and infection.

#She got stuck in the quicksand skin

Your feet, groin and armpits will be covered with thick, wet, abrasive mud and sand and if you try to walk anywhere, the sand will rub your skin raw. It’s vital that you get your clothes off and get rid of as much sand as possible before continuing on your way. Clean yourself offĮven once you’re free, you aren’t out of the woods (so to speak). Put one arm through the rope so that it’s loose across your chest and pull yourself up using this. If they have a rope, they can tie it to a tree, or around themselves then sit down to act as an anchor. Broughton lay in the mud on his back, exactly as Dora did when she got stuck in quicksand, and his feet popped out of the mud. You can lay this flat on the surface of the quicksand and use it to help maneuver your limbs and body onto the surface. If there’s someone with you, ask them to get a strong stick. When your legs are free, you should be able to crawl over the surface of the quicksand to the edge. You’re spreading your weight, which means you shouldn’t sink. Next, maneuver your chest on to the surface of the quicksand, as if you’re about to do the breaststroke. Every time you move your foot up an inch or two, allow a few seconds for the space you’ve evacuated to fill with quicksand again. This will loosen the quicksand and allow you to slowly work your way to the surface. Wiggle your legs gently, to create a small space between your legs and the sand that water can seep into and below. It is multiple small, slow, controlled, correct movements that will eventually allow you to escape,” says Bear, who demonstrated his quicksand survival guide in Man vs Wild. If you have a backpack and can loosen it, lay that in front of you and try to wiggle on top of it, almost like a floatation device, to help spread your weight. Spread your arms out, doing everything you can to keep them above,” says Bear. Image by Matt Mawson Make yourself biggerĪpart from not struggling, you’ll want to prevent yourself from sinking deeper before you worry about getting out.