Originally Posted by AcesNeights
I was just talking about this exact thing with my two children. Now that they’re getting older and going out on their own adventures we review the anticipated problems that might arise and how to respond. They were asking me about quicksand and Cook Inlet tide flats were front and center. I can’t imagine a more terrible way to go.

Prayers for the loved ones left behind.

It's been gnawing on me ever since you made this post about your kids to share a story here I was told by a man that rescued himself from being stuck in the mud flats.

He was a beast of a man, over 400 pounds, he'd just moved in with his parents whom were my friends.

He was 42 bed ridden and dieing of advanced complications with diabetes, go figure, he died a few weeks after we had our conversation.

He told me he use to fish, he'd wade out into waste deep water and stay all afternoon. He said it was common that he sunk in the mud a bit but it'd never been a problem until it was.

He'd been in the same spot for a extended time and hadn't realized how deep he'd sunk into the mud until he tried to free himself.

With his every move he sunk deeper, it seemed there wasn't any way he'd be able to free himself and there was a rapidly moving incoming tide. He had some sorta floating tackle box on a tether that was tied to his waist.
He pulled the tackle box in close to him and was able to get both his arms over it and began forcing it under his chest.

It gave him just enough buoyancy that he stopped sinking and was able to start gaining ground with his efforts to free his legs.
He said he was keeping his head tilted back to keep the water out of his mouth and nose before he finally broke free and was able to swim to shore.

He never fished again, it scared him bad.

I never forgot sitting there listening to him tell me his story, it was a horrific near death experience for him.

It makes me think the average guy in a average shape should be able to accomplish the same as this obeist man that was in poor health.

If he just had a buoyant device of some sort that'd support his weight.

I found these 'Restubes' on Amazon, there are a couple different sizes but uninflated either would fit easily in the bottom of a day pack or float bag or whatever you always have along on such adventures. It's the type of thing that could just stay there so you don't have to remember to bring it along.

I know all mud isn't created equal and it might not always work but it'd beat the hell outta having nothing.

With a length of light weight paracord attached it'd make a suitable rescue throw device anyway.

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