Mud Duck Stuck in the Mud!

[Bluerunner]

I was walking in a little creak looking for a good tree to put a guy wire on for my tower.

In south east Louisiana all of our rivers & streams & creeks have silty mud bottoms. The only "rock" you may find is the occasional clam or oyster shell. Naturally my rubber boots sunk in the mud. Bad enough that I was reconciled that I'll have to pull my feet out of the boots to escape. Been there done that, anyone who walks the marsh in rubber boots probably has too. Got the left foot out, got the sock sucked off when it sunk in the mud but bare feet & toes seem to break the suction better so I could recover somewhat.

Water got into the right boot and caused such a suction that I couldn't get my foot out of the stuck boot. It had me like a bear trap. I fell back into the creek. Can't reach the bank (which isn't much better than the middle) and wallowing around in the 10" deep water on my back washed out more bottom, making it about 20" deep. My arms would sink past my elbows if I tried to push myself up. My left foot sunk to past my knee.

At first I thought it was funny. Then I realized the only thing keeping my head out of water & homogenized silt was the fact that I was essentially doing a perpetual bent knee "sit-up" with the bottom firmly gripping my feet. My cell phone was in sight but out of reach with some tools I piled up.

I'm old & a bit crippled up so I didn't know just how long I could stay in that enforced sit-up position. I was able to reach around and scoop mud out about 16" deep from around my feet with great difficulty until the suction broke loose. I rolled to the slightly harder bank an snaked my way on my belly to more substantial ground.

All that to ask if anyone has any advice about how to get stuck boots out of the mud?
Maybe grease them up first, or duct tape a rubber hose from the top of the boot to the sole to suck air in to help break the suction.

I'm sure people have been getting their rubber boots stuck for centuries. It seems that in this day & age of enlightened technology someone would have some kind of survivors tip for a fix.

Maybe drowning with your boots stuck in the mud is natures way of improving the gene pool by preventing people who don't have enough sense not to get stuck from procreating.

Any ideas?

[295 antenna]

Sounds like a desperate situation for sure.

[MDYoungblood]

Might be a good idea to have someone around the next time you go walking out there. The only way I have gotten unstuck in mud like that is to break the suction. I have seen a walking stick that is hollow with a bulb on the end to pump air throw it.

3's

Greg

[Bombero]

The Lift-Your-Heel Strategy
While sunk in mud, it may be possible to lift your heel enough to break the suction between the bottom of your boot and the mud. This will make it much easier to remove the rest of your foot. Science.

The Toe-Pull Procedure
When your foot becomes too stuck for the Lift-Your-Heel Strategy, you may need to employ the Toe-Pull Procedure. This involves reaching your hand down into the mud, finding the toe of your boot, and pulling your toe high enough to allow air under your foot. This will break the seal and allow you to pull the rest of your foot out.

The Yank-Your-Foot System
Repeatedly yanking your foot until it comes out of the mud is possible, but unwise in deep mud unless you’re looking for creative ways to burn calories. It can consume large amounts of energy and cause your other foot to become more stuck.

As MDY suggest, always take someone along with you...just in case.

Bombero

[Blue Ox2]

Amen to the Buddy system.

What a horrible experience.
Quite well presented in a very graphic,
and understandable prose, to boot.

God Bless you and enjoy the beauty
of the bayou.

73,

Mike

[Bluerunner]

Great info guys. I like the idea of a hollow walking staff with a bulb ( or just blow into it).
I have a walking staff that I often use, just need a hollow one now for "mud larking". Maybe a rubber duck bill valve on the end would keep the mud out and allow air to blow or suck through.

I'm not an athlete, but I am pretty active. Unfortunately, I am an early model with high mileage on rough roads with little or no maintenance. When I don't answer the phone my wife sends friends & neighbors out to look for me. They know to look on the roof, under the car, house & shed and up in the trees as well as out in the woods.

I like to have a helper when I can get one who can at least dial 911. But it is not always practical and some of the most enjoyable (and relatively dangerous things for me) are inspired at the spur of the moment.

I don't carry my cell phone much as I often get so hot dirty & sweaty that it gets ruined. Sometimes I accidentally crack it by carrying something against the pocket that it is in or falling on it. I'm kinda unstable, might fall to my knees and roll onto my back once in a while on uneven ground, but fortunately I have about 10" of pine needles around the house & woods that softens the impact. The phone insurance guys are loosing money on me.

I always said that I hope I die with my boots on, just never thought it might be with me in them stuck in the mud.

Be careful what you wish for. You might get what you asked for but it might not be what you wanted.

Thanks for the suggestions.