Quicksand
December 12, 2010
Photographer: Wendy Van Norden
Summary Author: Wendy Van Norden; Jim Foster
The photo above showing a hiking pole partially submerged in quicksand and a hiking hat, seemingly pleased to be done with its unfortunate wearer, was taken in Paria Canyon, on the Utah/Arizona border. Quicksand is simply ordinary sand and mud that's so saturated with water it can't hold a person’s weight. Most quicksand is only a few feet deep. Despite what you might have seen in the movies, it won't suck you beneath the surface. If you should step in quicksand, your upright stature and frantic movements may act to push you further into the muck. However, if you lean forward or to the side, you can gradually pull your arms and legs to the surface. Humans are actually less dense than the quicksand and so should be able to swim or crawl our way out. Still, it can't be a pleasant experience. Photo taken on February 14, 2005.
Photo details: Camera Maker: CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD; Camera Model: EX-S600; Focal Length: 6.2mm (35mm equivalent: 38mm); Aperture: f/4.3; Exposure Time: 0.0008 s (1/1250); Exposure Bias: none; Metering Mode: Matrix; Exposure: program (Auto); White Balance: Auto; Flash Fired: Yes (Manual); Color Space: sRGB.