5 ms·

This is a good summary and I agree with the vast majority of it, with the exception of >"Beware of “wet sand”. These areas can seem bottomless and usually requ

This is a good summary and I agree with the vast majority of it, with the exception of >"Beware of “wet sand”. These areas can seem bottomless and usually require assistance" sentence. I'm no expert but I do drive on UK beaches at least once a week to launch and recover lifeboats, and I've always found wet sand to be firmer and much better for driving on that the dry, light fluffy stuff found at the top of the beach near the dunes!

stinos 6y ago
Not 100% sure but with "wet sand" the author probably doesn't mean beach sand which just got moist from the sea, but rather so-called "quicksand" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicksand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicksand)
h2odragon 6y ago
Wet sand, mud, muskeg... the danger comes from them going liquid like oobleck [1]. I didn't see the event, but helped dig out a bulldozer that had been eaten by someones pasture once. To all appearances this little clearing in the valley was firm dirt with a stream running around the edge, but when the heavy equipment climbed up onto the "puck" you could see the water squeze out of the edges all the way around. The 'dozer had got about 20 yards out before the ground cracked and went fluid under it, it sank to the roof and didn't even disturb the greenery 6ft away. Guy driving it said the whole thing took seconds, just enough time for him to jump down. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oobleck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oobleck
- BXLE_1-1-BitIs1 6y ago
  Sounds like Leda clay. The stuff can liquify under loading. Houses and barns can get carried away.
mythrwy 6y ago
Once I got stuck in dry river sand in Arizona (had a job surveying). The truck just sank down in the sand and couldn't get any traction. It was late in the evening on Friday, almost dark and I was out of phone range. I was single at the time, my bosses and co-workers had all gone home for the weekend and no one was going to miss I was gone until at least Monday morning. It was probably a good 8 or 10 mile hike minimum back to the road so I decided to settle in for the night and hike out in the morning and get help. So I slept in the truck. During the night it rained and wet the sand and the next morning I drove right out. Then I kicked myself because there was water right there in the stream and I could have wet the sand myself!
- yencabulator 6y ago
  If that's an occupational hazard, buy a winch and a sand anchor.

stinos 6y ago

Not 100% sure but with "wet sand" the author probably doesn't mean beach sand which just got moist from the sea, but rather so-called "quicksand" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicksand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicksand)

h2odragon 6y ago

Wet sand, mud, muskeg... the danger comes from them going liquid like oobleck [1]. I didn't see the event, but helped dig out a bulldozer that had been eaten by someones pasture once. To all appearances this little clearing in the valley was firm dirt with a stream running around the edge, but when the heavy equipment climbed up onto the "puck" you could see the water squeze out of the edges all the way around. The 'dozer had got about 20 yards out before the ground cracked and went fluid under it, it sank to the roof and didn't even disturb the greenery 6ft away. Guy driving it said the whole thing took seconds, just enough time for him to jump down. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oobleck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oobleck

BXLE_1-1-BitIs1 6y ago
Sounds like Leda clay. The stuff can liquify under loading. Houses and barns can get carried away.

mythrwy 6y ago

Once I got stuck in dry river sand in Arizona (had a job surveying). The truck just sank down in the sand and couldn't get any traction. It was late in the evening on Friday, almost dark and I was out of phone range. I was single at the time, my bosses and co-workers had all gone home for the weekend and no one was going to miss I was gone until at least Monday morning. It was probably a good 8 or 10 mile hike minimum back to the road so I decided to settle in for the night and hike out in the morning and get help. So I slept in the truck. During the night it rained and wet the sand and the next morning I drove right out. Then I kicked myself because there was water right there in the stream and I could have wet the sand myself!

yencabulator 6y ago
If that's an occupational hazard, buy a winch and a sand anchor.