A woman named Jamie Acord had a scary experience while walking on the water’s edge of a beach in New England. While at Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg, she suddenly found herself stuck up to her hips in sand. Her husband, Patrick Acord, was there and quickly helped pull her out when she realized she couldn’t free herself.
Quicksand, a mixture of fine sand, clay, and saltwater, is what Jamie got trapped in. Surprisingly, quicksand is not just a movie scenario, it can happen in real life due to beach dynamics affecting sand movement.
Jamie had been collecting trash on the beach when she started sinking. She screamed for help, and her husband acted fast to rescue her. Quicksand has a density higher than humans, so sinking further than waist-deep is unlikely. People caught in quicksand can actually float and wriggle themselves out to safety.
After the incident, Jamie was left with only a few small scratches on her foot. Visitors to Popham Beach are now encouraged to speak with park staff for updates on area conditions and safety tips to prevent similar incidents.
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry issued safety tips for anyone trapped in sand:
1. Stay calm and assess your surroundings.
2. Ditch any extra weight like backpacks to lighten your load.
3. Lean back slightly to distribute your weight evenly.
4. Move slowly and deliberately to prevent sinking deeper.
5. If standing up isn’t possible, crawl on your hands and knees to safety.
It’s important to remember these precautions if you ever find yourself in a similar situation. It’s always better to be prepared and informed to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit to places like Popham Beach State Park.