According to Wikipedia, quicksand consists of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. When the water becomes agitated, the soil can no longer support weight.

From a WAM point of view quicksand is ooey gooey stuff that one can sink into, or, if shallow, frolic in. It can be manufactured on set or sought out in the wild.

Safety should always be paramount. While you will almost always float on quicksand since the human body typically is half as dense as quicksand, there can be exceptions. If you go face-first and cannot move, you will drown. You can become trapped and die from exposure. If you are going out in the wild, you should always go with a buddy and have escape equipment, such as a rope.

To (carefully) locate quicksand in the wild, look for areas where water flows underground as this agitates the sand. Look for wet terrain near riverbanks, lakes, swamps, marshes, tidal flats, glaciers, or underground springs. Quicksand is often more prevalent after a rainstorm. There are several areas of quicksand along the Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and San Gabriel rivers in California. Google your area and take note of any safety concerns.

And speaking of the Santa Ana River, that's where my upcoming quicksand story takes place. Along with the usual wam fun, the eBook will explore the secret of why women being slowly sucked down into the quicksand often look so unreservedly happy. Stay tuned!

Cheers!

Jason Pinaster jason.pinaster@hotmail.com