[PSUBS-MAILIST] Bottom hazards, mud

[HUNTR2@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/12/2002 6:24:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time, jonnie@scarymonsters.net writes:

>     And anyway, it's damned dangerous. Never, ever underestimate the
> stickiness of mud underwater. It's one of the most curious and hazardous lessons
> in fluidized particulates I can think of.
>
>                             John
> How true John...
> I went to the bottom of Diamond Lake (Near Crater Lake, Oregon) one time with scuba gear.  It was fairly dark and I was just watching my depth gage to judge about when to expect the bottom.  At 40' deep I stopped descending...  I looked down to see that I was waist deep in a jelly muck.  Didn't even feel it on my fins.  I knew that when we anchored the boat we used 50' of rope.  WELL!  That was freaky... especially when I was able to do a full stride kick even that deep in the "mud".  Wouldn't want to try to set a sub down on that!  Didn't spend much time down there, especially with no dive buddy... Just wanted to see what the bottom and there was no other divers around.


Gene