Quicksand isn't a myth like some people believe it to be. It's not common, however, and you probably won't sink to death if you become trapped, either. As kids, movies and pop culture often referenced the fear of dying as a result of being trapped or pulled under by quicksand rather quickly.

What is quicksand

A mixture of sand, water, and clay.

Quicksand can form on beaches, tidal flats, riverbanks or near springs, anywhere the ground is saturated with water. Florida and the Carolinas are risky with their marsh coasts, while parts of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona have clay-filled waters that mix with sand to form the traps. -dailymail.co.uk

Quicksand in Massachusetts

Modern incidents of quicksand are rare, but hikers and hunters occasionally report encounters in areas like the Hockomock Swamp (Bridgewater, Easton, Norton, Raynham, Taunton, and West Bridgewater), a region with tons of local lore. Safety measures include staying on marked trails and carrying a stick to probe soft ground.

In Massachusetts, quicksand is most likely to occur in wetland areas like the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (Concord) or along the banks of rivers such as the Charles or Ipswich, where fine sediments and high water create ideal conditions.

Quincy, MA incidents

Two stories of two women getting stuck in quicksand in Quincy, MA made headlines in the last few years.

There was a story in Newsweek in February of 2021 that featured a story of woman named Kendra Stanton Lee who got stuck in quicksand walking her dog along Quincy Shore in April of 2020. She was able to get unstuck, not without tremendous will, however.

I read about similar incidents of people pulled into quicksand on Quincy Shore. One of the rescuers described how the mixture of mud, sand, and water did not have enough consistency to support the weight of a person, but once the suction around a person's body takes hold, it was very difficult to break.

Rescuers found they could not pull too hard on women who had partially sunken into quicksand because the suction made the resistance so painful. I read elsewhere that the force necessary to pull a foot out of quicksand is tantamount to lifting a Honda Accord. -newsweek.com 

There was another quicksand related rescue attempt at Wollaston Beach in Quincy, MA in June of 2022.

A Quincy local called authorities after noticing a woman who had become stuck in mud at Wollaston beach with the tide coming in.

Firefighters with special gear were able to free the woman who was stuck up to her knees.

The reason why low tide at Wollaston beach is dangerous is due to the beach not having a lot of sand, just a buildup of silt from over the years.