So yesterday I came the closest I've ever been to being caught in mud in public. Not having the facilities to get muddy at home, I've spent a lot of time scouting the various footpaths and woodlands near me.

I've been going to a particular spot aseveral times over the last few years. It'sva small patch of isolated woodland that has a stream and a decent amount of reliable mud by it. It's away from public rights of way and has no obvious ways in so I've always assumed it's unlikely to be visited frequently/ever.

I got down there yesterday and had had a quick look at where the best mud was and had just started unpacking my gear from my backpack. Had a change of clothes, new waders, rubber gloves, plastic bags etc. I just happened to look around and there was a woman right there walking past!

I almost had a heart attack. I tried to act natural, picked up my water bottle and took a drink and then smiled, said hello and then went back to shifting my stuff around.

God knows what she thought I was doing but let's just say it was enough for me to pack up and go home. All I could think of was what if she'd arrived 5 minutes laterdand there's me already covered in mud!

Has anyone else ever been caught out in this kind of situation?

Not sure what I'm going to do now, living near london makes it so damned hard to find places where you can avoid anyone, especially dog walkers! Might have to knock it on the head till I can move to the country in a few years and have a place where I can build my own mudpit!

I got caught walking to a nearby pond to wash up. A lady walking her dog passed by and ask "What have you been doing?". I was covered head to toe in thick, stinky swamp mud and said "Just playin in the mud". She laughed at me and walked on. I was fully clothed so it wasn't a big deal.

I've been caught 2 or 3 guys who were walking by and gave me a weird look. I've never been nude or masturbating when caught, so its just an awkward moment.

Remember Its not illegal to play in mud unless you're nude or trespassing.

I once dressed and played at the roadside. I was basically worried about cars as the road was so close but I was partially hidden behind my own car. I heard a helicopter but it didn't seem to be that close. However, when I saw it I could see it was hovering and it was a police helicopter with a large high definition video camera. Deciding not to become part of their Christmas tape I hid behind my car. When it had gone I returned to the mud only for the helicopter to appear again and this time flew right over. Obviously nothing happened as I wasn't doing anything illegal but I wouldn't mind seeing the video.

Wouldn't it be weird if someone thinks one of you is bigfoot or the sasquatch, or the swamp monster.

That would actually kind of explain that whole thing.

My wife had a very close call a couple of years ago, she was running the in park in the rain (she runs rain or shine) I think she was wearing red shiny shorts with her red/burgundy nike jacket so she was already quite wet anyway from the rain, but she decided to go to the little paddling pool that has a fountain in it, she just sat on the 1st step so her bum was in (she likes those shorts clinging to her bare skin) but when she was about to get up, she lost her balance and fell backwards into the paddling pool. She quickly got up as the water was cold, her back now soaking when she spotted a dog walker coming towards her, so she panicked and jumped straight in, under the water and hid by the fountain mostly under the water till they passed. Now heading back home absolutely soaked through, water was dripping out of the jacket (has fabric cuffs and waist band and you were able to tell it was soaked through as the top part (burgundy) was clinging to the lining and she ended up passing another couple of dog walkers who although gave her looks did say hello. My wife did say, IF they had asked why she was so wet, she would have said shes been running for a while in the rain

One of the best places to keep hidden, is in direct public view.

Over the course of more than a dozen public pie adventures I've had, out of 100 people, 90 of them won't see a thing, even if it's 4 feet away from them. It's just not common enough in their experience so they simply don't register. 9 of them will see something, but not say anything. I mean, what are they going to say? And then there's that 1, who will see something and say something. Most of the time, it's something benign or positive.

In short, if the thrill of being caught resonates with you, then awesome. But if not, well, then WHAT IF you do get caught? Just tell them you're taking a mud bath!

You know what? your absolutely right, so what if someone sees you, what are they actually gonna say? I never thought of it that way.

I asked my wife last night about this, and turns out shes been caught a few times. Our back garden backs out onto a large park so when she has the place to herself for a few hours and more so when its either raining or been raining she will change into a pair of her shorts and a rain jacket and go for a run, depending on what shes in the mood for she will go down a slide to get her shorts soaked through or sometimes (i never actually knew this part) there is a narrow path which has bushes on 1 side and a small muddy/grassy on the other with a lake/large pond just metres away (gets muddy due to local authority vehicles going through) so she will either run faster or slow down so she has to pass anyone, ie dog walkers so when she passes she will fall/slip in the mud to get completely covered. The people will often gasp and apologise to her and ask if shes ok. depends on how busy the park is and also how hot she feels too with the running and adrenaline she sometimes will go in the pond to clean up so ofcourse then she dripping wet for the rest of the run home which from there is approx a 5-8 mins run.
The first time she did this was purely by accident when she genuinely fell into the muddy puddle when she got caught up with a dog and its lead. She loved the feel of the mud and wetness on her shorts and she liked the feeling of the thin mud on her jacket when she was lying in it (again i never knew about this) and when she goes in the pond to clean up she loves the jacket blowing up with the air trapped inside (this i do know about ) and also how shiny it all looked when she wet. She gets a rush when people look at her when she running towards them with water still coming out from everywhere and she once splashed some too when she ran past as the water flew out from her hood so she has since made sure the hood has been emptied lol.

Heck!
About a year ago I google mapped a middle of nowhere location to go pour out some clay mud, which was near a creek to wash off in.

I went to the location twice with no issues, but on the third time I was wearing a mini dress, washing off the mud in this shallow creek when I notice a newer Ford truck coming my way .
It was obvious I had nowhere to go and my car was parked in the middle of this narrow road.

The guy jumped out and asked if I could move my car, I had buckets and clothes everywhere from doing multiple changes. Even my fricken camera was out in the back of my rig where I staged it.

I just hopped in my car on a towel all muddy and moved it aside, he did ask what I was doing, and I just said "meh" and that was it.

He probably thought I was some spiritual whack job doing some yoga or something in a dress all covered in mud .

This year I have started to film scenes with a model in some fairly public places and we have been caught many times. Sometimes one or two people stand around and watch, sometimes it's strange looks from passers-by and a couple of times we have had a small crowd watching.

I have found that due to the health crisis the number of people out walking near the beach and estuary here has increased massively. Areas that would usually be completely deserted are now quite busy.

Over the last 30 years I have had many close encounters and most people just walk on by. A couple of years ago I was having my weekly mud bath and swim in the estuary and a couple of women walking a dog came right up to the bank while I was in the mud pit completely covered head to toe. They just said hi and kept walking. After I had a swim to wash off they came over to have a chat with me. I'm always very relaxed and easy-going about it with people and they were amazed by the whole thing and thought it was really cool. They started walking their dog there every week and we would regularly chat, usually typically English stuff like " how's the water today or nice weather " that sort of thing.

It's my experience that men will just walk past and ignore me but quite a few women will hang around and watch and often come up and say something. Most just seem to think it looks great fun and have a laugh and a joke with you. A few are clearly very curious and will ask questions and start a conversation if you seem cool, confident and relaxed about it.

We're seeing that too, most of our recent mud shoots we've had dog walkers and families walking on the flood bank that's just behind. Not had anyone stop to watch yet, but a few times we've found we're walking past people going the other way, all of us completely covered in mud. We just say "good afternoon" and carry on. Of course it's a lot easier when there are two or three of you with cameras, etc, people just assume "some kind of photoshoot" and leave it at that. The one time some people did ask what we were doing we said "art project", and then changed the subject into the awful litter louts that leave plastic waste and tin cans lying all over the place, and that we always collect up and take away any rubbish we find while we're there.

Yes. I've found the farm, which is usually very quiet, has been and still is very busy. Evening shoots have been scrubbed with me on my own three times because of too many people. As stated by others, more late-night strollers are worried about coming out during the day, which is a fair point. I don't feel the urge to start filming and ruin there walk. So three times I too have just gone for a walk and enjoyed the evening air.


Regards,

Andy and the team.

ARIEL AND I COULD WRITE A BOOK....

maybe we should do a forum post together on EVERYTHING THUS FAR.....even including last weekend in my friggin "suburban" neighborhood what went down!!! people are very interested in wam.....lets just put it that way.....

and no matter what people tell you? they are judging you. lol. well, not all people! hahahahahhaaha. i love all my neighbors....its the creepos down the street who are super sketchy.....yikes. but we have been caught so many times its not even funny. SO MANY TIMES. in so many different situations!

Yes I was caught. I was taking a run in my usual rather brief shorts and singlet on a rainy wet day. I took a long cut, if you know what II mean, across a deep muddy ditch and literally could not get out as the sides were very slippery wet with liquid mud. I could have crossed easily about five meters away; but didn't. I was needless to say, totally covered from head to toes in thick mud and bare foot at that ( often ran bare foot) and with a prominent semi erection under my thin shorts. A lady with her dog, passed the easy way and there was no way I could conceal myself. Was I alright she asked. Yes I'm OK, I just got stuck here in the ditch and was having difficulty crossing just here. Guess I'll have to try where you have just crossed! She passed and left me to do my own thing.

I got closer than I would have liked to being spotted today. I went to check out some marshy pools in the hills that I'd been looking at on google earth. It involved walking across a wide, open area of marsh that's quite inhospitable to cross and only seems to get seasonal duck hunters. I was happy enough that I would have been out of sight while in the pools, but a sheep farmer up on the hill must have seen me walking across the marsh where nobody usually goes, and as I was leaving he was coming down the hill straight towards me on a quad bike. I picked up my pace a bit and went through the wooded area nearby, and managed to avoid being confronted.
It was a fun adventure but I don't think I'll go back to that spot...

I almost got caught real good a couple years ago. Unfortunately, where I live, everybody knows everybody else, and while my mud pits are pretty secluded, there is a creek nearby that is frequented by kayakers and I have to admit the possibility of getting caught is all part of the fun for me, until it almost happened...

"And then I heard it. Swish Swish Swish Like the sound of oars paddling down the creek. So I layed low for a bit and sure enough there was someone coming right into the little nook off the side of the creek that I was playing in barely 10 minutes ago. I don't know if they saw me moving around. I don't know if they saw my stuff hanging on the tree branch. But I am pretty certain they saw the muddy hud hole and the pile of muddy sticks I pulled out of it. Whoever it was stopped to investigate, so I took off as quietly as possible farther into the bush.

I tried to watch what was happening, but I couldn't see very well through the trees. So I'm almost 100% sure they couldn't make out who I was. I couldn't make them out either. But they did a lap or two around the nook, and called out 'Hello' at least once I was freaking out something fierce at this point A minute or so later I hear another voice calling out. His friend I guess. They exchanged some words that I couldn't make out and then seemingly went on about their way."

I tend to shy away from the very edge of the creek now...

If anyone gets caught playing in the mud, they should get a free VIP membership here. We should set up a fund. With all the BS that is going on in the world, imagine getting busted for WAM? Don't worry, the way it is going, they will let you out with no bail. LOL!!

Have been caught several times so I am now extra careful as I don't want to become an "incident" It is getting more difficult to find places which are secluded but not private property so I fear this is something we may have to accept as a consequence of our addiction Make a point of going further from home to ensure I am not recognised

Maybe you should do some videos talking about them?

What a great post this!
I like the point made above, that there's nothing illegal about getting wet and muddy, as long as your not being indecent or trespassing.
I used to run in the rain often!
Used to love getting friendly smiles and sometimes comments from the dog walkers, pointlessly uncomfortable in their rainwear.
Often used to think they'd prefer to be in t-shirts and shorts too!
Once you're wet, you're wet.
And I'd do short sprints back and forward over the muddiest rugby pitch!
It was easy to have a little slip, which made the session much more fun!
No-one ever complained!
I remember one of the producers here, sorry can't remember who, asked once what she did
if passers by came across her doing a mud shoot.
She replied that she smiled ever so sweetly and asked them if they wanted to come in!
That's the way to do it!

First of all - have a plan for everything. I have escape routes, excuses, everything laid out ahead. Most of the time if we are out in the wild we were miles from anyone else anyway but over the years there were some occasions. I'm really a proficient liar when the situation calls for it so in the past -

Caught on private property with a party of eight including four naked ladies - "We're just fishing and we'll clean the place up before we leave. Thanks. "

Explaining a gang of muddy strangers converging on mom and pop motel - "We're an internet society that explores river banks."

"This is for National Geographic" - It really was.

If confronted by law enforcement don't lie but don't be any more honest than required - "We were just taking photos of the ladies. All responsible adults. No drinking, no partying. Didn't see the signs (that we weren't looking for). Saw some four wheelers and thought this was public." Never be confrontational or suspicious. Look them straight in the eye and let one person do the talking. Cops are rarely looking for work so don't give them any reasons.

Being followed by special ops BlackHawk on desert lake - "Hey Tatiana! Give them something to look at!" They stayed with us until she quit and waved bye.

Random strangers or anyone else when covered with a mess is an opportunity to be a hero - "Young lady got too close to the river bank. Had to help fish her out." Then just smile and go on your way. People never question that.

I've used all that and more at various times. Important thing is just have a plan and be ready to use it.

I've never been caught but I like getting plastered head to toe, so if anyone does find me in the act at least they won't be able to do a police sketch

I was nearly caught many times, but the last moment i could sliding quietly into the water..lol, Some of them was exciting as well.

Last week, I was in my 'isolated' mud spot, then heard a dog barking and saw an Alsatian/German Shepherd being walked by a couple on the opposite bank. Never seen people there before, and I thought it was near impossible get to it!

I grabbed my stuff and scarpered into the side channel in the first photo and into a labyrinth of smaller channels. They walked up and down the bank for ages (probably just 15 minutes in reality) looking for me. Once I was sure the dog wasn't planning to swim across, I spent some time in a nice hidden feeder channel (second picture).

So I found a new spot, and had some added excitement!

I don't personally WAM it up in public, but I photograph some lovely ladies from time to time in the act in river or creek or trail mud. We've been encroached upon a handful of times, as usually the sight of a pretty girl playing in the mud is enticing indeed, with me shooting the photos while knee deep but not otherwise dirty. It's plain to see what's happening, so most people just pass on by without incident. There have been times when passing women cheer encouraging words or comments of support for the model, and twice, I've even had individuals approach asking to shoot them sometime as well. Had one incident where a park ranger simply told us to be careful and watch out for snakes.

All in all, only positive interactions with onlookers or passersby.

What makes you think they were looking for you? Were they calling out to you?

I learnt about Geocaching the other day. Would make for a good excuse if you're ever caught in a weird place.

Because they'd seen me scuttling away, and walked up and down the far bank ...looking! One advantage of a muddy head is that I could look over the edge of my channel discretely.

Bit creepy of them to do that, but obviously much more fun for you to be outdoors than indoors.

Dog walkers are creepy - it's always them that find the dead bodies!

And yes, finding soft mud with water to swim and wash off in nearby is so much more of an adventure than getting messy at home to me. Certainly an easier clean-up!