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Maine man speaks out after wife is pulled waist-deep into quicksand: 'She couldn't get her legs free'

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Maine man speaks out after wife is pulled waist-deep into quicksand: 'She couldn't get her legs free'

A Maine woman had a startling experience while walking on the water’s edge of a New England beach, and luckily she was not alone during the incident.

While at Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg, Jamie Acord was soaking up the sun when, in a flash, she found herself sunk up to her hips in sand. 

Her husband, Patrick Acord, 38, said that he and his wife were walking side by side when she dropped about 2.5 feet into what they later found out to be quicksand.

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“My wife fell in almost instantly,” he told Fox News Digital via email. “It only took a few seconds to pull her out after she realized she couldn’t get her legs free herself.”

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Jamie and Patrick Acord were enjoying a walk on the beach until Jamie found herself trapped in quicksand at Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg, Maine. (Patrick Acord via AP)

While a person being trapped in quicksand may sound like a scene out of a movie, it could in fact happen in real life.

“Sand movement resulting from beach dynamics has had a dramatic effect on Popham Beach, causing extreme shoreline change and dune erosion,” according to an article published online by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

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Jamie Acord was rescued by her husband after getting stuck in quicksand on a Maine beach. (Patrick Acord via AP)

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Jamie Acord had been collecting trash on the beach, so her hands were full when she began to sink, according to the Associated Press (AP).

She screamed to her husband, Patrick, “I can’t get out!” the AP reported.

Patrick Acord sprung into action, pulling his wife from the sand trap in seconds while more sand poured back in.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews/lifestyle

“I couldn’t feel the bottom…I couldn’t find my footing,” Jamie Acord told the AP.

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Popham Beach State Park is Maine’s busiest state park beach, according to Maine.gov. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File)

Quicksand is a mixture of fine sand, clay and salt water, according to an article published by Live Science. 

It has a density of about 2 grams per milliliter, while humans have a density of about 1 gram per milliliter, according to National Geographic. “At that level of density, sinking in quicksand is impossible. You would descend about up to your waist, but you’d go no further,” the online magazine continued.

“People who are caught in supersaturated sand remain buoyant — people don’t sink in quicksand — allowing them to float and wriggle themselves to safety,” Jim Britt, conservation and forestry spokesperson at the Maine Department of Agriculture, told the AP.

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Patrick Acord said he and Jamie did speak to a park ranger after the incident. 

“He said they had received a handful of similar complaints but none where someone sunk this deep, and usually they were in an area where supersaturated sand is more common – such as near the mouth of the river that flows out next to the beach,” Patrick Acord told Fox News Digital.

Jame Acord (pictured right) told the AP that she became stuck in quicksand at Popham Beach State Park in Maine while walking on the beach with her husband, who was able to pull her out safely. She was left with some small scratches, her husband told Fox News Digital. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File/Patrick Acord via AP)

Luckily, Jamie Acord was left with just a few small scratches on the top and bottom of her foot after the frightening experience, Patrick Acord said.

Popham Beach visitors are now being encouraged to talk with state park staff to learn updates on area conditions and additional safety tips – “something especially helpful if guests are not familiar with the area or if conditions have recently changed,” FOX Weather reported.

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The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry released an advisory following Jamie Acord’s quicksand incident. 

“While this picturesque spot [Popham Beach State Park] is perfect for outdoor recreation, a few simple precautions can help ensure your visit remains enjoyable and safe,” officials with the government organization wrote online, followed by tips if you should ever find yourself stuck in sand.

Safety tips from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry:

Stay calm – “Panicking can make the situation worse. Take a deep breath and assess your surroundings.”

Ditch extra weight – “If carrying a backpack or heavy gear, set it aside to lighten your load.”

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Lean back – “Distribute your weight more evenly by leaning back slightly. This technique helps prevent further sinking.”

Move slowly – “Quick, jerky movements can cause you to sink deeper. Move your legs slowly and deliberately.”

Crawl to safety – “If standing up isn’t an option, crawl on your hands and knees to distribute your weight more evenly and reach firmer ground.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry for additional comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Connecticut

Rain showers slowly spread east today and tonight

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Rain showers slowly spread east today and tonight


Temperatures will warm into the 50s for much of the state unless you’re at the shoreline or near the New York border.

Rain showers will begin in southwest Connecticut this afternoon before slowly spreading to the east through the evening

Much of the state will see rain tonight unless you’re in the far northeast corner of Connecticut.

A few showers could linger in southern and southeastern Connecticut tomorrow morning.

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Clouds will linger through much of Sunday with temperatures in the 50s for more of the state.

Monday and Tuesday will be sunnier and seasonal with temperatures well into the 60s.

Cloud cover and rain chances return by the middle of the week.



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Maine

Shipwreck Dispute: Maine vs. Salvage Company Claims 1893 Wreck

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Shipwreck Dispute: Maine vs. Salvage Company Claims 1893 Wreck


1893 wreck inspires current court case.

Carrie Jones

Apr 25, 2026

A local salvage company on Mount Desert Island is trying to claim a ship that sank in Somes Sound (show above) more than 130 years ago, but Maine officials say that the abandoned shipwreck now rightfully belongs to the state. Credit: Aislinn Sarnacki / BDN File courtesy of BDN.

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—Back in April 1893, the Delhi, a two-mastered schooner sank as it was leaving Somes Sound.

Last week, the state asked a judge for possession of that shipwreck, which is still beneath the water.

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Article detailing the sinking of the two-masted schooner Delhi of Saco in Somes Sound, including information about the cargo, crew escape, and potential insurance details.

According to an 1893 edition of the Ellsworth American, the Delhi sank in 25 fathoms of water. “In beating out of the Sound, she struck a heavy cake of ice and foundered almost immediately, the crew having barely time to escape in their boat,” the short, paragraph-long report reads.

There were 32,000 Baltimore pavers on board that had been loaded by Campbell & Macomber of Quarryville.

Campbell & Macomber had a granite quarry in Mount Desert. At the time, its granite had been used to construct banks and libraries throughout the northeastern portion of the United States.

“In March 2024, JJM LLC filed a salvage rights claim to the ship in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor,” Marie Weidmayer of the Bangor Daily News wrote earlier this week. ”The company is seeking ownership rights to the wreckage, but the state challenged that claim, saying that federal law has established that unclaimed shipwrecks lying in state waters are the property of the state.”

The state, Weidmayer reported, hoped for a jury trial. However, Judge John Nivison will instead have a written opinion about the case.

No company has claimed the ship’s title, according to Assistant Attorney General Lauren Parker, Weidmayer reported. This, Parker argued, means the ship is abandoned.

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“We are talking about a pile of stones underneath the pile of trash,” Weidmayer quoted JJM attorney Ben Ford as saying. “This is not a shipwreck in the sense that one might imagine a shipwreck to be. The Delhi is no longer there.”

Part of the issues are a dispute over how much of the boat exists; how much is not embedded in the floor; and whether or not it would require more than hand tools to remove.

“A JJM diver was able to pick up a granite paver by hand and return it to the surface in a basket, Ford said. There are definitely pavers on the surface of the ocean floor, but some may be under garbage that has accumulated on top of the wreck, he said,” Weidmayer wrote.

According to Weidmayer, the salvage company wants to recover pavers and artifacts, which it would donate to museums.

“The salvage firm filed suit in September against the National Park Service after the service determined the shipwreck is eligible for listing in the National Register. That lawsuit is still pending,” Weidmayer wrote.

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The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Brochures of Maine.

A collage of various brochures promoting attractions and services in Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, Maine, featuring the text 'Acadia Brochures of Maine' and a map outline of Maine.

HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY

When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other.

We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going.

If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship.

It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light.

Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now.

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Founding member information can be found here.

Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you.




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Massachusetts

2 children found dead in Wellesley home, DA says

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2 children found dead in Wellesley home, DA says


Wellesley Police discovered two children dead inside an Edgemoor Avenue home.

A police department in Vermont called Wellesley Police at around 9:30 p.m. Friday to ask them to conduct a well-being check at the home. When police performed that check, they found two deceased children inside the residence.

There was no further information immediately available Saturday morning.

The incident is under investigation by the Wellesley Police and the Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Norfolk District Attorney’s office.

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The DA says that “there is no risk to the community.”

This is a developing story.

The area along Edgemoor Avenue where two children were found dead in a home. (staff photo by Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
The area along Edgemoor Avenue where two children were found dead in a home. (staff photo by Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
The area along Edgemoor Avenue where two children were found dead in a home. (staff photo by Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)



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