Dangerous puddles

Last weekend, my riding buddy hit a hidden danger lurking under the mucky water of a mud puddle. The danger I speak of happens when a 4x4 vehicle gets stuck in the mud, and the driver spins the tires way too much, digging deeper into the soft layer. I, myself, have gotten stuck in puddles that did not appear deep enough to worry, and one time I even managed to swamp my bike entirely. This time, my buddy managed to save it, and came out of a potentially dangerous situation unscathed.

The puddle in question was about 3-4 inches deep on both ends. As he rode into it, his front wheel suddenly dropped about 30 inches, his front suspension bottomed-out, and he slammed his chests in to the handlebars. Had he been going faster, he would have been thrown off the bike. Fortunately his speed was prudent and his reaction quick.

Here is a crappy photo of the moment of impact:

So, what is the point of this story? Watch out for water, you never knows what hides in there. We had ridden in this area many times, and crossed the very same puddle a few times without any issues. Maintaining speed  appropriate to conditions is one thing out in the open, but please slow down before any water crossings, especially if you cannot see what lies beneath the surface.