I learned my lesson in deep water and sand last year. A friend of mine and I crossed the Cheyenne River in the morning to meet with and spend the day shooting with some friends from the other side of the river. We decided to cross with his M109a2 rather than make a 120 mile trip around to the nearest bridge. The morning crossing went fine we entered the water and made the crossing with little problem other than the water coming the bottom of the doors a little.
How ever the return trip did not go as good. We entered the river the same place we came out, only option. Unfortunately the water lever was now a few inches under the air intake in the deep part. Heading back up stream the 100 yards to exit where we went in that morning was not happening with the current. We turn down river and aimed for a good looking bank to exit. We picked up some speed to try and exit but as we got to shore we did not come up out of the water , but rather went strait at the same elevation. When the truck came to a stop the front wheels were buried in the sand bank and rears had spun down enough to sit it on its axles. After countless cold swims to string cables 150+ feet we got it out. All it took was a TEREX Scraper and a large 4 wheel drive tractor and a broken 1 1/4 cable.
After picking a new crossing we made it back across on the second try. I was really wishing we had taken my truck with the heater by the time we got back to his ranch.