If you're lucky enough to end up in a lake with rock or dirt sides (not sand)
you can dig 3 sideways into the bank and 2-3 up to create an air pocket to jump up into: ######~~~###++#~~~###++#~~~###~~#~~~###~~~~~~###~~~~~~###~~~~~~########## = Dirt / rock / other block~ =
Water+ =
Precious life giving air
From there you can dig your way out.
I've done this
so often I can now do it in pitch black darkness.
Maybe I should learn to look before I leap...
gaming.stackexchange.com/users/3383/Stu Pegg
Get yourself some flippers so you can swim out, or a grappling hook to climb.
I believe rocket boots would also work underwater, though they're rare.
A breathing reed would give you a little better chance of not drowning, and a balloon would improve your jump height.
If none of these options are available, you can try digging an air pocket, as explained in this answer .
gaming.stackexchange.com/users/816/sjohnston
Build a solid area around yourself with mud or dirt, make the ceiling 2-3 blocks high, then mine out an air pocket.
This is sort of like Stuart Pegg's answer above, but doesn't require a solid wall next to you.
NNNN
NXXN N
N N NDDDDDDDDDTDDDD
D - dirtN - new dirt
you addX - spots where you add dirt, then mine it awayT - mine this spot out and put a torch there, so you can see
gaming.stackexchange.com/users/8082/Ren the Unclean
sjohnston has listed some great items, but if you lack those you can drop sand below you to try and get up.
gaming.stackexchange.com/users/7111/The Communist Duck
This is going to be another air-pocket answer, but for a situation where the lake is particularly large, and no nearby wall is available.
If you have the misfortune of falling into the middle of a very large lake, break out your pickaxe and immediately dig yourself down.
Be careful if the water starts to flow out, as that means you've hit the bottom of the lake and now need to either wait for it to drain, or very carefully fall out of it yourself, taking caution not to fall into something even worse.
If you dig down five tiles and still haven't hit another cave, immediately dig three tiles to the left/right (whichever one offers you a solid cave) until there's a space where you can stand under two tiles while still having one tile next to them.
Dig the two tiles out from above you, careful to leave two tiles and the outer 'lip' intact, and start jumping.
You'll slowly recover your air and can work on a better long-term survival/escape strategy.
Y =
You_
= SurfaceD =
DirtX
= Area to dig____Y___DDDDXXDDDXXDXXDDDXXXXXDDDXXXXXDDDXXXXXDDDDDDDDDD
gaming.stackexchange.com/users/55285/Zibbobz
One of the simplest early game techniques that is available is carrying ropes or rope coils (made by crafting 10 ropes together).
Simply place them and climb!
Another alternative is to use platforms to make stairs.
You can also put many platforms over the entire lake, so you don't have to worry about falling in in any longer.
gaming.stackexchange.com/users/74117/Oreo
I just fell into a deep lake underground and miserably died because I was not able to jump out. Are there any techniques to survive in this case, or is this one of the dangerous aspects of being a miner?
How can I escape from deep lakes?
gaming.stackexchange.com
<terraria>
gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/22981
gaming.stackexchange.com/users/730/Drake
You can dig sideways and up to create an ait pocket. From there you can dig yourself out. You can also get some flippers to swim out or use platforms to make stairs. The most effective ways of escaping deep lakes are the creation of air pockets and the use of flippers, ropes or platforms.
Creating an air pocket appears to be an effective way to escape deep lakes. Using flippers, ropes or platformes enables the climbing out of the deep lakes.