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In the first instance, your hand acted as a "skidder" and glided across the top of the water, while in the second example your hand acted as a "digger" due to the fact that your hand is entering the water on a much steeper angle. The similarity to this and playing bunker shots is the fact that the sole of your wedge acts in the same manner. Substitute these terms for the sole (skidder) and the leading edge (digger) and your understanding of how the club will react in the sand will improve immediately. 

Pay close attention to sand conditions because certain conditions will dictate how you should set the clubface before hitting certain shots. For example, when playing from soft, fluffy sand the sole of your wedge should be held open so it won't get "stuck" in the sand through the hitting area. The opposite is true when playing from hard or wet sand. Set the face square or even slightly closed to the target line to create a digging action through impact. Remember, the face condition at impact will determine the ball's trajectory and amount of spin placed on the golf ball. An open face through soft sand will allow you to hit high, soft shots with plenty of spin. A square (or slightly closed) face will cause the ball to come out of the sand lower with less spin, so allow for a significant amount of roll when the ball lands on the green, which is ideal when you have plenty of green to work with. In either case, you will be able to play aggressive, not defensive bunker shots, which will lead to increased confidence and lower scoring.