This was one of the most fun hikes I have done in a long time. The hiking was slow, but the scenery was worth it. This should be classified as a swim rather than a hike. It is unavoidable! In fact, on the way back out, most of us choose to float out because it was easier than the boulder hopping. We only went about 1.25 miles in. We found a nice basking beach to warm up and dry off. Then we hopped back into the water and floated out. Next time I'm packing in a big tube and a hand pump.