Speaking of dumping your bag, I was at DCHS maybe about a month and a half ago and these people showed up on the beach across from the hotpools. They got ready to cross then the first guy begins the wade going straight across from the beach to the Crab Cooker. Well of course its alot deeper in the middle in that area and this guy got deeper and deeper, then he held his day pack above his head as he went in further. Finally he hit suddenly a deeper spot and he went completely under with just his hands holding his day pack above the water. He kept trying to keep his pack from getting wet for some seconds while he tried to get some footing, but in the end he failed and his pack went in the drink. He retreated back to the beach, and he and his friends ended up bailing on the attempt to cross, got dressed and left.
He could have easily crossed just 50 feet or so downstream were it is more shallow. Someone else soaking in the hotpools tried to tell them about this but they apparently mis-understood the advice. It was just too funny went he went under seeing just two hands and a pack flailing about above the water :-)