Beach backpacking trip last year. Friend and I hike down to a beach from the trail above. The trail to get back up is a fairly steep and long hill that we know then just descends again to get not that far up coast from where we are now. And it happens to be low tide, and it seems like we should be able to get around those big rocks ...

You can see where this is going.

We waded out thigh, then waist, then above waist deep, got around one major obstacle to another little beachlet, and had another significant obstacle to wade --- or maybe swim --- around. Got to the point where we were glad our backpacks had inner liners before we wised up and turned around and ultimately hiked up the hill.

The mild waves pushing us towards rock faces would have been bad enough without backpacks on. We were smart enough to undue waist belts and chest straps and ultimately we did turn back, but we pushed it farther than prudent just trying to get that last little bit that would save us half an hour of hiking.

I'm sure I've done other stupid things, but this is what comes to mind just now ... <g>