Kings Peak - a point from which we came

Big Flat Creek Falls

Mile 11, 750 feet elevation - Along Big Flat Creek at the bottom of the switchbacks.

Kim hiking along Big Flat Creek

Sunday Lunch, Mile 11, 0 feet elevation - Big Flat. That's Kings Peak in the background, where we camped the night before.

Nate at Big Flat

Shelter Cove off in the distance

Kim leading the pack. 3 more miles South along the beach to our campsite.

The first promontory near Shipman Creek. Passable only at low tide.
We passed 3 hours before low tide.

Chris helping Vicki scramble over the rocks.

Make sure you break in your new boots before a long hike.

Second promontory below Fire Hill. 2 hours before low tide. Waves were breaking over 10 feet against the rocks.

A discussion ensued as to whether we should go back or try and wait it out.

The first promontory in the distance. If we waited too long, the tide would come back in and we'd be trapped.

After waiting 2 hours the waves were still breaking over 8 feet. A decision would have to be made.

Nate and Chris decided to tie a rope between us and make a dash for it between swells. We chose poorly. A large wave smashed into us, nearly carrying us out to sea.

But we learned that it was just a point with the beach continuing on the other side. We decided that Nate and Chris would shuttle the others through one at a time.

We fire-lined the packs up the point and Justin lowered them down to Nate and Chris

One of us could have easily been swept out to sea.

We made it! But we burned 3 hours, we were wet and cold, we still had a mile to hike to our camp at Buck Creek, and the fog was coming in.

Vicki saving a starfish