He-he, the option to tempt the thrill of getting stuck is present now as well... speaking seriously, that's not what we want, and climbing over is even less so, appearing inconsistent and risky. There seems also to be a hint that plugging the flow further might be helpful in some kind of way (I dunno, may be there is an unfriendly fat eel ready to suddenly flow in and rub against our ankles, especially if we were to get stuck and scream wildly for help). This could also be, in reverse, a chance for accidental tripping.
In any case, checking where the other channel leads seems to be the most viable option, as we just pay a bit of time and don't risk anyhow... probably.
So, another vote for 3).