To the editor:

I live near the beautiful, still-natural Delaware River. It’s truly lovely to look at and fun to float down in a rubber raft. In the warm weather lots of people do that; I’ve done it myself. It’s a great trip – a perfect summer excursion.

But the beautiful river can be deceptive; the under current can be swifter than it appears and the bottom of the river is notoriously uneven. It’s now the beginning of August and so far this year five people have drowned in the river. I believe all of them were young men – they usually are. The one thing they have in common is that none of them were wearing a life jacket when they went under.

Over the years no one wearing a life jacket has drowned in the beautiful Delaware River. There are many signs advising people to wear a life jacket. Unfortunately, some people just cannot comply with that simple direction. 

We’ll never get these young men back – their lives are over, their families and friends devastated. How horribly sad. All they had to do was follow the simple safety rule and wear a life jacket.  Really, really sad.

Joan Rosenfelt

Pond Eddy