Rope swings over Colorado River dangerous

Idea might sound fun, but people can get seriously injured

As the Colorado River winds through Yuma, it is constantly shifting and changing.

Every single day, the river is a little different. It might be deeper in one section on Monday, and shallow in the same spot on Tuesday, especially in the segments that run near Gateway Park, the Ocean-toOcean Bridge and through the West Wetlands.

In fact, in a single segment, the water might be only inches deep when standing four feet from the shore, and several feet deep when standing seven feet from the shore.

That varying depth makes the river great for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, standup paddleboarding or lazily floating along in an inflated tube.

At the same time, that stretch of river is terrible for big boats, which tend to stay up river near Martinez Lake, where the water is more consistently deep.

This week, however, the Yuma Fire Department had to issue a warning about a dangerous activity on the Lower Colorado. People are tying ropes to bridges near Gateway Park and swinging out over the water before dropping in.

While such an activity might sound tempting on a hot Yuma day, it’s a terrible idea.

This isn’t a lake or a large body of water we’re talking about, it’s the Lower Colorado River. The water is so shallow that jet boats go elsewhere to play, because they can’t get a consistent depth of water to safely run their boats.

There are pockets of deepish water near the bridges and parks in Yuma. But to hit those deeper pockets while swinging from a rope out over the water would require excellent aim and more than a pinch of luck.

Frankly put, it’s a very dangerous idea that could seriously injure someone.

YFD has responded to three injury calls for this activity, and each time, they’ve cut the rope back down, only to have it reappear again.

All it takes is one bad landing to ruin a summer with a broken limb. But depending on how high someone is and how they land below, that activity could also lead to much more serious, life-changing injuries.

Enjoy the river this summer. Swim, float, play and be active. But stay off the rope swings, Yuma.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?

It was so nice to read how the 1st Bank of Yuma showed their gratitude to our police department with muffins and drinks. I think we take our law enforcement agencies for granted. And we don’t realize what a difficult and dangerous job they have. So thank you 1st Bank of Yuma and thank you Yuma Police Department. It is great to read something positive about our community.