BOWERS, Del.- John Wisbeski of Felton was fishing Wednesday along the Murderkill River in Bowers, a body of water he would rather not swim in.
"You definitely have to be aware of what's going on here," he said, noting that the tides and currents in the river can be dangerous if unwatched.
Wisbeski and a number of Bowers frequenters and residents believe unfamiliarity with the river's qualities might have played a role in the drownings of two brothers last week in South Bowers, which lies on the other side of the Murderkill. State police noted during a press conference that the two men who died were part of a group from out of town that was unfamiliar with the area and how quickly conditions can change in the area.
"It's a tragedy that something like that happens, but people don't know," Wisbeski said.
Both the Felton fisher and others hope the state or local government will install signage in Bowers and South Bowers to warn people about the strong currents that could ultimately be deadly for inexperienced swimmers.
"They should have had these back many years ago," said John Clendaniel of Kent County, a Bowers regular.
Among those calling for signage was Mike Hignutt, the assistant chief of the South Bowers Volunteer Fire Company. He said during a news conference last week that he believes members of the group were hanging out on a sandbar when the tide was lower, prior to being swept away by strong currents when the tide rose while they were still away from the mainland.
Hignutt, who rescued a man and woman from the currents, said he felt signage could help prevent future injuries or death.
"We need signs there," he said.
WBOC on Wedneday reached out to the Delaware Department of Natural Resource and Environmental Control regarding the lack of existing signage in the area and possible plans to install them in the future. A DNREC spokesman acknowledged the request for comment but did not issue a response from the agency by Wednesday evening.
Bowers Mayor Ada Puzzo said she has been in contact with the state about installing signage, noting that complication with private property in South Bowers, which is not part of the town, could make it harder to install the signage in that area without obtaining easements or other agreements.
For that reason, Puzzo said she would be willing to install a sign, following input from DNREC, across the river on a dock she and her husband own.
"I offered that we will sign papers to put a sign on our dock---whatever that sign needs to be," she said.
