One of the most fun aspects of this job is the time spent on the river. The park rangers and us interns are regularly scheduled to ‘canoe rover’. This means working the day canoeing down the river, starting at different access sites. The point is to get out on the water and talk to anyone fishing or boating. Of course, with the park itself being a Scenic and Recreational River, most concerns and potential hazards are for drownings and other injuries that may occur around the water. 

On such a long stretch of river, there is a lot to manage. Specific access sites attract guests seeking a beach day vibe, bringing portable barbecues, coolers full of drinks, and speakers to blast music. This has to be juggled with the other access sites that attract more fishing, boating, and even some hiking. While some of us stay at the access sites to watch all the activity, others are sometimes scheduled to canoe rover. 

On my first day, I was at the Mongaup access site. This is located farther south of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. This site was very beautiful, with the kiosk shaded by trees and a lightly forested trail in the back. The main attraction of this site was the boat launch. We see various people come by with their boats to head out on the water throughout the day. 

I was working with Bob, who has been at this park for five years now. I learned a lot from him regarding how to interact with visitors: ensuring they have the appropriate Coast guard approved life vests and watching out for other things, such as glass bottles (which are not allowed on the river).

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