Aidan Broderick: ‘And you get to see some really big fish and stuff. It’s awesome.’
By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
Anita Crane calls tubing down the Delaware River an “instant vacation.”
The afternoon’s spectacular weather on Aug. 22 found Ms. Crane, of River Drive in Titusville, set to embark on a short pleasure cruise with her sister, daughter-in-law, nephew and his pal.
”It’s another world out there,” Ms. Crane said as the tubers entered the water. “You’re relaxed immediately. You talk a little to people as you pass by them, or as they pass you – boaters, kayakers, folks fishing on the banks. It’s a wonderful way to socialize. You see herons, turtles and fish in the water, too — sometimes snakes.”
You can also play catch with other tubers. Ms. Crane had two rubber balls for that. The quintet got into the Delaware off Upper River Drive, which is just north of the village of Titusville. The village is on a strip of land between the river and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
”We’ll go about a half-mile down river today,” Ms. Crane said.
You can also do a spot of fishing while riding a big old inner tube down the biggest river in our state. Ms. Crane’s nephew Tom Fischbach, 10, sometimes does that.
”I’m pretty sure I almost caught a giant catfish while we tubing here once,” he said. “Something snapped my fishing line, something big. Then this giant catfish jumped right out of the water near me. He was something to see.”
Tom lives in Winchester, Mass. Joining him and Ms. Crane on the tube ride were his mom, Elaine Fischback, sister Bec Fischback and friend Aidan Broderick, 10, also of Winchester, Mass.
”I’ve gone tubing a few times before,” Elaine Fischback said. “It is very pleasant and nice indeed. The breeze, all the sky and water surrounding you . . .”
”It makes you feel part of something much bigger than you, something beautiful,” Bec Fischback offered.
”And you get to see some really big fish and stuff. It’s awesome,” Aidan Broderick said.