One of the gems of the Similkameen Valley is Bromley Rock Park, located about 20 km east of Princeton, just off Highway 3.
Owned by the province but operated by a private contractor, the park has 17 campsites, but also many picnic tables for passing motorists needing a lunch or a rest.
It’s biggest attraction is the river (the area is a favourite of tubers) and on any given summer day the sandy beach is crowded with swimmers, floaters, and families of all shapes and sizes.
And then, of course, there are the rock bluffs. Hence the park's name.
Despite the fact that the park’s website states explicitly that jumping off the bluffs into the river is prohibited, it is a common occurrence.
Over a three-hour period on the weekend dozens of people took the leap and at times there was a line up.
Most of the stupid people jumped from the lower cliffs, however a few extra-stupid people climbed to the very top of the rock to take the plunge.
Some of the jumpers were just children.
This is not an advisable activity for anyone, of any age.
The bluffs are not sheer faces of rock; they are cragged, mountainous things. It would be very easy to jump and hit stone rather than water.
While there are deep pools of water directly beneath the rocks, these recesses are only just a few feet away from where it is only ankle deep.
The Similkameen is a mighty river.
Rivers – they change. You just don’t get the same river day after day, depending on currents and precipitation or lack there of, so one can never be sure of what they are literally getting into.
Curiously, while there is the website prohibition, there is no signage that warns the aforementioned stupid people of the dangers, or more importantly states: DON’T JUMP YOU FOOL.
There are no lifeguards and no roped-off designated swimming area, so perhaps the lack of information about the rocks comes down to liability concerns, as in ‘hey, we aren’t responsible for monitoring this.’
That would be why people need to take responsibility for themselves.
